Free Forum Hosts
I know there has been a big debate between free hosting and paid hosting (or at least that I've seen). Below are some common questions about free hosting that I've gone through and answered. Hopefully, this will provide you with some information about free hosting. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask!
1) What are the benefits of using a free forum host?
There are many benefits of using a free forum host. If you are a first time webmaster, then using a free forum host like Forumotion or Zetaboards could be the way to go. The admin control panel is easy to navigate through and use, you get really good support if you ever get stuck and need help, you can decide what members can see and do on your forum, you get to share your passion with others, and many more.
2) Won't I have to deal with things like down time and ads on my forum if I use a free forum host?
I've heard that you have to deal with down time if you use a free forum host, however, I've never experienced down time and I've used both Forumotion and Zetaboards.
Yes, there are advertisements when using a free forum host. That is how the free forum host is able to continue without charging you for the forum. However, there is a way around that. On Zetaboards, you can pay to have the ads removed. The current rate is $0.18 per 1,000 page views. On Forumotion, you can purchase tokens and one of the things that you spend those tokens on is having ads removed from your forum.
3) Will there be any limits when using a free forum host?
No. When you set up a forum using a free forum host, the forum you create will not expire. There is also no limits on how posts you can make or how many members you can have.
4) Will setting up a forum be difficult?
No, not at all. There are several steps you must go through. You just pick a name for your board, pick a "theme" or "skin" for your forum, add a few categories and forums, post a few topics to set the tone for your forum, invite your friends to join and start advertising your forum on social media.
5) What kind of forum can I have with a free forum host?
There really isn't a limit to what kind of forum you can have. The only limits are your imagination and your dedication to your forum.
6) What kind of support do you get with a free forum host?
I've found that the support from both Zetaboards and Forumotion have been really good. They've always answered my questions quickly and were able to help me every time. With both Zetaboards and Forumtion, you have the ability to make graphic requests. However, you are allowed to advertise and get a review on your forum at the Forumotion support forum.
7) Which free forum host would you recommend?
I've used both Zetaboards and Forumotion before and I will suggest them both. It is hard for me to pick between the two because both have done an outstanding job when it comes to options available for webmasters and providing support. I am sure there are other good ones out there, I just don't have any experience with them at this point.
Thank you for reading this article! Please leave a comment if you would like to ask any questions, or clarify any of the points I have made.
