Can someone please give some tips on how to get a forum going? I have 2 issues: 1) my main site gets about 220 visits per day, half are unique. NOBODY uses the forum and it's really frustrating. I do see that there are lots of people viewing the forum at different times, but only 2-3 people will make a post every once in awhile. 2) A separate site I'm working on is just a forum. I don't know what to do to begin getting visitors. It's a niche forum and may actually do well in regard to SERP, since I don't see anything else like it. However, I know I can't just rely on that. Thanks
Posting the URL to your forum may help us determine how to specifically help your site/forum prosper.
Post url here, also tried hiring some forum posters, once people see posts they are interested in, this may encourage them to post!
It's the same old basic marketing. Why should people post, or return? Once you give folks a reason (incentive, content, atmosphere), your forum will start to grow. Just installing a forum is not enough. Too bad many people think it is.
The best thing is to have a page with a decent amount of content before starting a forum. The next best thing is to invite people via pm from other forums to get things started. Make lots of quality posts yourself that might bring people into your forum via search engines.
Pay some people to post for you. Forum-angels.com is a good site. They do a great job and if you have enough normal traffic to your site, your visitors will see the traffic on the forums and want to join in. If you can build a big big big forum, you can place ads on there and make freaking BANK.
Having a few folks commenting/posting from 200 visitors a day is not that bad... I remember a comment from Brett Tabke (founder of WebMasterWorld) at Pubcon last year... he said that less than 10% of his visitors actually participate and add comments/content... Don't expect much higher percentage than that... But definitely work to make it easier for folks to jump in... Some ideas: 1. Post questions that invite feedback 2. Don't answer all the posts yourself... leave some room for visitors to chime in. If you jump to answer posts right away, someone else might think they don't need to post... 3. End posts with comments like, "What do you think?" etc... Hope this helps. Regards, Sockmoney
I think this is a great idea. Concept-permitting, put questions on your main site with a link to a thread in the forums where users can respond. IE 'What do you think about xxx' or 'What is the best xxx - respond here!' with a link to the forums.
http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=280355 My thread on getting traffic fast to your site may help. Also content content content ! After all thats what people come to your forum for !
I get over 1500 visitors a day to a forum and that hardly ever converts to active users. Plain and simple, make it grow quick or else it will die. Time doesn't do shit for forums, unless youve got great google rankings.
Don't go to forum angels, they have been tits up since December 2006. They were in my opinion the BEST (in regards to Quality) service available. Another great service is Forum Fairies agency. However.... I'd like to tell you about a little forum posting exchange that goes on at aardvark. There are several categories and pretty good exchanges there. You have to invest your time FIRST, then you'll benefit. For more info, see the thread here http://www.aardvarkinternet.net/chat/viewforum.php?f=10 As other members have suggested, I think you should find similar forums and promote yourself there. If you have Frank Sinatra content on your forum, join a forum that is related and ask them to vote in your Frank Sinatra Poll... I think it is kind of wide of the mark, me giving advice for success, since I am new and not successful at the moment, but I'm trying to be helpful