I started a BlackHatPrivate.com a month ago and it has been growing nice and steadily. I put a new theme some days ago, We also just hit 125 members and recently got to 500 posts. Please review my forum Thank you http://www.blackhatprivate.com/forum.php
I get this code at the top of the screen: " .newsbar { background: #D6ECA6; border-top: 2px solid #8DC93E; border-bottom: 2px solid #8DC93E; text-align: center; margin: 10px auto; padding: 5px 20px; font-weight: bold;}" Logo could be a bit better / bigger. Make sure you have SEO modules installed...
You have way too many ads on there for a new website, or even a website in general. It really detracts from the overall look of the site and makes it clear your sole goal in this forum is to make money and only that. IMHO websites should be ad-free for a certain period of time when they are first launched unless you are expecting a huge onset of visitors immediately after launch. Additionally, the Follow on Twitter and Like on FaceBook buttons should be on the same line and centered instead of awkwardly spaced like they are and messy looking. This also detracts from the overall appearance of the website. Your main URL shouldn't take you to the activity page, new users coming to the site don't care about what has been going on with the activity of the site, they want to see what your forum as to offer, what kind of stuff gets posted on there, etc. The animated GIF of the VIP button next to users names is irritating to look at while scrolling down the page, the simple VIP image would do just find without the animation. There are way too many forums for a new website. You should start out small with a few general sections and slowly divide that out into more and more specific categories as they become filled with posts and threads. The site itself looks like an exact clone of DigitalPoint Forums, try coming up with some more original looking section titles to create more interesting discussion. The logo and background and well the whole overall theme of the website is extremely basic, it has no pop to it or even a basic professional look to it to make it aesthetically pleasing. Try getting some customs graphics done for the site or pay for a decent custom theme on there to give your website something unique. Again... ads. There are wayyyyy too many, you really need to get read of 90% if not all of them on there. There are four different banner ads just on your front page, and there are more posted within the threads. Get rid of them. Sorry to be so blunt and harsh but I'm trying to help you make your website better.
Hi lovelykiss, This is a drop in the ocean. How are you are going to populate it? That's the real question I think.