Can't seem to get anyone to join and post.

[mrpike]

I'm having a tough time to get anyone to post (besides people I know). How can I get people to join up and stay? My site is www.hooksandfins.com and the forum is www.hooksandfins.com/forum

I think I have some interesting content, but for some reason when people join they don't post. I'm begining to think all the people that visit my site are just spammers.

I have some advertising running though facebook, but it doesn't seem to get anyone to join up. Please help me   

[TheListener]

The forum using the default theme is one turn off.

I wasn't keen on the picture in the banner either.

Have a look at the Pixel Mansion link in my sig for a banner and theme, membergroup badges too.

Have you thought about twitter as well as Fb?

My twitter has 310 followers so far, some of whom have registered on the forum.

Have ya thought of a Gallery?

[mrpike]

I have pictures in threads but no gallery. Also I can't find a theme that I like that fits with the version of SMF I'm using. The banner I can change, and I already belong to PM.

[TheListener]

I have pictures in threads but no gallery. Also I can't find a theme that I like that fits with the version of SMF I'm using. The banner I can change, and I already belong to PM.

Top Marks for joining PM 

Forums sure can be a fishy business at times.

[mrpike]

Nice pun, but seriously I just want like one active poster haha.

[GarryRicketson]

I looked at your forum, and registered, but still have not gotten the e-mail activation,
anyway, when I do, I will post something, but I am not that much on fishing, what you also could do, is try joining some other fishing ,sport fishing oriented forums, then some people when they read your posts may look at your forum, and join. A big problem I find with many forums, is they make it extremely dificult to post, it seems they look for every excuse they can to not allow your post or are too restrictive as to what to post and where, if it is like that, no one will post much.
from Garry
I have a animation about fishing I made,..so once I get the activation I'll share it with you
http://wittywittywhatisthat.freesmfhosting.com/index.php/ [nofollow]

[mrpike]

Yeah I wonder what's up with the whole activation thing, it seems to take a while to get it. I wonder if that might be a reason why some people aren't coming back.

[Dream of Omnimaga]

I agree about the default theme thing. The only time where the default theme usually works is if your site is the only one with the same subject of discussion.

Also getting started takes a while. Despite advertising in Youtube comments, my MTV Music Generator discussion site only had 100 posts and 12 members in its first 3 months.

[WantSome]

Your main site looks really nice but the forum looks very dull because of the default theme.  (no offense to the default theme, it just does not match the main site).

If you can afford advertising, you could perhaps afford to pay someone to make you a theme that matches the appearance of your main site more closely.  Or you could make your own theme by installing a copy of the default theme and playing around with the css.  I think there is some guidance on this somewhere...

[ishy]

I am a capable fisherman because of my family, but I have to admit I'm not a personal fan of it. However, I've been running forums for many years. Here are my suggestions:

■ Like everyone else, I suggest using something other than the default theme. When you go to the theme site, you can click on the "1.1.13" link on that page (toward the bottom), and it will give you a list of all the themes for that version.

■ You don't have very many forums. I would create at least two more categories. What I see missing is a category on regions and fishing reports/conditions, where members discuss things like what they caught, how the facilities were, water levels, etc - ie. their experience at various locations.

■ I also think you need a general discussion category for non-fishing related topics, and move those forums (general discussion and introductions) into that. You need to create a community, and it will help a lot for people to see it organized.

■ You can then pull out Tips & Techniques into the main category, because I think that could be a crucial forum for you.

■ Your portal looks good. I personally think SimplePortal is easier to manage, but that's my preference.

■ Your site could use a top forum with guidelines and rules for the site, as well as information on how to navigate the site. It sounds like you put a lot of that in your intro PM, but I would echo it somewhere in a post or in your help topics. If it's in your help topics, make sure there's a clear link on the index of the forum so people can find it.

[EnricoR]

Starting a new forum is never easy. In my experience what works best is telling your friends (who hopefully like fishing  ) about your forum and ask them to register and write there. "Friends" in a very broad sense; if you have connected to others interested in fishing via Facebook or Twitter, write them a message. Personal approaches work best.

And if you notice a problem with slow registration emails, try to fix it. When users read the email two days later they might not have time immediately, thus delay and finally forget it.
I wish you success with your forum!

