I would like to launch a forum but need advise - Thanks

Hello,

I was wondering if I could get some advise on launching a new forum. It will not compete with this one so that is why I'm asking here.

What is the best way to get the word out to lots of news sites etc. I have never had to do a news release before and need some direction.

I don't have an opt-in email list so I can send it out that way. The forum is search engine related.

Thanks in advance for you help.

 

Well there are a lot of Searh Engine sites out there offering news and what not.
I'd suggest building a userbase/content using paid posters or getting friends involved. Basically build a name for yourself.

At that point I'd send out a press release and hope that a site covering search engines picks you up.

 

I was just browsing this forum and noticed that there are companies that you pay to post and create discussions. Seems like a good way to initially get some content.

As far as posting to news sites after this, are there submission companies that will send the release out for you to a bunch of newsites or do you do them 1 by 1?

Forum Booster was the one I seen, has anyone had any experience with them?

Thanks.

 

Does anyone have any more suggestions for forum posting companies other than
Forum Booster. I sent them a nice long email and they never got back to me, maybe they are out of business or just don't need the business. I'm ready to go if I can find a good service.

Thanks

 

Can a forum grow naturally without paying posters to create a discussion? For example if the forum is secondary to a product site.

 

I had a good experience with forum boost on another one of my forums. I'd recommend them.

 

fatinfo guy,

I don't have a product, the forum will be a service to an industry, don't plan on generating a living off it.

It's catch 22. Can't get people to post if there are no discussions going on.

Once I get some activity then I will do a news blitz to kick start it.

 

People generally won't post unless there is information already posted, and they are sure it will get read and responded to in a timely fashion.

People just don't post for free, words are actually worth money.

Think of digital point forums, you share knowledge and get knowledge in return, it's a win win.

So to have people start posts it shows activity, activity convinces people to post.

This is step one.

The second step is converting traffic from big sites to your site, look into friendster/myspace/facebook marketing.

 

try to add as many free resources availeble only for members

 

1. Get an idea of what you want to do .. then do
2. Think about a script: paid or free.
3. Get all the stuff ready: pay for the domain and hosting. While still waiting to get the DNS propagation done, visit some competing sites and STUDY them. Try to also plan your future categories (few at first) and write down some possible topics (you need to start tens of topics a day from DAY 1 and not lose time).
4. After the account is ready to use install the script you paid for or downloaded for free (never install the script in the cPanel options ... don't be lazy, they're not updated to the latest release. Go to the developer's site, download the latest stable version and install it).
5. Start the categories (you already planned) and the topics.
6. MODIFY the theme. Don't have a stock or a default theme, especially for a web developers community, or you're dead before being alive as a community. Make some nice header/footer in the image editor you use, code and place on the forums. The more you work on the uniqueness of the forums, the more you're gonna be 1 step ahead of other forums. I still have many people join my forums because they just love the way they look.
7. Keep on working on the content (when you have 50-60 new topics - you should make them in 1-2 days) start some post exchanges. ALSO keep on creating new content and do those exchanges. I would recommend 2-3 post exchanges daily with 10-15 or other numbers posts. In 1 month you'll have tens of people and hundreds of threads/posts.
8. Concentrate on getting "normal" members too: have a nice content and theme and promote from the day 1 (that means that in day one you have a unique looking forum and tens of threads started.

There would be more to say, but I will rest my case now. should you need more info, please let me know.

 

dojo,

You have some great advise here, I'm basically up to #6 in your list.

Now I just need people to come by and pay my forum a visit and make some posts.

