Promoting forums Options

[altyfc]

It seems to me that forums succeed once they start to look active, and throw up useful responses to posts that are made. The difficult thing is that people don't (and won't) sign up if a forum is new and inactive. Obviously, the transition from an inactive forum to active one has to be achieved somehow, and it's reaching this 'critical mass' that is the difficult bit... any tips on how this can be achieved?

Aaron

[Adrian]

Think its best if you not trying to start a forum from nothing. If theres a small group of people who can get involved, you can initiate some conversation first while trying to get some other interested.

Its pretty much how we started. There were a few of us from the Yahoo club and group that preceeded these forums. We were a bit sick of the changes Yahoo made when they brought the groups in, decided we'd see if we could find something better for ourselves and turned up phpBB2.

Not quite sure how many there were at the start, half a dozen, maybe a few more? Got it going and started with fewer forums than we have now, all tried starting some discussion in the different areas we were interested in and people seemed to like what we had to say and what they were able to contribute back to the place

Getting that critical mass can take a while, I vaguely remember we thought we'd reached it a while ago when we started spotting certain things. More member to member interaction than member to moderator. People who hadn't been a part of the creation of the forums started properly talking to each other, not just discussion a particular thread, but having a real conversation that didn't necessarily need a moderator to contribute. thats when you have the critical mass to keep going. Of course, we all try and stay quite busy, depending on our various commitments elsewhere, but we have enough members, with enough knowledge, to be able to keep things going without so much help from us as was needed to begin with

[radhika]

1. Try to connect the forum to one or two web sites. Like if you have a web site on web design , then your content pulls traffic from search engines and your visitors try to involve in your forums related to web design.

2. Participate in other forums related to yours. Put a link to your forums in your signature file.

[RWD]

It takes a while to get a forum going, I have 82 members and have been running for about 6 months now, I started the site from nothing, but I posted links on other sites related to mine, and then started a forum partnership, where if you have a website, you can add a forum, to your site, without you having to do any work, it is really just a link to my forum. So far I only have 2 partners, well really 1 as the other site was adopted as the homepage for the forum, but the other partner has produced several active members, It takes a while, but you get their in the end.

[bragadocchio]

Hi RWD,

Welcome to Cre8asite.

It does take some work to get a forum going. Online communities can be a lot of fun. One of the things that always impresses me about this forum is that we have so many members spread out all over the globe.

I'm not sure I understand exactly what you mean by a "forum partnership." It sounds as though you're sharing the forum with a couple of other people who have websites.

[RWD]

the forum partnership is where someone has say a F1 website, but dont have a forum, a good way to keep people intreasted in that site, is to have a forum for the users of that website, that is where I come in, you put a link on your F1 website, on the home page, and make my forum, your websites forum for your members, forums can take a lot of work to run so for people who want a forum for their site, but dont have the time it is a good option, also it saves you money as you might need to buy more bandwidth etc for your own forum, all you require to do is add a link.
It is really just sharing the forum between websites, but it is a good way to get members

[Caissa]

Hi,

I started my forum a couple months ago. The first thing I did before I started was contact some well known people in the field and asked if they would help. Because one of the main purposes of my forum was to help not just discussion many were willing to get the exposure. (authors of books, web site owners, magazine columnists, etc).

Next I promoted my forum at my web site. Had a link at the top. In my newsletter I posted the top 2 threads (and for a while that was tough!) in a new column I started called "Stuff You Might Like" (does that title ring a bell?).

Next when I had a few threads going and a few new members I went to all the related forums and posted "New Kid in Town". An announcement about my forum opening.

I used a mod that lets you reward members for acquiring new members. That helped a little. Begged my moderators to promote (and soem did).

Long story, short, in less then 90 days I have an active forum with over 170 members. and growing fast. My members are helping members and I only come in when a post isn't answered in a day or 2.

Been fun! Hope that helps you! Oh, and don't forget to optimize your pages (thanks PhilCK for making me #2)!!

PS. Bill I always knew you were a lil devil!

[bragadocchio]

PS. Bill I always knew you were a lil devil!