[Staind]

I looked at your forum, and registered, but still have not gotten the e-mail activation,
anyway, when I do, I will post something, but I am not that much on fishing, what you also could do, is try joining some other fishing ,sport fishing oriented forums, then some people when they read your posts may look at your forum, and join. A big problem I find with many forums, is they make it extremely dificult to post, it seems they look for every excuse they can to not allow your post or are too restrictive as to what to post and where, if it is like that, no one will post much.
from Garry
I have a animation about fishing I made,..so once I get the activation I'll share it with you
http://wittywittywhatisthat.freesmfhosting.com/index.php/

i too had the same problem with some friends,it seems sometimes the activation email goes to the inbox and sometimes to spam folders.i noticed that with my test accounts...

[ApplianceJunk]

Yeah I wonder what's up with the whole activation thing, it seems to take a while to get it. I wonder if that might be a reason why some people aren't coming back.

This is something I would test out by creating accounts yourself to see how quick you get the activation email. You may want to contact your host if it continues to be a problem.

Getting visitors to your site is one thing and hard enough to start with. To be able to convert them site visitors into forum members is another thing.

We get thousands of unique visitors to our site daily and had been getting 4-6 people to register a day. About two months ago I made our 'download' page for service manuals for registered members only. We still get about the same number of daily visitors, but now we have about 15-20 new people register daily.

http://appliancejunk.com/forums/index.php?action=stats

Are you using google analytics to track stats, such as were your visitors come from, what they search for when they find your site, what links they enter your site on and what links they exit your site with?

Analytics can really help you get to know your site visitor and what they want.

Edited to add: How does Google Analytics help me?

[Fiery]

Hello,

Make sure you are keeping your homepage up-to-date, otherwise it may turn people away.  Have you considered trying a way more specific approach?  For example just try to get people in your community (interested in fishing) on the site -- you can expand later on.

[mrpike]

Thanks for all the help, I will apply some of the things that you have mentioned. I wish I could find a theme that I liked, but it seems like there aren't very many that fit my wants.

[mrpike]

Also I checked out Google Analytics, but I don't know how to install the code into my website anyone know how to do this?

[geoffp0]

Hi all, very interesting post, I have exactly the same problem, maybe I am relying on Google4 to much for people out there to find me and register, having had a couple of heart attacks I don't go out much now and I thought that starting a forum might keep my brain active but I only have one other member besides myself, I am at:-

hxxp:www.harwich-forum.co.uk [nonactive]

Regards

Geoff

[Staind]

Also I checked out Google Analytics, but I don't know how to install the code into my website anyone know how to do this?

there is a mod for it in the mod site

[Bookmama]

Maybe fishing attracts less chatty folks. 

In terms of getting people to chime in, occasionally you can throw out a question or comment that people can't resist.  Something along the lines of:

Are ________ worth the money?

What did you catch this weekend?

My wife thinks I should do more yard work and less fishing.  What should I tell her?

Fly fishing or bait -- what's your taste?

A River Runs Through It - Greatest fishing movie of all time?

My girlfriend says she'd like to try fishing, any advice?

Okay.... as a non-fisher, that's the best I can do for thread starters. 

Good luck!

[GarryRicketson]

Another thing that seems to "boost" the posting is to have it set where they need 10 posts, to be able to use a signature and or avatar,...
from Garry

[ishy]

Another thing that seems to "boost" the posting is to have it set where they need 10 posts, to be able to use a signature and or avatar,...
from Garry

That would just cause me not to join the site. There are tons of forum competitors now, so the deny services tactic really doesn't work well.

To OP -  I really like the blog, and the forum organization and design looks much better!

[rd]

Here are some tips that might help you:

http://skriptmaster.com/index.php?board=6.0

Check 'em out.

[Dream of Omnimaga]

Another thing that seems to "boost" the posting is to have it set where they need 10 posts, to be able to use a signature and or avatar,...
from Garry

That would just cause me not to join the site. There are tons of forum competitors now, so the deny services tactic really doesn't work well.

To OP -  I really like the blog, and the forum organization and design looks much better!

On my site I have signatures and avatars require one post, but I had no choice, because spambots signed up only to put crap in their signatures/avatars/profiles, some of which was harmful. Otherwise I agree that setting up a post requirement of like 5-10 just to get a signature is a bit too much.

I personally got some sub-forums that requires a certain amount of posts on my forums, but they're not my main content and almost all sections requires no post.

