Simple Machines Community Forum

Customizing SMF => Building Your Community and other Forum Advice => Topic started by: erockza on July 23, 2006, 05:43:49 AM

Title: The Best way of getting a forum active as crap?
Post by: erockza on July 23, 2006, 05:43:49 AM
What is the best way of getting a forum active as ever! Like i try posting heaps, some people are joining and stuff, but its slow... what in your experiences is the best way to get a community happening?
Title: Re: The Best way of getting a forum active as crap?
Post by: Tristan Perry on July 23, 2006, 06:52:30 AM
You can't simply expect things to burst over-night. If some people are joining that's great news - it shows you're offering an attractive reason for people to join you. Ask your members to tell their friends about you, or at least add links to your site in their signatures on other forum's. These things take time, although it sounds like you're doing things correct at least.
Title: Re: The Best way of getting a forum active as crap?
Post by: Mishibizhii on July 23, 2006, 10:28:40 AM
In my experience, the things that help a forum become successful is it's accessability, atmosphere, and security.
If it's a place that's receptive to newcomers, that's great. If the users you have are friendly and good with discussion, that's even better.
One thing that is a must is that you, as an admin, protect your territory and drive out trolls. It gives your users a sense of security in the knowledge that their forum leader has the site's best interests in mind.
A good design helps, too. Also, running something that's fairly unique certainly helps. You don't want to have "just another <place hobby here> board".

My oldest board is almost five years old now (give it a few more days) and is running quite successfully. No, it's not an SMF. I'm just curious about this software here though.

Benjamin
Title: Re: The Best way of getting a forum active as crap?
Post by: Isaac on July 23, 2006, 08:25:34 PM
www.theadminzone.com

Try reading some of those articles.  They will probably help you.  :)
Title: Re: The Best way of getting a forum active as crap?
Post by: 1MileCrash on July 23, 2006, 08:58:24 PM
A.) having content/a site/more than a forum. Site first. A forum is an extra. Most sites that are just a forum usually dont do well at all
B.) have unique content/articles that will keep people coming back. Bigger forums will be linking to you "check out this article here".
C.) use ssi to hide your articles to guests.

That's my formula and ever since i've been doing all three i get about 5-10 members a day.
Title: Re: The Best way of getting a forum active as crap?
Post by: PrizeLive.com on July 23, 2006, 09:01:32 PM
Quote from: Tippmaster on July 23, 2006, 08:58:24 PM
A.) having content/a site/more than a forum. Site first. A forum is an extra. Most sites that are just a forum usually dont do well at all

heh... check www.moneytalkpro.com  :D
Title: Re: The Best way of getting a forum active as crap?
Post by: Dannii on July 23, 2006, 09:56:14 PM
Find a niche.
Title: Re: The Best way of getting a forum active as crap?
Post by: Isaac on July 23, 2006, 10:48:18 PM
Quote from: SurfExcelerator.com on July 23, 2006, 09:01:32 PM
Quote from: Tippmaster on July 23, 2006, 08:58:24 PM
A.) having content/a site/more than a forum. Site first. A forum is an extra. Most sites that are just a forum usually dont do well at all

heh... check www.moneytalkpro.com  :D
He said most, not all.
Title: Re: The Best way of getting a forum active as crap?
Post by: 1MileCrash on July 23, 2006, 11:12:29 PM
That's still a really small forum...and it's one of those pay per post things. I consider site's like that a waste of the internet.
Title: Re: The Best way of getting a forum active as crap?
Post by: PrizeLive.com on July 24, 2006, 12:46:03 AM
Quote from: Tippmaster on July 23, 2006, 11:12:29 PM
That's still a really small forum...and it's one of those pay per post things. I consider site's like that a waste of the internet.

Why?
Title: Re: The Best way of getting a forum active as crap?
Post by: 1MileCrash on July 24, 2006, 01:14:02 PM
The forum has no point, and no subject. The only reason they have the small amount of members they have is because of the "pay per post". Nobody is there out of interest or a common calling, which in my opinion is the main point of a forum.
Title: Re: The Best way of getting a forum active as crap?
Post by: PrizeLive.com on July 25, 2006, 09:51:22 AM
Quote from: Tippmaster on July 24, 2006, 01:14:02 PM
The forum has no point, and no subject. The only reason they have the small amount of members they have is because of the "pay per post". Nobody is there out of interest or a common calling, which in my opinion is the main point of a forum.

Umm ok...

No point and no subject?
Title: Re: The Best way of getting a forum active as crap?
Post by: Vinspire on July 25, 2006, 04:46:42 PM
Nice discussion :)
Title: Re: The Best way of getting a forum active as crap?
Post by: Isaac on July 25, 2006, 09:36:10 PM
Quote from: SurfExcelerator.com on July 25, 2006, 09:51:22 AM
Quote from: Tippmaster on July 24, 2006, 01:14:02 PM
The forum has no point, and no subject. The only reason they have the small amount of members they have is because of the "pay per post". Nobody is there out of interest or a common calling, which in my opinion is the main point of a forum.

