Hello there...I was wondering if anyone out there who has ever started a forum web site if they have any tips on what to do to get one jump started...how to get people to sign up, post and get the momentum going? Also, if anyone knows of a thread in this forum that has already covered this topic, please feel free to post that link. Thanks!
1. start with a few forums 2. invite your friends/family and so on 3. post information content yourself 4. you can hire forum posters or just make a couple accounts yourself 5. Contests! 6. Join forum topsites or exchange links with forums like yours 7. join other forums related to yours, participate around and be "helpful", and include a link to your forum in your signature
Excellent tips! thanks! I'll give it a try. The forum I started is tinnitusforums.com - and am still amazed the domain was available. Tinnitus is ringing in the ears, which many millions of people have.
tinnitusforums.com ? lol what does the word mean? Anywayz, don't advertise too much untill you get quite bit of posts trhoughout your board, or visitors come and leave due to your lack of content. GL. I;'m in the same boat right now, and the hardest ever!
Use a better script and get a custom skin. Vbulletin or IPB should do the job, others won't. First impression is always, always important.
Please download this guildline ( pdf file ) and read. http://www.willco.com/support/guides/Willco-Guide-Launching-Forum-6.pdf
What I did was get all my friends to join my fishing site. Even if they wernt interested in it. (you can always post under their name). Start filling up the board with posts. The more posts the more available things people will reply to. Make it look catchy so they want to stay. Empty boards are boring for people. If you need to sign up then make 10 names for yourself and basically talk to yourself. It works! Basically more posts the better. Put your link in your sig. Do post exchanges with others in trade your services. Offer contests and other things to those who refer the most people etc etc. The most important thing is that it just takes time and hard work.
Sorry for the linkdrop, but I put what I could into these: How to Build a successful online community also see: Choosing forum moderators Ultimately, you need a lot of time and a lot of patience, but the more you push, the more you'll get there. Best of luck.
What fantastic posts! I set my forum up nearly 3 weeks ago, thefactoryforum and I now have 200 registered members. Reading the posts here has given me a few new ideas, thanks!