Getting a forum/community up and running

Hey guys, do you have any good tips on how to get the ball rolling with a new forum? I know that you can make many accounts yourself and start posting, but I really do not have that time luxury.

What are some of the best ways to get it up and running?

 

I have an idea. I will PM you.

 

I'd also like to point out that I am looking for solutions other than paid posting (which I will start doing soon, as well). Thanks!

 

I did not offer paid hosting in the PM I sent you.

 

I never said you did...

Does anyone else have any suggestions on this topic?

 

hm...how to encourage and foster a thriving community...I have the same problem. Im considering just redirecting all my existing traffic from my other sites for a week, but its a last resort - indirectly it will cost me a fortune in lost sales. You will have to seed your forum one way or the other, even just to get the ball rolling. I havent put much effort into ecomgig yet, I purchased it as an aged domain, i thought the url name is awesome for this type of site and short too!, so obviously right now nothing is happening...but I believe the secret is finding your core group of early adapters. All you need is a couple of enthusiastic people that drag their friends over because they like something about your community interface. So to follow that logic, you need to identify your USP..."why" would a few core people get enthusiastic about your forum. For me, right now USP is that ecomgig is cheap for providers, and free for the next 12 mionths, so its way ahead of elance, feelancer and other outsourcing co's in terms of a good deal. Elance charge 10% I believe and we have 3% with no hidden costs, like memberships etc. Its actually an amazing deal and providers and buyers still enjoy safety in the review and escrow system (which anyone who has hired a provider and went out of the system know is a very bad idea in terms of getting work finished, security to the back end etc...providers are much nicer and responsive within a system like ecomgig, rather than dealing with them one on one such as a messenger program)

Identifying your Unique Selling Proposition and then enhancing it goes a long way to getting that core group enthusiastic and posting away. Id say, 20 would be enough to start doing enough postings to get yourself indexed in the serps. Also use social bookmarking, facebook etc.

 

Hire a community manager . Simple as that .

 

How about this on a facebook blast or some other vehicle..."A whole forum for you and your friends! ALL TO YOURSELF? Party hard on yourforum.com Its free...its your new private playground! - and you will become moderators too!"

Appoint a few moderators with the explicit understanding that their job is to invite more members.

(Of course depending on your niche the message would be slightly different)

The USP in this case would be that they get a shot at being a moderator. (which anyone who has been "moderated" would love to do LOL)

I dont know if it would work you would need to test, but Im sure it would appeal to a few people with that mindset.

 

missed your post...what does a community manager do and what do they deliver and what ball park cost?

 

Just register a few fake nicks and start talking to you lol This is the way I started mine

 

What industry is your community? I find that advertising in select magazines works... if you have a targeted niche with magazines.

 

A lot of advice and suggestions, I thank you all very much indeed. Cheers!

Also, @ApocalypseXL: What is a community manager?

 

Starting a brand new forum is a big mistake in my opinion...

You're better off buying a small forum that has a small following and take it from there...

However, you can use private label rights content to write article type posts that will hopefully rank well in search engines and attract new members. You can also hire people to post on your forum...

 

I've seen a few people that pay 5 cents per significant post at the beginning which seems to help. You have to ask yourself what someone would do if they found your forum and saw it completely empty...why would they ever come back?

 

The only real way is to start making posts yourself. Any free minute you get and make them interesting posts and submit them to social networks. It might take you longer but you will get there.

 

Blog commenting and forum posting is a good start. Create a Facebook fanpage and have some good offers would def help you get some traffic.

 

You need to do a good few threads a day i think and hire few people afterwards etc.

Then get the word out.

 

The problem with forums is getting people to post, I suppose you can always recruit people here to post and make the forum look lively

 

I thank you all for your suggestions! I appreciate them more than you know!! I run an investment, money & lifestyle forum, just so you know. I decided to pay all people who post there since money is not the real issue, it's just that I want the forums to become alive.

I will pay everyone up to $1000 for posting very, very many pots on my forum, and everywhere from $1 to $200 depending on the posting you want to do. Please PM me and I will give you the link, and please tell me your PayPal account so that I can pay you properly.

 

Well the challenge in start ups forums is how to get the momentum for you forum and usually that momentum would start from the owner or administrator. If you don't have the time to post on topics then i would agree with ApocalypseXL that you need to hire a administrator for your forum. Your forum will not grow by itself it has to be taken care of and nurtured with content in order for it to grow.