Umm ok...

No point and no subject?
The only reason people are there is money.  Not because you have a good community, or are a good admin, but because of money.
Title: Re: The Best way of getting a forum active as crap?
Post by: 1MileCrash on July 25, 2006, 09:47:53 PM
Precisely. You have to make members feel like there a part of something, make them proud to be a member. That's when you have truely created a great forum.
Title: Re: The Best way of getting a forum active as crap?
Post by: vortexsf on July 25, 2006, 10:31:28 PM
I am in the process of setting up a new forum, and a site. This thread looked helpful so I bookmarked it. I may check out theadminzone site later as well.
Title: Re: The Best way of getting a forum active as crap?
Post by: PrizeLive.com on July 26, 2006, 12:15:35 AM
Quote from: Isaac on July 25, 2006, 09:36:10 PM
Quote from: SurfExcelerator.com on July 25, 2006, 09:51:22 AM
Quote from: Tippmaster on July 24, 2006, 01:14:02 PM
The forum has no point, and no subject. The only reason they have the small amount of members they have is because of the "pay per post". Nobody is there out of interest or a common calling, which in my opinion is the main point of a forum.

Umm ok...

No point and no subject?
The only reason people are there is money.  Not because you have a good community, or are a good admin, but because of money.

Thanks.
Title: Re: The Best way of getting a forum active as crap?
Post by: Nikolas_00 on July 29, 2006, 10:52:26 AM
Also check adminfusion.com

Is a very warm community for forum owners.
Title: Re: The Best way of getting a forum active as crap?
Post by: gamesmad on July 29, 2006, 11:39:05 AM
Quote from: SurfExcelerator.com on July 26, 2006, 12:15:35 AM
Quote from: Isaac on July 25, 2006, 09:36:10 PM
Quote from: SurfExcelerator.com on July 25, 2006, 09:51:22 AM
Quote from: Tippmaster on July 24, 2006, 01:14:02 PM
The forum has no point, and no subject. The only reason they have the small amount of members they have is because of the "pay per post". Nobody is there out of interest or a common calling, which in my opinion is the main point of a forum.

Umm ok...

No point and no subject?
The only reason people are there is money.  Not because you have a good community, or are a good admin, but because of money.

Thanks.

Heh, but it is true.

Will
Title: Re: The Best way of getting a forum active as crap?
Post by: falleninlove on August 01, 2006, 01:43:04 PM
what is the best way of getting ppl to the forum?
Title: Re: The Best way of getting a forum active as crap?
Post by: Dannii on August 02, 2006, 08:08:33 AM
Word of mouth.
Title: Re: The Best way of getting a forum active as crap?
Post by: Wolfenrook on August 02, 2006, 12:39:30 PM
I'm with eldacar 100% there!  Advertising (Google etc) tends to bring in mostly trolls, word of mouth brings you good members who will make THEIR site (to my mind you just provide the structure of it, they provide the content, so in a way it's their site.) a place where people want to be, and you proud to be the leader of the group.  Also don't get too caught up in numbers, quality counts more.  I've been on sites with memberships in the thousands where the same 15 people are the only ones who ever post, and drivel at that, wheras I've also been on sites with just 100 or so members most of who'm seem to post, and interesting worthwhile posts at that, rather than just inane spam.

Oh and something else that is important, your site needs an identity.  Most of the more succesful sites that I have seen have had a name that people feel that they can identify with, and use as a banner to rally under so to speak.

Wolfenrook
Title: Re: The Best way of getting a forum active as crap?
Post by: ApplianceJunk on November 30, 2009, 02:19:56 PM
QuoteThe Best way of getting a forum active as crap?

How active is crap, lol... :)
Title: Re: The Best way of getting a forum active as crap?
Post by: Arantor on December 01, 2009, 05:43:42 AM
Active enough to be resurrected after 3 years?
Title: Re: The Best way of getting a forum active as crap?
Post by: Liam. on December 01, 2009, 06:25:17 AM
Wow John, thats one hell of a bump!
Title: Re: The Best way of getting a forum active as crap?
Post by: Arantor on December 01, 2009, 06:29:22 AM
Nah, I've seen 6 year old bumps here.
Title: Re: The Best way of getting a forum active as crap?
Post by: ApplianceJunk on December 01, 2009, 06:47:08 AM
I did not even notice how old it was, lol...

I noticed one of the topics I started had a lot of views. So I clicked the link at the top of the views so it sorted all topic by the most views. I then see this topic and posted a reply without even looking to see the age of it, sorry. :)

Next time I will know to look, lol...