You may be new here, or simply don't know about all the features here. In this guide I will attempt to help you promote your forum easily, fully satisfy your webmaster needs and also help you learn how to earn FP quickly and easily.
Let's theoretically say you have a total of 0 FP. Here is how you promote your website without ANY FP cash.
Note: Before you do any of this, put at least a link in your signature to your site. Better off, put a promotional image (like the one in my signature) in it!
1. Create a new topic in the Promotion Directory.
2. Visit Exchange Central. Offer to do exchanges with other users. This can consist of doing 5 posts on their site, and they do 5 posts on yours or even daily exchanges! Not only will this get your site's link and information out there, you can also put in minimal effort for some posts on your forum.
3. Visit the Graphic Marketplace. There you should offer some posts in return for a new signature, avatar, or banner. Remember, we are saying you have 0 FP. However, you should ask that it matches your forum. Thus, the people interested in let's say 50 posts will go to your site and see it. Publicity.
4. Request a battle in Forum Battles. For this request to be effective you should offer that if the contestant is up for it, the loser will have to post 10 times on the winner's site. However, also say that you're still up for it if there is no prize. This too will bring ALL possible contestants to look at your site.
5. Request a Peer To Peer Review.
6. There MUST be at least one issue with your website. Before you ask your host or Facebook friend you may want to see if anyone here at FP can help you. Visit Forum & Hosting Support.
7. While you are waiting for someone to make you graphics, make some of your own. Your graphics should be promoting your website. Perhaps you want to create your first banner? Great! Show them off in the Graphics Show Off section.
8. Visit any section, and offer help and support (in a non-spam manner). People will see what you are doing, and may notice the link/ad you have in your signature!
Now, let's get some FP.
1. Visit Forum Cash Exchanges. Look for threads buying posts. Go there, and find someone that is offering a reasonable price for your posts. Make some posts, and earn FP!
2. Visit Peer To Peer Reviews. Offer review services. Offer to fully review people's sites for an amount of FP that you and them find reasonable.
3. If you are good with graphics, get some high amounts of FP for producing signatures, avatars, banners, and ads! Go to the Graphic Marketplace.
4. Find any other thread where a member is offering FP cash for a service.
5. If you have FP already, you can try out the Official FP Lottery. Tickets currently cost 10 FP and you can buy up to 100. However, this is also a great way to LOSE FP even if you do win occasionally. 🙁
What to spend FP on, and how not to spend it poorly.
Before any exchange check around the forums for current going prices. For example, I offer 20 FP per thread on my site, and post for 15 FP per thread. This is only because posts are around that price range at the moment. If people are posting constantly for 12 FP, then you'll do fine offering 12-15 🙂
Spend FP on things your forum will directly benefit from. Things like this include custom graphics, posts/threads, registrations, and reviews.
You will notice that some threads offer 100 FP for a registration to a survey or other real-$$ giving site. Most likely these sites record IPs, only allowing one registration per household. Do not let these sway you. Even if users have to post 5-8 times on your site for 100 FP, they will do so if they can't register on any of those sites for 100 FP due to IP restrictions!
Use the Posting Packages system! You are assured quality posts.
You should also check out the other services in Advertising & Services.
And now, some last few tips.
1. Do not ever spam or be obnoxious - your site will quickly get ignored.
2. Don't advertise if your forum is empty. Users will remember the emptiness.
3. Posting from multiple accounts on your own forum is a widely used tactic for new forums, but hardly admitted. However, remember that if you don't get new members then your site will die once you stop posting from these multiple accounts! So don't overdo it!
4. Scamming will get you banned. People like me will quickly advertise your scam and assure that you do not ever take part in exchanges again.
5. If you are like I am and will quickly report scamming make sure you have strong evidence. Badmouthing a user is wrong and can easily ruin their reputation. Make sure you contact the user first to see if there was any miscommunication, loss of internet connection on their part, or another mistake that can be easily fixed.
6. Be respectful. If you are respectful people will listen.
7. If you notice something amiss, or are angry with a user then take it to them or a staff. Don't start a debate in their thread. While it may get your point across/bring an issue to the table, it is also way off topic and what you're saying will lose some credibility.
