So I have started www.allschoolmeeting.com/forum which is still in development (please join to get the members up lol). But I was wondering if new forums are just too late to be successful, or is there still a fighting chance?
depends on the niche. just make sure you have good useful content there to attract visitors. it is very diffucult to start but from what i know it takes years to build a forum.
it seems that the process can be sped up if someone does it for a full time job, its really all about having good information. i am also planning on filming video segments and posting them on youtube, myspace so that should help with marketing the forum
i guess it just seems kinda hard to break into a market that already has a successful forum, but i guess if you do something just a little bit different than the competition you have a chance
Yea, unless you're going with something different, you'll end up paying to populate it It really does depend on the niche with forums; and how possessive your early adopters become, for various reasons. GTAForums pwns the GTA forums racket, for instance, and it is impossible to beat them if you were to start a GTA forums. Unless you made the forum mainly for multi player clans (GTA SA MP, and upcoming official IV multi player modes), as GTAF has recently (not so recently now) killed their "gangs scene". So, if you were going for a GTA forum, focusing on multi player players would be your niche. It's easy to find a niche WITHIN a niche, so look for competitors who have just killed something that their users miss. If only I could use this advice with the last $38.80 to me name Alas, forums are not of interest to me, I live on too many as it is
I think they are worth it, i started a niche one a few months ago, not easy to get going but il stick with it, they just need plenty of effort i believe.
yea its not always easy to turn a nice profit because of this except if you have a ton of actives like dp
A forum is a community and planning one is a hard thing to make happen. You need to put a lot of care into it and give reasons for people to come back and participate in discussions. They have to feel as if they are really part of a unique group.
yes forums are worth it but you have to ask yourself: starting because you are into the niche/forums or to gain profit if the latter, forums are hard to monetize unless you have a great niche. And even then, you have to be dedicated to it and be very patient because forums grow slow and steady. Don't give up easily and keep on doing. Post interesting tips and tools related to your forum daily on your own (give time for your own forum - if you cant or dont even post in your forum, then that's not good) With patience, every business and work will be worth it and also consider all business as hobby, so you will be really into it and give efforts. efforts = success = worth it!
great comments so far! i agree that its like anything else, if you put the effort in, it can be worth it. its not my primary income (although its always great to make some money) so I am more concerned about actually growing a community that i can be proud of
If you've got the traffic, a forum is an excellent way to keep active visitors invested into the site.
mainly its more of patience and (what you call) steady dedication or building up day by day to be ready for the "famous day" to come. you know? There are high traffic and low traffic times with forums once they grow too, you have to bare with all and dont just go quitting because of low traffic, leave it and just post as usual you would do. Now thats good to hear "to be proud of", thats more of doing it with passion, and thats what al forum starters need.
well put! im excited to start adding tons of original content and videos in the next few months, should help with traffic tremendously