Any tips for marketing a community? Both how to get people to know about it, and how to get them to stay. Thanks in advanced
Pretty hard to make a social network known unless it is in a specific niche, if you are after a broad base like with Facebook you will have to have a pretty innovative idea for it to be successful.
If there is a geographical link (for example a community of doctors in London or whatever) it can be a lot easier. You can focus on placing ads in local publications, recruit authority figures to spread awareness (etc). If it's random you probably face competition from pretty much every niche so it may be a question of marketing muscle and aptitude. That's in no way saying it cannot be done.
I agree with Gallito. Just about theo nly social networks you see these days that are thriving are those within specific niche's. For example, there is one I saw on the news the other day that is totally devoted to those with missing limbs. Generic, non-specific social networks are strugging right now because facebook and myspace pretty much have the market on lockdown.