Tips for jumpstarting a brand new forum?

[lothos]

I'm starting a brand new domaining forum. The forum is up and running, and the categories are all set up.

Anyone have any tips for getting a forum going? I'm going to advertise it in a couple of places, and I was thinking of possibly doing a contest for a free domain.

 

[lothos]

no one has any tips or suggestions for getting a new forum going?

 

[Nathan]

Hey lothos,

Forums are alot of work, and take alot of dedicated at the start, for starting a new forum these are properly the best suggestions for starting off...

1) Don't add to many sections to the forums; you can always expand and add sections at a later time, but remember the more you have first up, the empty the forums look
2) Get some NP$ and advertise on there, that you want them to sign up and post two comments for $10NPS or something like that, so the forum get's started
3) Don't make the forum too dark, dark themes are hard on the eyes, something like a cream or the default looks great modified with your graphics.
4) Don't go to overboard on making money on the first couple of months with spamming the forum with ad's and pop ups, as you will want re-occuring users
5) Interact with the members in your niche, also advertise on places in your niche so people will be attracted to the forums, also start some threads yourself and always make users feel welcome

Good luck

 

[lothos]

Hey Nathan,

thanks for the tips, there's some nice advice in there

anyone else have some insight to share?

 

[lothos]

looking for some more input

 

[snoop]

Be prepared to post a lot for at least the first couple of years is my suggestion. Members will need a pretty compelling reason to post, eg your knowledge, content about areas that other forums don't cover etc.

 

[cyberdesignz]

Promote it on different well reputed communities related to the category of your forum.

 

[lothos]

Be prepared to post a lot for at least the first couple of years is my suggestion. Members will need a pretty compelling reason to post, eg your knowledge, content about areas that other forums don't cover etc.

thanks snoop.

What about getting over the hurdle of getting your first users to signup? anyone have advice for that?

 

[PSS_Lena]

Hire forum promoters and posters to help start populate the forum. Just be sure to have them follow guidelines for proper postings.

 

[lothos]

Hire forum promoters and posters to help start populate the forum. Just be sure to have them follow guidelines for proper postings.

I'm looking for high quality posts, I'm not interested in hiring someone that knows nothing about domains.

Thanks for the suggestion tho, anyone have any more?

One thing I'm doing is a domain name giveaway, having a contest for a 4 letter .com domain and some godaddy gift cards.

Having trouble getting the word out tho, I'd put a link in my sig here but I don't think linking to a competing forum is allowed :lol:

 

[maxjohan]

Give away a three letter .com LLL domain. And you will get plenty of action. You may as well just give away $5000 cash.