Forum Startup - How to Get Users

[iFlex]

I have just created a forum on a test site I am working on.

My question is - once I launch the site, what is the best way to get people to the forum?

If someone hits the site, but only sees 4-5 registered users, with 10 or so posts, they will probably leave.

This is my first crack at forums, and I would appreciate any resources of information to get it started.

Thanks

[just-4-teens]

a good way to get visitors is by offering them something for free (like a contest, or VIP access for x amount of post or whatever)

[iFlex]

a good way to get visitors is by offering them something for free (like a contest, or VIP access for x amount of post or whatever)

Thank You!

[rdv817]

you can also try paid forum posting services like this one ( http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=215239)

I used them and they have done a good job for me.

I just started a forum and am having the same difficulty of trying to get new users to sign up. Hopefully the paid services (and posts) will encourage others to join.

[coolsitez]

takes notes... I have offered some good deals though. I guess money still gets involved.

[killerj]

get something unique that is updatable on your forums ...
that draws traffic ;)

[Wal-Martian]

I think having a blog can draw new people in and get you some search traffic. Blog about interesting topics that come up in the forums then link to them. If none come up then you should start threads then blog about the thread. That will help bring search traffic to the forum (over time of course). I think so many people expect to much from a forum too quickly. A forum is like putting a huge pot on the stove, it takes a long time to bring it to a boil.

[LanceT]

truth be told, if your forums will offer good content, then members will come. It's definitely good to get a few users to start posting a little bit, perhaps get your friends, or hire some mods to do it.

When I first started my forum (which has nearly 2k members in its 6th month), I personally asked people to join.

[flavoflav]

I created a deep content pool then attached forums - so when people showed up there was a lot to do... I have 1300 users in 12 months...

J -

[gastongr]

offer something unique to your users, a tool, templates, interesting articles, anything.

Post new threads. If the forum is just starting, you as an administrator need to start the discussions if you want your users to get involved.

[crazyryan]

Check out ICo-content in the buy/sell/trade section.

[notifbutwhen]

I would have to agree with Lancet. Definitely. Content. And answer questions posted by users yourself and provide hard to get, powerful information. People post on forums to get solutions. You provide solutions they will keep coming back. Hence, you should start a forum regarding a subject you are a master off.

Otherwise you will have to offer contests. Try putting up a prize for the person who posts the most. Or better yet offer a free blog account for users who post the most. You will need to be able to program for the free blog account. But by giving them an incentive of free hosting with their own ads from which they can earn money you will get people posting. Tell them they can only keep their free blog so long as they post 12 times a week. Watch the forums swell.

[bacanze]

Definately buy post, for example I am soon to start a forum and I am allocationg $50 for forms post to begin with, and see how that goes.

[Velocity]

If you have traffic your forum will grow. Do not start a forum before you have decent traffic. No paid posts, prizes or anything listed above will help if your website does not have enough traffic. But how much traffic you need it really depends on what your website is about. People come and go, so you need a constant flow of new members.
And make sure that a link to it is visible on your main pages. And of course, do other things that are mentioned above. Good luck!

[kalle437]

You can always make a lot of own accounts and have a lot of conversations between theese accounts very often, so people that visit see that the forum is active. And once you get enough members, everything will run by itself.

Kalle :)

[Sorvoja]

You should recruite all of your friends and get them to post once a day the first month. Then you should create 20 users acounts for yourself. It is tricky to reach the critical mass needed.

[brokensoft]

content is the king,good content=more visitors

[SeLFiE]

Publicize your site...anyway what kind of forum do you have??

[gregfindley]

If you, or your members can write articles about the topics/subjects you discuss, this can be a good tool for attracting new members, and also can be used to generate visits by submitting articles to article directory sites. To combine the idea of contests, you could have an article writing contest with a cash prize perhaps? That way the members and the forum benefit,

Greg

[mnymkr]

I have found that if it is a forum or site that you are actually interested in (not made for just hopes of profit), you can contact your friends and tell them about it and have them tell some friends before you know it, someone in the www will comment on something someone has said.

[Kalyse]

I have just created a forum on a test site I am working on.

My question is - once I launch the site, what is the best way to get people to the forum?

If someone hits the site, but only sees 4-5 registered users, with 10 or so posts, they will probably leave.

This is my first crack at forums, and I would appreciate any resources of information to get it started.

Thanks

Look on vg.org for somethign caled floras stats padder.


You can padd your stats by anything you want.

Want to have 100 registers users and 10000 posts? Easy :)

[chrisstinson]

With my older sites I used to post news, reviews, and other articles inside the forum so that when a user was done reading they would be more likely to sign up and post something.

I also hate to say it, but being controversial is the easiest way to do it. Have a site about a game? Say something to provoke a response in users. I think slashdot.org posts some dumb news just to do this. Be careful not to make it look like flamebait though, just something that will provoke a conversation.

I found it takes a while to get a forum going, and I just started up a new forum a few weeks ago. Takes maybe 3 months with little work to get them going, only a few weeks if you talk to yourself and 14 other personalities!

Chris

[Phlegm Jar]

If you do decide to go down the route of posting under multiple id's yourself, or getting a troupe of friends to help you out, make a list of popular questions/topics that are often asked on similar forums to yours and make your posts around those topics. If you make the initial topics and threads interesting, informative, and based on FAQ's for your niche, you'll have a good chance of converting passing traffic into members (and if you've done your homework and the forum is SEO friendly, you'll have a good chance of catching natural SE traffic for popular words/phrases in your niche).

[Kalyse]

If you do decide to go down the route of posting under multiple id's yourself, or getting a troupe of friends to help you out, make a list of popular questions/topics that are often asked on similar forums to yours and make your posts around those topics. If you make the initial topics and threads interesting, informative, and based on FAQ's for your niche, you'll have a good chance of converting passing traffic into members (and if you've done your homework and the forum is SEO friendly, you'll have a good chance of catching natural SE traffic for popular words/phrases in your niche).

Ive seen some forums do that but done realy badly.

Actually make sure you wait proper intervals.

Its silly onlky have 100 posts under 20 alias' all on the same day, or for that matter hour.

[coolsitez]

I'm so lazy to promote my forum. I think I will just sit and wait for a while. I got ranked real high at Google, so I am expecting a good result soon.

[626DESIGN]

offer people on here something like a website script or other files if they go on and make 10 posts or something.

[LennyP]

If you are going to reply to your own posts with a different user id it is also very important to make the writing styles all be different. Two different people don't write the same and use the same words.

[iFlex]

Tons of great feedback. Thanks.

To Start - I'm going to:
1) Going to give a prize away (hopefully donated)
2) Do some real cheap adwords advertising
3) Promote it back to this crew when it launches..

It should be a popular topic by then.

Cheers,

[zinruss]

I believe this article might help.

http://www.ojr.org/ojr/stories/050623mallasch/
Cultivating an online community is similar to growing a garden in real life. For example, you have to prepare the ground (choose the software), plant the seeds (start discussions) and even get rid of the weeds (trolls).....

[njoker555]

as an admin you should open a lot of topics and reply to the posts made by ur users, it will get them to know u and the forum and come back, i have about 180 or so members now but not really all active

[Bohol]

Give a warm welcome to every new comer. It works very effective. When it's your first time in a forum site, it is normal to feel like an outsider.

[Jenna Appleseed]

old advice but I think it's still useful - from the owner of a very popular message board
http://www.urban75.org/tech/bulletin_board.html