What you want from a forum?

[paaaaaaaaaa]

Im the owner of a new web design forum. Which I'm looking to make popular. So ofcourse Ive started like most people. With some SEO stuff.

Im in the process of adding it too directories etc. Ive also modded the code to rewrite the URL of threads to static pages, though it still needs improving.

The main thing what I will be working on soon though will be to write an in depth article on what a community wants out of a forum. First I need to do some research to find out the answers. So this question goes to all you reading. What do you want from a forum?

Hopefully then I will have a great understanding of what people want from their forums and I can incorporate it into my forum.

Key subjects to discuss would be:

look
Does the forum you visit need to be pretty to look at?

speed
Is it important to have a fast loading forum?

community
Ofcourse the forum needs a good friendly community but do people prefer a large community or a close and tight community? City or village?

content
Does the content have to be focused on the a main small subject matter or a wider more open subject.

features
finally do you want extra features on your forum site? Things like points systems, virtual money systems, easy accessible relevent tools etc

 

[Rowan W]

Look - Does the forum you visit need to be pretty to look at?
no

Speed - Is it important to have a fast loading forum?
No, i don't mind waiting 5 minutes for a page to load. <!-- end sarcasm -->

Community
As long as there's a balance between experienced designers and newbies willing to learn. Threads such as, "frontpage vs dreamweaver" should be locked and burned.

Content
As long as it covers everything related to webdesign.

Features
Less is more.

 

[mch]

look
Make it simple, easy on the eyes. Not too much colors, no animation.

speed
YES.

community
A community that is too close might interfere with the effectiveness of the forum. Posts would go offtopic easily because people would start including personal stuff. And it's not too good for the new members either, they might feel outcasted. So a city is better.

content
Make enough groups for the topics. I think with time you'll see what belongs to the forum and what doesn't.

features
Not important to me.

 

[sjaguar13]

look
I don't care what it looks like as long as it's easy to read...and find the post button. I hate it when I can't find that button!

speed
Yes. Sacrafice look for speed (at least a little).

community
I don't care how big it is as long as there is someone there that knows what he's doing. It could actually be a community of me and that guy. I post questions, he answers them. I wouldn't join a web design forum to make friends.

content
I would have categories for main topics. I wouldn't want to ask a CSS question and get lost in a sea of Photoshop topics.

features
The only thing good about the virtual money thing is if you actually have some worth buying. Things like the username color changing and whatnot is kinda stupid.

 

[peter phillips]

Look
Not really. User interface should be simple and friendly and the text should be easily readable.

Speed
Yes I prefer a fast loading forum

Community
Good, friendly and large community

Content
Should be wide open subject and not just restricted to a particular subject. This will get more more members interested in various subjects.

Features
If they are useful enough then why not?

 

[LeetPCUser]

look
It needs to be attractive somewhat. Just make sure it isn't a color clash. People can stand an okay looking forum, but they HATE ugly forums.

speed
Definately.

community
Well it all depends. Even when you have big communities like here at NamePros you have smaller knit communities within. I would say shoot for large.

content
Have a wide subject area like cars or computers and then have different subsets specifiying certain areas.

features
Extra features are initially what kept me around at NamePros. I would say this is a definate.

 

[Niek]

look: YES , if it's not , then i still go there do.

speed: ofcourse!!!

community: I prefer a community not too big not too small.

content: I prefer ONE , which would be internet business.

features: not needed , but is allways fun

 

[Laughs Galore]

look
If the forum is informative to me, then I don't care what it looks like.
speed
Yes it is because if it's slow I'll just go somewhere else.

community
It matters how good the content is.

content
It doesn't matter as long as the content interests me.

features
Only if it is needed.

 

[paaaaaaaaaa]

Thanks thats some really useful info already. I have some more questions now.

1. What would make you register to a new forum?
2. How many forums are you registered to. If yes then do you focus more on one forum? If so why?
3. When you view a brand new forum whats the first thing you look at?

 

[asgsoft]

look
Yes

speed
Yes

community
A big community with alot of varity of people

content
I prefer a wider range

features
A virtual shopping system with the ability to buy things like domains etc

1. Any special offers eg domain names quality support for free
2. About 6, i focuse on one becuase it is very lively and useful with a very good archives.
3. Annoncements and what its like (friendly, helpful polite etc..)

 

[JustNewbie]

Look
Make sure the layout is not too ugly.

Speed
Speed comes first.

Community
Community comes second. Nobody would want to go to a forum which consists of only 10 members.

Content
Don't put too much subdirectories.

Features
Well, you need a convenient user control panel.

 

[peter phillips]

Thanks thats some really useful info already. I have some more questions now.

1. What would make you register to a new forum?
2. How many forums are you registered to. If yes then do you focus more on one forum? If so why?
3. When you view a brand new forum whats the first thing you look at?

1. Good community, good topics and the activity.
2. Don't have a count. I don't focus more on a particular forum. I do visit all forums when I get time.
3. First thing I look at is the no. of members, no. of active members, and topics discussed in the forum.

 

[paaaaaaaaaa]

Cheers for all your replies. Im starting to put a lot of work into my forum now to help make it more unique and fill it with hot content. I am writing a lot of articles and news posts. I will be looking for some help with that though.

I also try to be quick to welcome new users and answer questions in a friendly manner. Though I will need a forum leader and mods to help out here when it fills up.

Once again cheers for your replys and if anyone else has suggestions please do post them.

 

[asgsoft]

what is the site and what will it be about?

 

[Epic]

look
yeah

speed
Yeah, it's more annoying to have a slow loading forum than an ugly one

community
Large

content
Wide, so there's always something to post about

features
They're cool but not necessay

 

[GFX^^]

it must give free stuff

 

[JustNewbie]

Thanks thats some really useful info already. I have some more questions now.

1. What would make you register to a new forum?
2. How many forums are you registered to. If yes then do you focus more on one forum? If so why?
3. When you view a brand new forum whats the first thing you look at?

1. I'll look at how many members and how active the forum is. If I'm interested in one of the directory/thread, I'll then register.

2.Around 15. Yes, because my present works are related to the forum.

3.As usual, I'll look at the directories/threads present.

 

[Premiumsigs]

look
the looks has to be attractive (nice banner) or you will leave at once

speed
speed is very important you dont wanna wait do you

community
the community of a forum has to get along only then will u be successful

content
i like to have many content of forums. a sale forum. discussion and gfx forum

features
credit(np) and reputation mods are the most famous in GFX

 

[thomaslgates]

All that people will look for in a forum is a good layout and an enjoyable forum (like this one). More information and more brainstorming in a forum would always help!

 

[Pakistani]

look?
Absolutely NO.

speed?
A bit.

content?
wider more open subject.

special features?
Does not matter.