Another thing to remember is that now it's Summer in most countries, and fewer people visit forums during that time. On my main site during Fall and Winter we averaged at 11000 posts with peaks of over 12500 in a month, and during Summer we don't even make it to 7000 sometimes.

[ladydisturbedone]

What I would suggest is finding a forum or two and asking if they would link with you, but you would have to do the same for them to be fair. It doesn't even have to be about the same thing either. Just ask.

[ShadyX]

Try and use postloop if its content your worried about.

[busterone]

Another thing that seems to "boost" the posting is to have it set where they need 10 posts, to be able to use a signature and or avatar,...
from Garry

That would just cause me not to join the site. There are tons of forum competitors now, so the deny services tactic really doesn't work well.

To OP -  I really like the blog, and the forum organization and design looks much better!

I disagree completely. In my experience almost all potentail members that register and immediately go to their profile to add a sig and place a url in the website field is an undesirable in the first place. That is an extremely common spammer tactic. The get the url in and they get a link in their sig, then post once or twice, then leave. I have an auto pm to all new members welcoming them to the site and also explaining why they need 10 posts to add a signature. If they are planning on being a productive member, then they will not mind the limitation. If they get offended and leave, then I didn't want them anyway. They are most likely up to no good.

[Account Abandoned]

One thing I do to boost posts is conduct post exchanges. I recommend www.postloop.com because you can choose forums you get into to post on, post and watch other do the same on yours.

Also, I forget about others posting and just post myself. One of my recently created forums is less than 2 weeks old and I already have over 1000 posts and over 500 topics, most of it are my posts and topics but at least I am giving people something to join and talk about. Also be sure your posts are gripping or a post that you yourself would want to join and reply on. The normal "what are you listening to?" posts are old and boring, instead focus on your niche and post topics in association to it that would make people want to reply....

[ishy]

If you have a bunch of spammers, then your problem is dealing with spam registrations that are likely bots, not honest members. Use other more direct methods to deal with spam registrations, first.  There's mods to disable links in signatures and other issues like that, but it's always a good idea to deal with the real problem directly instead of using indirect methods via rules. I don't have a problem with 1 post to add a signature, but 10 seems a bit too much, and that makes a site seem like it has a low view of new members. You want potential members to feel like you think they are very important and you really want them, and that sends the wrong signal. Good members have plenty of choices in forums, and you are the one that has to cater to them to get and keep them.

Post exchanges do work. Another site I've used for that is Forum Promotion (you can Google it).

[busterone]

I do and have dealt with the front line issue of stopping spammers at the gate for a very long time. Being involved with several anti spam data collection sites as well as operating several spambot trap sites (honeypots is you wish).  If you could see the outrageous number of spammers that register to these trap sites, you would also see the same outrageous numbers of them that immediately go to their profile and add links to the website field and to their signature.  Although there are several ways to deal with the bots- custom registration questions, stop spammer, project honeypot, and many more good ones, the spammers have gotten smarter. They hire humans in 3rd world countries to bypass the registration checks and get a successful registration. Once in, they do the same thing.  I do not feel that having to post 10 posts is too much to ask. I have witnessed it too many times to say different. It is not a matter of thinking little of potential members, it is actually being proactive and thinking highly of the good members so they do not have to read the spam crap on a forum.

[sparty]

Hi , I will register now and check it out , my site has been running for 3 years now and we ave 50-80 000 page impressions in the off peak (at this time) and when its peak time (October onwards till about April) we hit over 100 000 ! Its a process to get it there but I am willing to help and share.

Thanks

[ApplianceJunk]

we ave 50-80 000 page impressions

Page impressions/day, week, month year?

[sparty]

we ave 50-80 000 page impressions

Page impressions/day, week, month year?

Month

[alpinist867]

In terms of getting people to chime in, occasionally you can throw out a question or comment that people can't resist.  Something along the lines of:

Yep, this is the direction to start heading in. It's best to create all kinds of already existing content on the forum that people can start joining in on. Already existing threads about diverse topics, users who offer others a good vibe, like, they'd like to come back and read what he says or get his opinion on things.... hell, you could go headhunting for a couple of such people, convince them to spend a bit of their time on your forum to attract others, maybe create a mysterious persona yourself to spice things up... 

[ApplianceJunk]

Go mobile with your forum through tapatalk.

Fisherman like to brag, with a mobile app they will be able to upload photos of there catch right there on the spot.