# Why is the SDMB membership declining, and what's the best way to add younger members?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-sdmb-membership-declining-and-whats-the-best-way-to-add-younger-members/944208>\
**Category:** About This Message Board\
**Created:** [June 14, 2021, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-sdmb-membership-declining-and-whats-the-best-way-to-add-younger-members/944208 "2021-06-14T02:28:44Z")\
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**Author:** ![codinghorror](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/codinghorror/32/4242_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/codinghorror)\
**Post date:** [July 2, 2021, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-sdmb-membership-declining-and-whats-the-best-way-to-add-younger-members/944208/484 "2021-07-02T22:34:30Z")

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So, after a bit of reading, my big-picture take on SDMB growth and vitality is:

- 🥇 [modernize and simplify the rules](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-moderator-actions-be-in-public-or-in-private/945286/86) and the pinned topics, with an emphasis on “simplify”

- 🥈 make a habit of sharing interesting conversations from SMDB to your other online haunts, wherever they may be, to attract new ~~victims~~ users

- 🥉 regularly create new topics of the SDMB flavor (e.g. artisanally curated topics that are quirky and interesting and fit with the SDMB brand, versus “here’s what happened in the news today”)

- seriously reconsider the BBQ pit as toxic in today’s world – negativity is a bummer, but skepticism is cool!

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