How to kick start a Forum?!

[bbakes25]

How to get a forum off it's feet

Hey all!

First off, sorry if this is the wrong section, please move if it is.

Now onto the good stuff. I launched a forum about a month and a half ago, but I do not know how to get people to join and where to promote it. I paid a few NP members to join and make posts so it's not so bare, but other than that I have basically no members. So my question is, what's the best way to promote it and get people interested in it? It's just about a general forum, no specific topic. Any advice would be great. Rep added if good. Thank you!

 

[netzilla]

1) Get a link in your sig at other forums you post on
2) Purchse traffic from here for which you pay with NP$
3) Have a contest
4) Offer something free
5) Pay for posting to get started so that it looks like an active forum
6) You yourself post seveal times a day in the form of a question so that visitors will respond.

Hope this helps!

 

[bbakes25]

1) Get a link in your sig at other forums you post on
2) Purchse traffic from here for which you pay with NP$
3) Have a contest
4) Offer something free
5) Pay for posting to get started so that it looks like an active forum
6) You yourself post seveal times a day in the form of a question so that visitors will respond.

Hope this helps!

Thanks for advice. I do post on it. There are an okay amount of threads to keep people interested. Anyone have any luck with purchasing traffic here? Is it any good?

And what kind of contest do you suggest?

 

[lufc]

try adding it to the million and one forum directories out their including http://www.forumpromotion.co.uk

 

[netzilla]

I am assuming that this is for clashforums.com? IMHO forums that have such a wide variety of subjects they cover sometimes don't do well. You may want to narrow down your categories for awhile. Its better to see 100 posts in 10 categories rather than 1 post in 100 categories...if that makes sense.

Purchasing traffic from NP will get your visit count up. If you are able to grab the visitors attention then you may get a new member. I just launched my campaigns so I can comment of the success part yet.

The type of content will depend on your type of visitor. Electronics and things like that typically do well. For instance....50 posts will get them entered in a contenst with win an iPOD. Yeah its expensive but its effective.

 

[bbakes25]

Thanks guys. Will keep in mind. Please bring in more ideas.

And won't offering a contest just get people to come in, post just for a chance to win and then stop posting?

 

[netzilla]

It may but it will help with growth

 

[Redleg]

IMHO forums that have such a wide variety of subjects they cover sometimes don't do well. You may want to narrow down your categories for awhile. Its better to see 100 posts in 10 categories rather than 1 post in 100 categories...if that makes sense.

I agree with that as well.
Start with a few niche categories (maybe 4-5) you know well yourself, and build your forum from there.
A forum about "everything" is real hard to get on it's feet...
It's rather important that you know the topics of your forum(s) well yourself, since you have to be pretty active there yourself, at least in the beginning.

 

[Peter]

Thanks guys. Will keep in mind. Please bring in more ideas.

And won't offering a contest just get people to come in, post just for a chance to win and then stop posting?

That is a distinct possibility BUT other people may come to the forum from other places and see the posts and decide to post themselves completely oblivious to any promotion you had. The more quality posts/content you have the more likely other people are to genuinly post. Be careful however of getting people to post for the hell of it, try and make sure any posts are quality posts.

 

[bbakes25]

Thanks guys. Still looking for more advice.

What I picked up so far is try and a contest maybe. And to start with a couple forums and add more later. Thanks

 

[antman]

Here's some tips that I used to successfully get my forum going.

[1]Loyal Members - Encourage them to post more and incentise them with staff jobs.

[2] Competitions - Run them frequently with great prizes. Advertise the comp everywhere. A domain is a good prize.

[3] Provide unique forums - Brings visitors in.

[4] Give away freebies - Just provide links to free stuff. I gave away g-mail invites and this probably got 1/3 of my forum members.

[5] Good staff team - 'Nuff said.

:tu:

 

[dkr]

1. have a launch team - 5-6 people who will be dedicated posters on your forum as mods.
2. post daily. Generate good threads. Make 10-20 posts per day ****minimum****
3. offer something that other competing forums do not.
4. keep on making new stuff, and if a member complain about something, make sure you take not of it.

Thank You,
Donny

 

[bbakes25]

Thanls guys. Anyone want a staff job? :p

But umm advice sounds good. What is a good opening give away? And a good way to give that away(what should members have to do)

 

[antman]

Thanls guys. Anyone want a staff job? :p

But umm advice sounds good. What is a good opening give away? And a good way to give that away(what should members have to do)

Offer staff jobs to dedicated members. To give a staff job to a random outside the forum is quite dodgy and reflects bad on the forum.

Offer a post count increase or advertising space on the forum index is an option

 

[bbakes25]

Alright guys. Well I got the tips. Except for the incentives. My forum is not a webmaster/business forum, so giving away domains doesn't help really

Also now that I have tips anyone have ideas on sites to advertise on?

 

[VURG]

I never get involved in vague forums. If the forum isn't specific to my interests, I'm not interested.

What are you good at?

What do you know a lot about?

This thread sells disaster: advice. Never boast about your skills on giving advice (or let other forum leaders boast about their skills). Offer advice but don't boast about it. If you are good, other people will see it and boast on your behalf. Boast about other people and about how useful the forum can be instead.

 

[antman]

Alright guys. Well I got the tips. Except for the incentives. My forum is not a webmaster/business forum, so giving away domains doesn't help really

Also now that I have tips anyone have ideas on sites to advertise on?

Go big and offer an iPod shuffle as a competition prize.

Advertise on ifsz.com's forum. Cheap and good traffic.

 

[bbakes25]

Hey guys. Well I took advice and targetted it a bit more. It is now a entertainment and tech forums mainly. What I am most interested in. Then just a lounge forum basicallly for other peoples interests. People who have seen it before editing how does it look now?

Also does anyone think an arcade would attract more members? And anyone know how to install it? I always had no success in it

 

[VURG]

It looks a lot more interesting. I don't have the patience to run a forum. Good luck.

 

[weblaunch]

Getting a new forum up and running is not easy. You'll have to do a lot of talking yourself to get other people to talk at first. Holding contests and offering prizes always help. But make sure that they actually contribute to your forum....not post one-liners to win the contest. Once you've built a decent membership it virtually runs itself.