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Do Social Networks Help?

Started by rd, May 09, 2010, 04:24:38 PM

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rd

Well, lately you all must have seen forums and even regular websites add Facebook or Twitter buttons to their websites. Some of you might wonder how social networks can affect the health of your forum.

Let's start by looking at the pros:

1. Social networks can help spread your name out to a lot of people, depending on the amount of people in your friends list.
2. Social networks attract bots and spiders because if you spam your URL a lot in a high relevance site then you are bound to get bots or spiders browsing the link and ending up in your site.
3. Social networks might help attract people (a bit different then #1). For example, let's say you created a site and you created a Facebook page on it. You join your forum's fan page and your friends find out. Your friend's join the fan page as well, and they have friends that might be interested in your forum, thus they join... And the cycle keeps going if your lucky. Remember, it's good to have an active presences and a good description in your fan page. 

Cons:

1. Your friends might not find your links appealing.
2. Might take some time

Notices:
* There might be other benefits or cons of using a social network.
* This is an armature "article" on social networks
* Don't expect results.

If you have gotten a member from social networks like Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, etc. Please give a shout out here.

bullbreedluverz

I gained quite a few members through facebook on my old forum.

I had my own personal page an created a page for my forum and joined lots of groups relivant to my site and added links to my forum and invited people in them groups as friends and in turn invited them to join my group for my site and I did get members.

It is a time consuming slowish process posting links on facebook as they get all pissy with you when you do too many too soon and threaten to ban you.

TheListener

Since adding twitter to MKA we have gained 60 followers and one member.


I now receive press packs from the local shopping centre management and local museums and theatres.

teh_Krall

I hope to try this out in the future as at least half of our members now use social sites more then our forum. I'm hoping cross linking with get them to participate again.

Khurram Abbasi

i am also getting some member from FB and stumbleuopn, i hope it ll go better with time...

wynnyelle

We have a Facebook and Twitter presence, but so far have not really gotten any signups through it that I know of. When I tweet our link with some bit of news though, it turns about 20 guest hits in, which then never sign up. :P

rd


wynnyelle

All the more reason for me to support the conclusion that Social networks do NOTHING for your site. They've done nothing for mine.

rd

Quote from: Groovystar on May 11, 2010, 01:38:57 PM
All the more reason for me to support the conclusion that Social networks do NOTHING for your site. They've done nothing for mine.

Either your doing it wrong
Have no patients
Or the general public doesn't care about your forums topic... You've reached your max of sorts.

Here are some success stories:

Quote from: Khurram Abbasi on May 10, 2010, 03:01:42 PM
i am also getting some member from FB and stumbleuopn, i hope it ll go better with time...
Quote from: Brack1 on May 09, 2010, 06:01:31 PM
Since adding twitter to MKA we have gained 60 followers and one member.


I now receive press packs from the local shopping centre management and local museums and theatres.

And more ;)

QuoteSocial networks do NOTHING for your site.

Correction:
QuoteSocial network has done nothing for MY site.

Just saying it how it is.

TheListener

Regarding the bots.

In your admin area there is a search engine section.

It may be an idea for TOPSY to be added.

This is the Twitter version of Google Search.

Khurram Abbasi

Quote from: Royalduke on May 10, 2010, 03:55:38 PM
Groovystar, those are bots.

when ever i tweet and Post link to Fb i get about 50 visitor , if they are bots than its useless...

rd

Quote from: Khurram Abbasi on May 12, 2010, 08:04:24 AM
Quote from: Royalduke on May 10, 2010, 03:55:38 PM
Groovystar, those are bots.

when ever i tweet and Post link to Fb i get about 50 visitor , if they are bots than its useless...

Then don't use social networks to publish you rcontent :P If your just gonna spam twitter and facebook with links to your site then what would you expect?

Mick.

Do Social Networks Help?

Sure they do.  10 alone came form FB yesterday :P

rd

Quote from: bluedevil on May 12, 2010, 08:08:03 AM
Do Social Networks Help?

Sure they do.  10 alone came form FB yesterday :P

Good to hear it's working for you! It's your car forum right?

Note: Social networks won't work for you if your site is empty, or old content, never gets updated, boring content, looks horriable, nothing to offer, etc.

Mick.

Quote from: Royalduke on May 12, 2010, 08:09:40 AM
Quote from: bluedevil on May 12, 2010, 08:08:03 AM
Do Social Networks Help?

Sure they do.  10 alone came form FB yesterday :P

Good to hear it's working for you! It's your car forum right?

Note: Social networks won't work for you if your site is empty, or old content, never gets updated, boring content, looks horriable, nothing to offer, etc.

Yep, my truck forum. ;)

rd

Yeah, it's pretty active and the theme is awesome!

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