I only play one on the internet

I've never expected to ever use this smilie, but here we go: :lilangel:

Yeah. Right. :wink:

You did do an excellent job of planning ahead for your forum, Caissa. Finding people excited about participating, and willing to shoulder some responsibility can really make a difference

[Black_Knight]

You did do an excellent job of planning ahead for your forum, Caissa.

I agree fully with Bill. You knew exactly what you wanted, and then laid the plans and preparation to attain it. You thought about how to get those key members in, and involved, even before you opened the forum. You did a great job, and it is only fitting that it has paid off.

A job well done, and success that I know you will build upon much further.

[Cindy]

Hi everyone,

I am new here. 8)

I was thrilled to see this post! I originally joined this forum to share ideas about web design and marketing for our shopping web sites.

However, I too started another web site and group for online merchants called the eMerchants' Association, http://www.e-merchantassociation.com/forums/. (Sorry, not meant to be a plug.) We have also been trying to get new members to join our open forum and have run into the same problem.

It seems like I am the only one who ever posts. It's so difficult to keep a thread alive. We are still struggling, but one thing that helped to get some interest was to run an email campaign directed at Yahoo store merchants. We also made friends with a Wall Street Journal Reporter that gave us a little bit of PR for a few leads on stories. You can also use PRWEB.com for sending out press releases on your forum.

Thanks for the wonderful ideas from all of you.

[alexasigno]

I suppose the key is just advertising. I have set up a forum for my yamaha website, its been up nearly a month now, and i have 150 members. Being a motorbike site it is probably easier to advertise. I emailed people on ebay selling yamaha parts bikes etc and told them about the forum, and of course several plugs on other related forums, slowly increasing in numbers. But the biggest problem still is that 90% of the members dont actually post. Just need to get them more interested.

[RWD]

I try and send out a mass email/newsletter everymonth, and occasional I send out reminders to those who havent posted in a while, it works, several members returned, and 1 member lost the url, untill I emailed a reminder to them. I never thought about ebay, I will give that a go.

[Cindy]

The ebay idea is a good one. Very focused. How about using Google Groups to find potential posters?

Geez...I'd better get to work!

Thanks for all the great ideas!

[Bryan]

Hi there. I have just setup a new Formula 1 mb at http://www.f1downunder.com/ and have been looking for ways to promote it. This site looks like a good place for me to learn things as I have never had a site before. By the way I think I may know who you are RWD

[RWD]

You probably do know me, Bryan from other F1 message boards. Anyway I have registered at your site.

[Bryan]

I will sign up at your site too RWD

[Phil CK]

As cars and forums are my thing I'll jump in here and make a few comments/questions....

alexasigno said

I suppose the key is just advertising

Being on a SEO forum, you should look to gain some free advertising by improving your ranking on the engines. Google for one doesn't even know your forum exists, which will not be helped by the fact that your using a cloaked re-direction to your forum.

A search for Yamaha Forum yields over 600,000 results and looking at the #1 result its horrible, so you should look to compete on people searching for a Yamaha forum as its "free" traffic.

Bryan - looking at your forum I don't believe you're making the most of your current forum as its still got too many Invision defaults (eg. the logo, page title including (Powered by invison) etc). Also Google doesn't appear to know about you either but this looks to be a links to your site problem rather than frames as above slowing thigns down.

RWD & Bryan - Neither of your really push FORUM from an SEO perspective as in the first instance, it doesn't appear in your page titles.

Also, I think by contributing to other F1 forums, people will look at your sig file and come visiting. IF you've got interesting topics, even when they aren't many people will stop by and read & hopefully join.

As a finally thought about the "size of the prize", the top english result for F1 Forum has over 16,000 members !!!

(Ps. Bryan - interesting reading about the Blue & Yellow Jordan... sounds liek Eddy and Gallagher are looking to really maximise their marketing spend !)

[Bryan]

Hey thanks for the reply Phil CK. I have changed my site quite a bit since then. Check it out and tell me what you think of it now. And I quite liked that blue and yellow Jordan

[pctechbytes]

Cindy, your forum will grow. You might start by adding more categories. Maybe even a place for new members to introduce themselves.

[Eddie]

A good forum can make all the difference to community sites. I have a site that deals with a single English county, and it has grown in incredible ways. We have locals, ex pats, tourists.... A lovely mixture.