DP Members, I am planning to start a site where I will be adding technical questions, scripts and answers related to programming languages, OS, nework, Datawarehousing, m9onitoring tools etc. I already have a running site with nice traffic http://www.togotutor.com, but I need a substitute for scripts, code...etc. Should I start with the Forum (vb ofcourse) or a Blog. Any suggestions?
Why not have both? Run the blog from the homepage, posting nice articles to get traffic, then have a forum as well. Sounds like the topics your going to be discussing are the sort of thing which a forum would go well with. Or perhaps blog for a few months, then release a forum? That's down to you. Forums will get more traffic, because of returning members, members reading topics etc. Although I'd say blogs are better for SEO.
Thanks Guys, So I will have blog in place to post all programs code..etc and forum for troubleshooting and asnwers to questions from users? am I correct?
That sounds like the way I would go 100%. Forums are a great way to give Tech Support / Answer Questions. Some companies ONLY use forums for this. Good luck!
Believe me ..sometime you would like one way communication more than two way. Blog is more of a one way communication, and forum being two way. I felt the need of one way communication more in some niches, so prefered blog over forum. But in your case you certainly need forum, but keep blog as option on homepage. Anyway you are not getting type in traffic to forum, so you can keep forum on subdirectory.
Definitely the forum! You will get way more organic traffic to the forum than to the Blog...because all the little threads started by everyone will gain visitors from all types of long tail keywords. Not only that, but if you got a fairly active forum, it will be seen as search engines as being "updated" with new content a lot more often than a blog... A blog is a Good idea too, but if i were you id use that more to add some kind of "structure" - so this would be the place to post all your scripts etc...or at least talk about it on your blog, then link to a thread in your forum where you are actually sharing it, and where it is open to discussion
Definitely the forum! You will get way more organic traffic to the forum than to the Blog...because all the little threads started by everyone will gain visitors from all types of long tail keywords. Not only that, but if you got a fairly active forum, it will be seen as search engines as being "updated" with new content a lot more often than a blog... A blog is a Good idea too, but if i were you id use that more to add some kind of "structure" - so this would be the place to post all your scripts etc...or at least talk about it on your blog, then link to a thread in your forum where you are actually sharing it, and where it is open to discussion
Thsi sounds good, as Too many websites needs a lot of arrangement and thoughts for the content. I really like your idea. Post a small blog and add the link to actual code in the forum.
I have to agree with SeekingWisdom on this one. Use the blog for your clearly laid out and accessible information, and then allow the forum to be used for conversation and discussion. Good luck with it all, keep us updated
Both would be very much helpful especially if you can utilize them both.. for one has an advantages over the other, and combining it together would be the very best choice that you can have..
I would go for a blog if I do not have more than 3 hours to spend for this. Online communities like what you have mentioned is a lot of work to grow. unless you have 7-9 hours or even more to spend each day do not bother with a forum