The Future of GoHaynesvilleShale.com: A question for members

Much has changed since the website went live in 2008.  The Haynesville Shale was a huge issue across NW LA and E TX and for good reason.  A declining oil and gas industry was revitalized and intense competition in the new age of unconventional exploration and production was an economic stimulus for land owners and businesses.  The membership over a handful of months surpassed 20,000 members.  GoHaynesvilleShale.com became the go to resource for mineral owners looking to get information and have their questions answered.

Now, over seventeen years, the Haynesville Shale has matured and a number of other unconventional plays we have followed have emerged, proven uneconomic and faded away.  The Austin Chalk, Lower Smackover Brown Dense and the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale have all come and gone.  Portions of the play area have contracted and expanded as drilling and completion technologies have advanced.  New mineral plays have emerged like the Smackover Lithium play evolving across SW AR and E TX and possibly portions of N LA.  It will take a few years to see how that plays out, proves profitable for companies and enriches some mineral owners.

Over the years interest in and participation on the website has waxed and waned.  A normal progression as those O&G plays come and go and mature.  The Haynesville Shale may very well have new life with additions to the producing fairway on the east and west edges.  Some members have an interest in the emerging Western Haynesville play especially as it progresses eastward and more major operators become involved.

The challenge for GoHaynesvilleShale.com is twofold.  The site host has caused problems and limited the ability of members to fully benefit from the functionalities that were once operational.  Attempts to fix and address those problems have been less than totally successful.  A new host would take care of those issues and make being a member more valuable but there is a cost involved in creating a new platform under a new host.  And the number of active members has declined.

The website has been free to use for all of those seventeen years and has undoubtedly benefitted many hundreds of mineral owners.  The number of active members does not include those who regularly view the discussions on the website but do not join as members because they do not care to post discussions or make replies in ongoing discussion threads.  It would be ideal for those non-members to still have access to the website but how does that impact the cost versus income balance required to keep GoHaynesvilleShale.com online and available to help members and non-members?

While we explore the cost of a new host and site format, I would like to make a couple of suggestions and ask for comments from the members.  There are one-time costs involved and then ongoing monthly hosting costs.  If ad revenue and donations exceed the monthly costs, the website could remain online.  If members who continue to benefit from the knowledge provided wish to make a donation to help cover the one-time costs that would help defray the expense of the new host and site architecture, that would be a big step in keeping GoHaynesvilleShale.com online and helping mineral owners.

What do members think about a modest annual subscription to be a member who can post discussions, reply in discussion threads and fully access all the different portions of the website?  Should anyone be able to view the site for free even if they do not post?  Maybe a subscription for access and a somewhat greater one for the ability to post?  Do you value the benefits of GoHaynesvilleShale.com enough to help keep it online?  Do you have any suggestions on how to accomplish that?

 

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Rock Man on Tuesday

Over the years, I have seen many discussion sites start up, evolve, grow and die.

  • The Eagle Ford and Cline Shale forums are two good examples of this.

I have been personally frustrated at times by this site and how things are (or are not) communicated.

  • And that changes need to be made to try to make this a more effective "knowledge site"

I agree that this site can be improved upon but that it will cost "x" to do so. Charging a subscription fee (either one time or at regular periods of time) makes sense - but I personally don't know how many members would be willing to do this

  • How many members are there?
  • If 50% paid a $10 "improvement fee", would that be a sufficient financial impact to improve the site?

One of the best parts of these forums is for people to be able to "hover" and scope out what is being said.

  • I am not sure how many of these "watchers" would be willing to pay a fee to allow them to perform this task.

I think a good test of the desire to pay something for this site will be demonstrated by the response (or lack of response) to this post.

TO WHICH I WILL ADD - IF YOU WANT TO KEEP THIS SITE ACTIVE AND ONGOING, PLEASE STEP UP AND POST YOUR OPINIONS AS TO "NEXT STEPS" AND OPTIONS.

Permalink Reply by Dave Coleman on Tuesday

 I'm in ,even for more if needed.

Permalink Reply by Skip Peel - Mineral Consultant on Tuesday

Thanks for the feedback, Dave.  At this point my discussion has 49 views and two replies.  I hope that more members will weigh in.  I have asked Keith to explore the cost of a new host which would include a new more responsive site architecture.  I have offered to help him cover the cost but that commitment requires enough support from the members.

Permalink Reply by Hale Yayuh on Tuesday

I would be willing to make a donation. I have no idea how many people would. For me, a very favorite feature of the internet is forums and I wish it weren't so but I am not optimistic regarding your plight.

I have seen forums send a message to members along the lines of "We're at a crossroads. We cannot continue without donations. if you wish to enjoy this site, send money." Of course, the pitch would be much better than that but that's the essence of what they say.

Permalink Reply by Skip Peel - Mineral Consultant on Tuesday

Thanks, Hale.  At this point I'm just looking for expressions of interest in helping the website stay online from a financial perspective.  I won't know what might be required to accomplish that until Keith finishes looking into costs.  As a regular participant, what do you think about a modest charge to view GoHaynesvilleShale.com?  Maybe for a specific period of time as some who come to ask a question may not participate beyond that after getting answers.  I'd also like to hear opinions on how much that charge might be.

Permalink Reply by Hale Yayuh on Tuesday

I don't know a solution but I would think viewing for free would be necessary to stimulate interest in even possibly paying anything. If a fee had to be charged to answer a question, I'd be concerned about losing those viewers. Even if it's warranted. It's a catch-22. I have an aversion to subscription fees and do not pay any for any forum. I have only paid for one forum over the years and they kept jacking up the price over time and I quit, as did a huge number of members. The problem one faces is that so much of the internet is free. The amount of free info is staggering. Pertinent info to one's situation is another thing but a lot of people just are not going to pay for it. But, it's possible you could figure out a model that worked. But, it's daunting.

I would think that this is a VERY low volume site but I don't know any numbers. If I am correct, monetizing is a huge challenge. Relying on the generosity of appreciative members would be a challenge but I won't say that that is impossible, I know of sites that seem to pull it off but they certainly go through challenges to stay afloat.

One also has to be very, very careful about the script/software used for the forum. I would only go with a very large company with an established success record if it were mine. Someone with a lot of internet / programming / forum experience would need to be consulted. Another issue is migrating all of this info that exists here to a new platform. Some choices, it would be impossible.

Permalink Reply by M B Gilster on Wednesday

I'd step up Skip, here daily & have been for yrs. but UNC @ this time what my max contribution would be.

Permalink Reply by Skip Peel - Mineral Consultant on Wednesday

Thanks, MB.  I'll let everyone know what Keith comes up with after he gets cost figures.

Permalink Reply by Brian on Thursday

I would subscribe or pay an annual fee.

Permalink Reply by Skip Peel - Mineral Consultant on Thursday

Thanks, Brian.

Permalink Reply by Dave Coleman on Thursday

I think my needs would be something you are already doing. That is negotiate a top dollar sale of our leased MI's in the Western Haynesville.

Dave

Permalink Reply by Skip Peel - Mineral Consultant on Thursday

Dave, as the Western Haynesville grows over a greater geographic area with more major operators Keith and I have discussed how to bring in members with mineral interest there.  I don't know about negotiating mineral sales, that would be a question for Keith.

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