# Car Social Network - Market Research



## nsj_tts (Jun 11, 2014)

Hi all,

I am looking into creating a brand new social network for car lovers and I'm doing some market research to see what you guys all think to the idea.

I've been a car fan since I was a child, and since I had my first car at 17 I have been a member of many different car forums. The most recent being 206info (when I had my 2001 206 GTi back in 2009) and now TT Forums.

I found whenever I wanted to know something about my car, this would be my place of choice. The downside here is that when you change car, you have to change your whole car community.

My idea allows you to have a single place to go, no matter what your car. You have your own profile, and crucially a profile for each of your cars. You can create posts about your car, and upload images/videos and use hashtags like you can on facebook and twitter.

The goal is to create an online community for you to search how to repair/modify/upgrade or simply show off your car. You can do this by following individuals themselves, or specific cars. Each user would have a feed when they logged in, just like on other social networks, of all the people, cars and hashtags they follow.

Is this something you think would work? I'd be keen to hear your ideas and feedback.

For those who are interested my background is in Web Development. I run my own Web Development agency and have been working in the profession for over 10 years.

Thanks,

N


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## NickG (Aug 15, 2013)

So like Piston heads meets facebook?


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## nsj_tts (Jun 11, 2014)

I guess so. It would certainly be more like Facebook than a traditional car forum. The issue with car forums (although don't get me wrong I do love them) is that every post or thread sits inside a specific 'forum' and 'thread'.

With this new network all posts and threads are independent. You simply follow people/cars/hashtags or even specific makes/models.

You then get a personalised Feed of all threads/posts that you have followed. All the usual liking/commenting functionality would be available.

It wouldn't all be for car banter though. Imagine you needed to change the break pads on your Audi TT. You would simply write a new post 'How do I change my break pads on my Audi TT'. Then you would tag it with 'Audi' 'TT' 'Break Pads' for example.

So anyone following those hash tags would see it in their feed. Similarly for other car makes and models.

I also like being able to view car profiles. So you could write a post:

'Check out my new TTS' and then have a link to your car profile, like your facebook profile, but for your car. This would have it's own gallery/video and any thread/posts related to your car. Other users can like/comment and follow your car. You could have a profile for each of your cars.

You could also add service history to your car, so each time you get any work done you can log it. So your profile would give a full account of your car's history (if you chose to share this). There could also be a performance section where it shows your cars stats, both from factory and what you may have upgraded it to. Ultimately it could be used as a great for sale page for your car but that would not be its main purpose.


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## John-H (Jul 13, 2005)

Interesting post. I've always found that the advantage with forms is that you have a structured and indexed navigation which can be built upon. I know people like the social media sites to chat too but they are largely unstructured and somewhat random. It depends what you want - chat or information - obviously there's a cross over but the advantage of each medium is at the root of it's construction.

I take it you are trying to meld the two? An interesting compromise. I suppose the success of it will depend on how well you can intelligently link a post to a targeted response and of course the user take up. The question is - is their need already met by the two options already? If so why should they change? You are starting up amongst two established bases.

There is another issue. I've always tried to keep our community together as there is strength in numbers "the great attractor" is a draw to participation and inclusion. Fragmentation seems to lead to dispersement, rivalry and weakening both for users and organisers.

If you can act as a linking device but still keep activity within established forums and social media they will be happy but your problem is then attracting people to go through you and monetising the result. If you attract users away from the established bases then they will not be happy. How do you survive - in partnership or rivalry? A symbiotic relationship avoiding fragmentation would be best I think. Can you do this? How?


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## leopard (May 1, 2015)

Agree with John here.

I much prefer the structure of a forum that can easily be navigated and topics are compartmentalised,call me (old) skool but I don't bother with social media either..


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## Spandex (Feb 20, 2009)

I'm with John here too. There's a reason why forums still exist in a world where social media is everywhere. Idle chat and banter fit well with social media, but forums create a body of reference material that social media can't compete with.