HINT, HINT

 

Hi Chippie,
I am the owner of Inb0x, a leader in the paid posting industry. Inb0x has hundreds of experienced writers that would love to join you in your quest for more activity. They love what they do and it really shows in their posts. You can check out the following blog from Sitepoint for more ideas about how to get a forum going as well as an Inb0x review: http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2006/01/09/building-a-forum-with-bribes/

I saw someone on another popular webmaster forum like this one trying to promote his/her new forum by inviting visitors to post something about their product or service because he/she was going to be sharing the forum with his/her friends and family. That was enough for me to take interest so I registered and posted. Even if you already have a 'marketplace' in your forum, many webmaster don't feel welcomed to post there until they have taken the time to post in other sections of the forum. The only reason I decided to post within a brand new site was because the owner warmly welcomed me to do so within his marketplace section. You might want to try the same thing only with paid posters also creating activity since good paid posters provide good content which in turn gives your visitors a reason for sticking around.

 

I agree, if and only if the paid posters know about their content. Otherwise I completely disagree, can you imagine the harm paid posters could do to a financial site, or educational site if the posters didn’t know what they were talking about.

If the accuracy of the content, or topic doesnt matter too much, then hey, why not give it a go.

 

mpea,

I agree with your comments regarding paid posters not knowing particular subjects.

I have a second forum that is for CNC machining and cnc programming topics, I think I would have a difficult time finding paid posters that know these types of topics.

The forum is online but I have not had a chance to really promote it yet

 

I think for niche markets, like ours chippie, to get the ball rolling, we need to go out there and find our posters, before they find us.

A good techique ive been using is searching for blogs about AI/investing. Then I ask them (via mail) to talk a bit about their blogs (this benifits them), and while you're at it, it might not do any harm to get a link back. Thats how you get relavant content from people who often know a bit about the subject they are talking about, but its hard work!

Another thing I was thinking of was spam-mail, but i dont like the idea. Often when I see spam-mail it gives a me negative impact on the company before ive even looked at the site, so maybe i will avoid this, unless anyone here's reaped the benifit of spam mail.

Im still trying to target my audince, and talk to potentail clients 1-2-1, its not easy.

 

Popular forum scripts in the market:

SMF
YaBB
phpBB
ezboard
vBulletin
ikonboard
Invision Power Board

Installation is not the main issue because most of the hosting providers enable their customers to install the forum via Fantastico. Anyway, anyone who has started a forum will know that it is long and very hard process. If you thought the actual setting up of a forum was hard, the hardest bit is yet to come. The running of the forum is definitely the hardest bit. Making visitors into members is extremely hard, don’t think that it is going to be easy. After advertising a bit you might find that you are getting a reasonable amount of traffic but no one is registering.

Additional, quality is a big problem faced by most of the forum administrators. If we're not careful, things can get out of hand. The following are several guildlines to improve the quality of a forum.

1) Control the Spamming
2) Make sure questions get answered
3) Encourage good quality
4) Keep a good quality staff
5) Promote Wisely
6) Lead by Example

The key is to find the balance that works best for your forum. Good luck.

 

Chippe and mpea,

Exactly. Your comments are right on target. The internet is all about niches and sometime the niche gets pretty darn "nichey", if you will. Inb0x writers often do research before posting if they are unaware of the subject. But one can only do so much researching and some subjects are simply too specialized for even the hundreds of writers that Inb0x has. I would say 85% of the forums that come through Inb0x can be done without a problem but there are 15% that require extra attention.

I have recently started a new service for these 15%. If the forum is highly specialized I simply offer to provide highly specialized posters that I go out and gather one by one. Of course this takes a significant amount of my time and a higher rate to attract the specialized writers. It takes digging and lots of it. If you have more time than you have money then you can do it yourself. Blogs are good sources and also other more established forums similar to the one you are starting. Check the rules first on any forums you try.

 

what is the url to your cnc forum? thanks!

Edit: sorry, was ment to be PM.

 

Hi Drig,

Sorry it took so long to get back to you with the URL, I haven't been on DP for a while, but here it is.


www.CNCWarriors.com

If there are any Machinists or CNC programmers out there feel free to make some posts to get the ball rolling.

Thanks

 

Id get the forums out of multiple categories, you don't need a category for every forum, it makes things too clutered and even more empty.

Otherwise it looks great