8. Visit FP often, engage with members, and speak with them. Having online friends and contacts here will help you directly with your forum.
Enjoy 😀
Let's theoretically say you have a total of 0 FP. Here is how you promote your website without ANY FP cash.
Note: Before you do any of this, put at least a link in your signature to your site. Better off, put a promotional image (like the one in my signature) in it!
1. Create a new topic in the Promotion Directory.
2. Visit Exchange Central. Offer to do exchanges with other users. This can consist of doing 5 posts on their site, and they do 5 posts on yours or even daily exchanges! Not only will this get your site's link and information out there, you can also put in minimal effort for some posts on your forum.
3. Visit the Graphic Marketplace. There you should offer some posts in return for a new signature, avatar, or banner. Remember, we are saying you have 0 FP. However, you should ask that it matches your forum. Thus, the people interested in let's say 50 posts will go to your site and see it. Publicity.
4. Request a battle in Forum Battles. For this request to be effective you should offer that if the contestant is up for it, the loser will have to post 10 times on the winner's site. However, also say that you're still up for it if there is no prize. This too will bring ALL possible contestants to look at your site.
5. Request a Peer To Peer Review.
6. There MUST be at least one issue with your website. Before you ask your host or Facebook friend you may want to see if anyone here at FP can help you. Visit Forum & Hosting Support.
7. While you are waiting for someone to make you graphics, make some of your own. Your graphics should be promoting your website. Perhaps you want to create your first banner? Great! Show them off in the Graphics Show Off section.
8. Visit any section, and offer help and support (in a non-spam manner). People will see what you are doing, and may notice the link/ad you have in your signature!
Now, let's get some FP.
1. Visit Forum Cash Exchanges. Look for threads buying posts. Go there, and find someone that is offering a reasonable price for your posts. Make some posts, and earn FP!
2. Visit Peer To Peer Reviews. Offer review services. Offer to fully review people's sites for an amount of FP that you and them find reasonable.
3. If you are good with graphics, get some high amounts of FP for producing signatures, avatars, banners, and ads! Go to the Graphic Marketplace.
4. Find any other thread where a member is offering FP cash for a service.
5. If you have FP already, you can try out the Official FP Lottery. Tickets currently cost 10 FP and you can buy up to 100. However, this is also a great way to LOSE FP even if you do win occasionally. 🙁
What to spend FP on, and how not to spend it poorly.
Before any exchange check around the forums for current going prices. For example, I offer 20 FP per thread on my site, and post for 15 FP per thread. This is only because posts are around that price range at the moment. If people are posting constantly for 12 FP, then you'll do fine offering 12-15 🙂
Spend FP on things your forum will directly benefit from. Things like this include custom graphics, posts/threads, registrations, and reviews.
You will notice that some threads offer 100 FP for a registration to a survey or other real-$$ giving site. Most likely these sites record IPs, only allowing one registration per household. Do not let these sway you. Even if users have to post 5-8 times on your site for 100 FP, they will do so if they can't register on any of those sites for 100 FP due to IP restrictions!
Use the Posting Packages system! You are assured quality posts.
You should also check out the other services in Advertising & Services.
And now, some last few tips.
1. Do not ever spam or be obnoxious - your site will quickly get ignored.
2. Don't advertise if your forum is empty. Users will remember the emptiness.
3. Posting from multiple accounts on your own forum is a widely used tactic for new forums, but hardly admitted. However, remember that if you don't get new members then your site will die once you stop posting from these multiple accounts! So don't overdo it!
4. Scamming will get you banned. People like me will quickly advertise your scam and assure that you do not ever take part in exchanges again.
5. If you are like I am and will quickly report scamming make sure you have strong evidence. Badmouthing a user is wrong and can easily ruin their reputation. Make sure you contact the user first to see if there was any miscommunication, loss of internet connection on their part, or another mistake that can be easily fixed.
6. Be respectful. If you are respectful people will listen.
7. If you notice something amiss, or are angry with a user then take it to them or a staff. Don't start a debate in their thread. While it may get your point across/bring an issue to the table, it is also way off topic and what you're saying will lose some credibility.
8. Visit FP often, engage with members, and speak with them. Having online friends and contacts here will help you directly with your forum.
Enjoy 😀
