Why don't I have any human users on my forum?

[Griffin831]

Hello everyone, My first post and searching for some advice 

I'm not completely computer illiterate but I struggle a bit so bare with me.

I have a active forum that was set up for me a year ago and I've lost contact with the person that set it up, it has never had a human user since its start date? I have advertised it on google Adwords but has now expired and I'm not wanting to pay for more credit as it hasn't had any use.

I get a annoying amount of spambot members, literally hundreds in a month spamming every thread with rubbish so I've now set the registration settings to 'activate by admin' and have recapture installed.

I'm just wondering if anyone can advise anything I could do to get it rolling along?

The forum is mechanical-engineers-aid.com [nofollow]

Thank you kindly

Griffin

[xrunner]

OK I went to the forum here -

http://www.mechanical-engineers-aid.com/

The problem is, there's no content to speak of. At all. You need to get some information up so people will find something useful to comment on. You are going to have to do this yourself unless you can get a few volunteers to post some good info or start debating with each other about whatever mechanical engineers debate about.

You have to get some bait if you want to catch some fish.

[Griffin831]

Thanks for your reply, i see what you're saying, more info would bring more members. I tried to add the essentials and hoped it would be added to by new members.

I think I may have expelled my own info and debating powers though without just copying and pasting info from the Internet and know of no volunteers to help add to the forum.

[xrunner]

Thanks for your reply, i see what you're saying, more info would bring more members. I tried to add the essentials and hoped it would be added to by new members.

I think I may have expelled my own info and debating powers though without just copying and pasting info from the Internet and know of no volunteers to help add to the forum.

Start posting and commenting on articles yourself. Sooner or later a few people will join up to either agree or disagree with the artcile's methods or conclusions.

Join other similiar forums and post there and have your forum in your signature.

It's hard work. I've done the ad thing with essentially Zero results. I have a small loyal following and they post at other forums and can get people to join. A few join because of the articles I have on my web page. Mainly it's a hobby and I have no illusions of any more success than I have right now.

It's a jungle out there. There's so much info on the interwebs now it's super hard to get a following.

[Griffin831]

Thank you xrunner, it is real hard work.

I'll give it a go

[xrunner]

Thank you xrunner, it is real hard work.

I'll give it a go

Don't give up yet, not until you've tried those things for several months. But to be honest - you might have too much competition out there. If that's so it's best to fold 'em and try a new project. 

[Orangine]

why do you have so many empty forums?

[Griffin831]

Thank you xrunner, it is real hard work.

I'll give it a go

Don't give up yet, not until you've tried those things for several months. But to be honest - you might have too much competition out there. If that's so it's best to fold 'em and try a new project. 

That's what I'm thinking, I suppose a year of no activity says it all really 

[Griffin831]

why do you have so many empty forums?

Because I don't know exactly how to start a forum, only how to use them.

[drfun]

You dont have to give up, just try and provide solutions in this niche you have choosen, you can mak a reseach on a problem and then post the solution on your forum, people like site where they can get help and answer to a problem. Also try and post atleast 2 post daily on your forum.

[xrunner]

Because I don't know exactly how to start a forum, only how to use them.

It's a mech. engineering forum, are you a mechanical engineer?

I guess I don't understand why you haven't started any interesting topics to draw in people. You must have had a passion for this subject to get to the point of having a forum set up. 

[Irisado]

Because I don't know exactly how to start a forum, only how to use them.

I think what Orangine is hinting at is that it's better to start off with fewer boards, and then add more as your membership increases.  Having lots of empty boards tends to drive people away, so you might want to consider cutting down on the number of boards which you have to make the forum look busier once you do manage to generate some traffic.

[Orangine]

^^^ this. There's nothing worse for people to come and see 20 empty boards. Make it 4-5 and start posting. Building a community is a hard work, nothing like "let's install SMF and that's it!".

[Griffin831]

I am a mech engineer xrunner, and was/still am passionate within the subject. After having the forum set up and seeing no progress from my inexperienced handy work except continuous spamming I sort of give up and put it on the back burner. It's not until recently I picked it back up, cleared out the spam and thought about getting it up and running again with a little help   

I'm going to start updating the forum with all mentioned suggestions and cross my fingers someone may see it.

