Making a successful forum?

I just started my forum and I been wondering what it takes to get a successful website with many members. I have had a forum before, but didn't have many members even with a cash contest and advertising. What do I need to do?

 

Ideally, you need a few friends to help you make posts and create a "background hum" on the forum. At the same time, go forth in to the Internet-world at large, and maybe in particular social networking type sites, and make acquaintances on sites and areas of sites that relate to your niche - after a few weeks, invite them to your forum. Forum building is a time and effort-intensive task that does not happen overnight (rarely does it happen in less than 6-12 months!) It is also becoming more of a social engineering activity. You'll also need to ensure your forum is agreeable in design, as finely tuned in SEO terms as you can make it, and you'lll also need to participate in all the regular, mundane promotion activity that you would for a regular web site (possible paid advertising, link building, banner exchanges etc.) Try to buy a link or two on high traffic/profile sites that are very relevant to your precise niche. There is no easy answer or route to building a very active, successful forum.

 

Yes, get things moving by getting some paid posters and friends to contribute. A forum with regular posts will attract loads more attention than a quiet one. You need debatable topics for people to register and post their views or ask for help.

 

It take alot of time and effort to build up a forum.

 

There's a thread on how "to create a successful forum". Have you read that yet?

 

Thank you guys for the help. Plus rep for helping me!

 

Did you find the help you were looking for?

 

Sort of...I am not sure. I am working with a very limited budget since I spent my money on the vbulletin and hosting.

 

Hmm.. perhaps you should look at post exchanges then at places like this...

http://www.forum-owners.com/post-exchange-b7.0/

and here on DP?

 

Controversy in discussions can get people posting. Sometimes Deliberately posting something that is a bit offensive to some with get the pot stirred.

You have probably seen a few fanboy wars on forums. These seem to start with somebody outright slamming some topic and not budging but instead just reinforcing their views.

 

My problem is I started with a photoshop and video editing forum, but couldn't reach out to anyone, but now, I tried a universal forum and decided that it was ridiculous. My only thing is bringing in people, then getting them to stay.

 

Many people who go for vB right away shouldn't you should of saved some of your money on using a few forum, then moving up if you make any money from the forum

 

For your photoshop and video editing forum, you should publish tutorials and how-to's. If they are good, and you bake them with sufficient references back to your forum and you will not have to worry too much about traffic form there on.