How to Build a Successful Forum [PART ONE]
This article was first posted on our blog on 28/02/2011. For this reason, the information may be outdated and no longer reliable/correct.
The Beginning When creating a new forum, it’s pivotal that you test to see if every aspect of the forum is working smoothly. I’ve been on many forums where certain features are failing to work; it deters me from joining the forum. If one of your members reports a certain “fault,” you, as the owner of the site, needs to fix the fault as soon as possible and make sure the fault has been fixed; it really shows your members that you care and that you have time for your forum. When I created my first site, my members found error after error; I didn’t know how to fix these problems at first. I spent hours trying to fix these problems, but I couldn’t find a fix until I found a site which gave me all the answers to my problems. Advertising The first thing you should do is let others know that your forum exists. The chances of members finding your forum, signing up, and posting without advertising it anywhere is very slim. Promote everywhere you can. Of course, you won’t see results within the first couple of days, but over a more extended period of time, you will see results. There are tons of great promotion websites out there; use them at every chance you can get. Don’t miss the chance to get extra traffic. Custom Logo’s A custom logo for your site is a great way to make your site original. For example, check out advertisehotspot.info/'s logo. Whenever I see that logo, I tend to think within seconds, “Advertise Hotspot.” It’s catchy and original, and it makes the site look professional. A custom logo isn’t a must, but it’ll make your site more unique and original. Staff Choosing staff members is a crucial part of making your forum successful. You shouldn't choose the first person who signs up on your forum; wait a bit, and then choose your staff. You must trust your staff. More importantly, they must know what they are doing. Hiring someone as a writer when his/her grammar is awful, is not an ideal thing to do. Similarly, hiring someone as a moderator when he/she is online for five minutes per week is not a good idea. Your staff members must be committed to your forum and willing to help out. Thank you reading my first blog as part of the Content Team. I hope that you enjoyed it. Remember, this is only part one; there are still two more parts to come, so stay tuned.
The Beginning When creating a new forum, it’s pivotal that you test to see if every aspect of the forum is working smoothly. I’ve been on many forums where certain features are failing to work; it deters me from joining the forum. If one of your members reports a certain “fault,” you, as the owner of the site, needs to fix the fault as soon as possible and make sure the fault has been fixed; it really shows your members that you care and that you have time for your forum. When I created my first site, my members found error after error; I didn’t know how to fix these problems at first. I spent hours trying to fix these problems, but I couldn’t find a fix until I found a site which gave me all the answers to my problems. Advertising The first thing you should do is let others know that your forum exists. The chances of members finding your forum, signing up, and posting without advertising it anywhere is very slim. Promote everywhere you can. Of course, you won’t see results within the first couple of days, but over a more extended period of time, you will see results. There are tons of great promotion websites out there; use them at every chance you can get. Don’t miss the chance to get extra traffic. Custom Logo’s A custom logo for your site is a great way to make your site original. For example, check out advertisehotspot.info/'s logo. Whenever I see that logo, I tend to think within seconds, “Advertise Hotspot.” It’s catchy and original, and it makes the site look professional. A custom logo isn’t a must, but it’ll make your site more unique and original. Staff Choosing staff members is a crucial part of making your forum successful. You shouldn't choose the first person who signs up on your forum; wait a bit, and then choose your staff. You must trust your staff. More importantly, they must know what they are doing. Hiring someone as a writer when his/her grammar is awful, is not an ideal thing to do. Similarly, hiring someone as a moderator when he/she is online for five minutes per week is not a good idea. Your staff members must be committed to your forum and willing to help out. Thank you reading my first blog as part of the Content Team. I hope that you enjoyed it. Remember, this is only part one; there are still two more parts to come, so stay tuned.