Thanks all for the suggestions

[xrunner]

I am a mech engineer xrunner, and was/still am passionate within the subject. After having the forum set up and seeing no progress from my inexperienced handy work except continuous spamming I sort of give up and put it on the back burner. It's not until recently I picked it back up, cleared out the spam and thought about getting it up and running again with a little help   

I shut mine down for a whole year a couple of years ago, because I was fed up with everything about it. I was pissed off that I wasn't able to get more members, and I did put in a lot of work - a whole lot of work. Then after a year I had a change of mind. I decided I didn't care about how many people I had, I just wanted to have fun and most of the members came back. As long as we all have a little fun I'll pay for it, it ain't a lot of money.

I'm going to start updating the forum with all mentioned suggestions and cross my fingers someone may see it.

Thanks all for the suggestions

I'd contribute something but I am not a mechanical engineer. 

[Griffin831]

 

[Griffin831]

I've had a little clear out, going to start adding info within the subjects listed and see how it goes.

[cheawick]

I'm new to this all too, but a pal of mine suggested to download an API from stopforumspam. I don't have a clue as to how it should be implemented tho. The site looks great, but is appears that you have to know a thing or two about scripting. I think. It is supposed to identify spammers by used email addy, IP, and I forgot the third signature they look at. Should you be able to figure it out please send me a how to. =+}

[cheawick]

Dude, I just noticed that you also have some severe security issues there. I understand that you really want to share with the world, but you need to plug a few holes on your start page. It appears that I could possibly destroy all your links with the delete all cookies option. I didn't want to try it out and leave you ouched. Like I said before, I'm a total newb too, so I don't have a clue what would have happened should I have clicked that option.

[Orangine]

Dude, I just noticed that you also have some severe security issues there. I understand that you really want to share with the world, but you need to plug a few holes on your start page. It appears that I could possibly destroy all your links with the delete all cookies option. I didn't want to try it out and leave you ouched. Like I said before, I'm a total newb too, so I don't have a clue what would have happened should I have clicked that option.

huh?

[Griffin831]

Ok I'm a little confused? Is there a security risk?

[mashby]

I don't think so. Deleting cookies is a local thing, not something that would affect your site's topics/members/stuff.

[Griffin831]

Ok thank you

Has anyone got any tips for blocking spambots? I was reading up on it and it was mentioned in a post somewhere not to block any IP addresses as other non spambots use the same IP's??? I thought everyone uses a different IP address?

I've been blocking and deleting spambots and deleting there posts but large amounts sign up and fill pages of spam daily.

I use recapture that I think is working properly but is still letting bots through.

Also in the 'users online' it sometimes shows 'googlebot' and 'bingbot'? Any ideas about this?

I am quite bad at this stuff so apologies in advance.

[Irisado]

The question of spam comes up quite regularly.

This thread may of some help.

There's also this article (which is also linked to in the above thread).

[Griffin831]

Thank you. You guys are most helpful

[Griffin831]

Excellent. I have set a Q&A password for the security so hopefully this should be quite successful. Fingers crossed.
Now to start filling the forum with loads of guff to attract the users.

Cheers guys.

[xrunner]

OK I went to the forum here -

http://www.mechanical-engineers-aid.com/

I went to his forum to see what was happening - and it's gone now. Must have decided to give up on it?

[Griffin831]

No. It's still there. I couldn't access it all day yesterday?

[Ricky.]

I see phpBB powered forum there.

[Griffin831]

Hmm, I don't really know what's happening but I can't open the site???
It was working at 6.30 this morning?

[Night09]

Looks like your host is down, try again in a while and if its still not back contact them see what the issue is.

[xrunner]

Looks like your host is down, try again in a while and if its still not back contact them see what the issue is.

Yea, open a support ticket - it's the hosting co.!

[Ricky.]

May be I am talking to walls but I can see that site working and I repeat.. its phpBB site now :

check attachment...
URL :
http://www.mechanical-engineers-aid.com/

[xrunner]

May be I am talking to walls but I can see that site working and I repeat.. its phpBB site now :

check attachment...
URL :
http://www.mechanical-engineers-aid.com/

That's weird Ricky. I do see your graphic, but it just doesn't open for me here. 

[Griffin831]

It's working for me now. Slow to load up though.
What's the deal with phpbb?

[Itchigotim]

I know I'm coming in on this late as I just saw this, but I have always equated activity with  fire, you do have to start it, but hopefully after a certain point, it takes over and runs on it's own.

