How to build a successful forum

Started by Noddegamra, August 23, 2007, 09:47:41 AM

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Mother Goose

Very well written and well thought out Gwion!  Nicely done! 
   

t2mkn

hi,

i m new to moderation.  :P but the info here is really greate.  8) thanks.
hxxp:www.forum.eatak.com [nonactive]
hxxp:www.forum.eatak.com [nonactive]

Mother Goose

   

cru

very nice and useful  tips! thanks!

dxyy

Well my forum isn't successful as yet, but the only thing I can think of adding is that you should never stop promoting it - online and offline. ;)

Anyway, just wanted to say thanks for the information, haha but I wanted to try to add something as well. ::)

Once I get the ultimate profiles and the felblog working the way I would like them to, I'll heavily promote my forum and let you know if it's a success or not.

Mother Goose

Good luck with your endeavors hugodiaz!

I wanted to share we have just hit the jack pot at our forum. We found a popular magazine that focuses on our specific topic and I wrote an article for it. They published it last week, and we have grown my over 100 members this week.

Good members to.. lot's of helpful posts etc.

The magazine got free content for the publication, and we got free international advertising. Can't beat that!! 
   

christicehurst

Quote from: Mother Goose on December 16, 2007, 11:12:22 PM
Good luck with your endeavors hugodiaz!

I wanted to share we have just hit the jack pot at our forum. We found a popular magazine that focuses on our specific topic and I wrote an article for it. They published it last week, and we have grown my over 100 members this week.

Good members to.. lot's of helpful posts etc.

The magazine got free content for the publication, and we got free international advertising. Can't beat that!! 

That's great to hear. Our membership has been going well. We are looking into anthologies now. So we might be lucky.
www.brisbanelionsunited.com - A forum for everyone!

dxyy

Quote from: Mother Goose on December 16, 2007, 11:12:22 PM
Good luck with your endeavors hugodiaz!
Thanks! :)

I'm extremely confident that once I can get the felblog and ultimate profile mods working the way I would like them to that my forum can really take off. ;) Haha, unfortunately I don't seem to be close to getting the exact functionality that I want out of them as yet.

I also think writing such as in a magazine, or as a guest blogger are great ways to get new members and exposure for your forum. ;)

Mother Goose

Great to hear christicehurst! Wishing you success as well!

Keep us posted everyone.
   

christicehurst

Quote from: Mother Goose on December 17, 2007, 05:06:50 AM
Great to hear christicehurst! Wishing you success as well!

Keep us posted everyone.

Thanks. My forum is racing towards 27 000 posts and I'm happy with it. My writers are like a extended family.
www.brisbanelionsunited.com - A forum for everyone!

RubMinds

Avoid being rude to new members as they have been guests for long who probably refused to sign up but are contented with reading posts from older members.

Every new member is a potential loyalist.
www.RubMinds.com [nofollow] - Reality LIVE!, Double DARE and DO something.

RubMinds

Rubminds.com [nofollow] is about 4 months old now though growing slowly is thriving on "conspiracy" topics, especially videos, some generating as much as 5,000 views a day
www.RubMinds.com [nofollow] - Reality LIVE!, Double DARE and DO something.

BradB

These are some great tips - but what can you do to get more active participation from existing board members of a new forum?

I've got a new board (about 4 months old) that is a spin off of a board that a friend ran that died last summer.  This is my first board BTW.]
When his died I tried starting this one and tried rounding up as many of the folks that I could from the old board.  Participation was failing on his board because of his lack of interest and involvement.

In my case, I'm having trouble getting this one started, just seems like there is only a handful of people posting and it is always the same ones.  Maybe my issue is more of a recruitment one but then again - I'm not sure how to go about that either.  I've solicited on a couple other boards where I know people in the area where I live but they tend to post regularly on boards already - and my board isn't a forum dedicated to s 'special' topic but rather a general discussion forum.

Any body got any suggestions?
Stop by and visit us at www.TalkCarolinas.com [nofollow]

Mother Goose

Nice looking forum Brad! 

It's focused on your state? Right?

Ya, getting the word out and holding their attention seems to be what you need. What brought the people from the first forum together in the first place?
   

BradB

Right.  I decided to make it state focused and have the topics pretty much similar to the old forum topics only adding a few more that I always wanted to add.

What had brought the people together in the first place was people wanting a no-nonsense, no-sniping forum where they could post anything from  jokes, pictures of family members, you name it without having to worry about getting insulted or flamed.  A lot of folks had left other forums because of the lack of moderation, etc. or just grown tired of the trolls.

All my posters are within NC - maybe a few within SC, so hence my board name.  I think I am going to have to focus more on getting more board members that post regularly.
Stop by and visit us at www.TalkCarolinas.com [nofollow]

Mother Goose

So Brad, how did they hear about a board with the "no-nonsense, no-sniping forum" goal?

I ask because figuring out how people heard about the first forum will help you know where to put your recruiting energies.

My observation is a forum needs committed regulars and a steady flow of new blood. It can just be one new member a week, but it keeps the place interesting. At some point a forum community hits critical mass and it takes on it's own momentum, but until then it needs constant nurturing.

My two cents, for what that's worth LOL, is read the news and start threads that have an opened question. For example.. "The local blah blah did such and such.. I think blah blah, what do you guys think?"

I see you have a sports board... great place to have predictions or contests for game out comes. Start talking abut an up coming game the week before, if it's going to be an exciting contest.

We are doing "Post of the Month", "Blog of the Month", "Recipe of the Month," and "Photo of the Month" awards. And even though there is lots of rumblings about how uncool, and how people don't care if they win, the posting and participation shoots WAY up the week after the awards are voted on and awarded. LOL

There is a GREAT awards mod, and I have made all kind's of award icons to use. Let me know if you want links to those threads.

Keep us posted!
   

humbleworld

My one advice is for the site owner to keep on posting quality topics. People would love to revisit your site if they can learn something new from it.

christicehurst

Getting good members who are active and with experience helps alot. My forum has made over 3000 posts in the past 10 days and that's been to new membership and new things to do at the forum.
www.brisbanelionsunited.com - A forum for everyone!

humbleworld

Make your members feel that each one of them is important and that you value their precious presence in your forum site.

lebisol

Nice points, now...how come authors signature reads "earn money for posting" lol.

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