Take your example above. Every time someone goes to change their brake pads, they post on CarBook™ "How do I change the brake pads on my Audi TT", and everyone facepalms and ignores them because they've already answered that question 5 times this year and are losing the will to live. Two hours later and the conversation has disappeared in the noise of more popular ongoing discussions, unanswered and never to be seen again. On a forum the member will either find the 'changing your brake pads' thread, or they'll start a new thread and one person will post a link (followed by 10 other people telling them to use the fecking search function instead of posting stupid questions)

If you can find a way of combining these two things well, you might be on to a winner, but I suspect the result will just be a forum with a 'newsfeed' bolted on the side (which I'm pretty sure exists already).


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## nsj_tts (Jun 11, 2014)

Hi guys,

Thanks for the input. This is interesting and I tend to agree in terms of searching for car issues, in that scenario it is very possible that a forum would work better. As a reference point.

I think a social media is more suitable for ongoing current/trending topics/posts. The idea of following a specific car and having a profile page for that car as opposed to having to keep returning to a single forum thread to see what is going on with a specific car is more the line the website would be for.

It would be a portfolio/showcase for your car essentially. Imagine showing off your car saying "www.carwebsite.com/mycar" and see what it is up to. I know a huge number of people who want to create websites for their cars but don't really know the best way to go about it, or how to engage people in conversation about their car. This website would essentially cater for that.

Keep the feedback coming it is very helpful.


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## Hoggy (May 8, 2002)

Hi, Not for me, much easier to use the established forums & clubs for the particular marque & may lead to their demise.
Hoggy.


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## nsj_tts (Jun 11, 2014)

Thanks guys. Really interesting feedback. Based on what you've said so far I already have some different ideas for the website.

In my head at the moment the main focus would be a showcase website for your car, or cars. Somewhere to show your car off. I wouldn't see it or want it to be a replacement for useful resources like TT Forums, and similar websites for other makes and models. One thing I've learnt about social networks over the years in the industry is not to try and dictate how people use them. It's always best to create a simple version first and let the users tell you how they want it to work, if indeed they want to use it all!

I'm thinking about throwing together a prototype/beta version and giving you guys a sneak peak first to see what you think and if you think it would have any following.


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## NickG (Aug 15, 2013)

You may have been beaten to it :?

http://www.drivetribe.com


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## alantt (May 3, 2014)

I don't do Facebook so it won't be for me.


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## Stiff (Jun 15, 2015)

There used to be something arguably similar called hubgarage (which doesn't seem to be there anymore) and another popular one still active - streetsource, albeit more U.S. orientated (Mini Trucks etc).
A more U.K. orientated version _could_ work although viewing similar discussions on other forums (as regards to forums slowing down due to FB migration) seemed to be that the majority found the forums better for the reasons mentioned above regarding referencing/not as fast paced etc and some simply refused to even attempt the social media route.
If it were purely for fun, I'd say have a go and do it. What's to lose? If it were for profit then I'd tread cautiously. Unless you're pretty adept at marketing and optimisation then it's a whole different ball game.


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## nsj_tts (Jun 11, 2014)

Hi all,

Thanks so much for the feedback. Some interesting thoughts. That drive tribe seems pretty cool, will have to check it out.

Just to update you all on the above. I have completed the initial phase of the website. Based on your feedback I've changed the idea somewhat to be a place to show off your car and all your photos / mods / performance stats etc. This way we can keep the socialising and resource aspect of it to the forums, like this one.

I've created a car profile so you can all see. I started a topic in the mk2 forum which is here:

viewtopic.php?f=19&t=1462681

Here's my TTRS on the site:

https://www.topautos.co.uk/car/ae26d30a/

Car Profile Top










Car Profile Feed










It would be great to get a few people here who have photos of their TT's to create a profile for their car. Only takes a few minutes really.

Cheers!


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## LOWBOYTT (Dec 4, 2016)

i think its a great idea, also think it would be quite a messy place structure wise. think it would be quite difficult. But i do love the idea of just dedicating yourself to one forum apposed to having to research a new one for a problem with a dif car.

This recently happened to me with the missus 206cc had to hunt down a 206cc fan site. to diagnose the faults... this was frustrating.


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