[xrunner]

It's working for me now. Slow to load up though.
What's the deal with phpbb?

I see it now.

But wasn't it SMF before? WTF? 

[Griffin831]

It's working for me now. Slow to load up though.
What's the deal with phpbb?

I see it now.

But wasn't it SMF before? WTF? 

No it's always been phpbb, is that a bad thing?

[xrunner]

Ha! I guess I assumed it was because you came here.

No it's always been phpbb, is that a bad thing?

Well, uh ... 

I assume you asked the folks at the phpBB forum about getting members? What did they tell you?

[Arantor]

It would be a bit odd coming to the SMF forum for support about a non SMF forum... would it not?

That'd be like going to a Porsche dealership and expecting help about a Ferrari not working properly...

[Griffin831]

Tbh I just googled 'how can I bring more traffic to my forum' and a thread from this forum popped up, after a bit of a read and with some helpful solutions I thought I would join and ask my original question 'why don't I get any human members on my forum' as I get constantly spammed by bots with no human activity at all, I'm just after some tips to get rid of spam and how to get some members. Your help has been useful and has been put to use. I've cut down the threads and pretty much had got rid of the bots with a simple Q&A autarisation.

I'm probably in the wrong place but the question is quite generic in all forums and I haven't actually been to php forums. This was the starting point on my quest.

[xrunner]

I'm probably in the wrong place but the question is quite generic in all forums and I haven't actually been to php forums. This was the starting point on my quest.

True it's a problem that spans the technology in use.

Does phpBB have a good set of anti-spam tools? I really have no idea.

[Griffin831]

I'm probably in the wrong place but the question is quite generic in all forums and I haven't actually been to php forums. This was the starting point on my quest.

True it's a problem that spans the technology in use.

Does phpBB have a good set of anti-spam tools? I really have no idea.

In the admin settings on my forum it gives you 5 options for spam prevention. Recapture, Q&A, and 3 others, I've been trying to load the site to see the other options but its dead again?

It's a fail of a site lol.

[Arantor]

Then you should probably contact phpBB for support because there is little or nothing we can help you with regarding phpBB issues.

[Griffin831]

Ok, thanks for your input everyone who added hints. I did solve the problems I needed help with. Ill seek advise elsewhere next time though as I feel a little tension in the air.
Thank you

[Arantor]

There's no tension, just realism. You have some issues with your server and the software on it, but the software you're using is not the software this site or its users use - thus it is something we don't really know anything about...

[Griffin831]

There's no tension, just realism. You have some issues with your server and the software on it, but the software you're using is not the software this site or its users use - thus it is something we don't really know anything about...

That's cool I'm not asking for anything but what I was seeking. Ill contact whoever the problem lays with, the server and software people I suppose, whoever they are lol.

[Irisado]

It's as Arantor said.

For example, the links I provided are of no use to you when using phpBB.

I did used to be an admin on a phpBB board years ago, and I don't have anything good to say about the software, so if it were me, I'd be looking to change it, but if you're happy with it, you'll need to ask the phpBB community for help.

[cheawick]

So what will happen if I select that button? Who's data will be deleted? I'm a newb here mon, I don't want to accidentally mess up another users site.

[Arantor]

If you're not sure what something would do, don't press it.

[Griffin831]

I was wondering the same. Is that the 'delete cookies' button?

[cheawick]

Now I see why you say, huh. Disregard, I was over thinking the possibilities.

[Griffin831]

My brain hurts.

[xrunner]

My brain hurts.

Because you've been talking to yourself on your forum?

Sorry, I couldn't resist. 

[Griffin831]

Lol 

[Ricky.]

Pretty interesting  thread .. right from the moment when I said its phpBB

Btw, I have an idea, I can convert your forum to SMF and then we will all here provide you support, including technical support. Btw, you need to ask your host to give you some good uptime.. your site is kinda ON/OFF state.

[knightofdoom]

I guess we all have that problem.. You need to keep monitoring your site and ban IP if u think they look suspicious to be spam. Spam usually will reduce by time coz i had a period where i used to get hundreds of spam comments but after some time it reduced. So keep monitoring

[Itchigotim]

I used to have problems with spam- then we got 2 security questions. NONE! The questions had to do with the site, and were easy for the users as they knew why they were there, but not so easy for a n00b. I used to google the ip- if it came up spam I banned the ip, username, and email.