How do you start a forum?
- Thread starter David
- Start date
SheepishWolf
Paragon
I would spend a few days generating a unique idea about what the forums about. I typically do this in the shower 😛
Then I see what/if any other forums of the same nature are out there and how big and how well of a community they have. I see what they're doing that could be improved, while trying not to copy any of the forums or unique ideas from them
Next I see what forum software has my needs (I.e. certain mods, appropriate themes) and what host would fit best (affordable or not many posts a month, good support, ect.) and I well...set it up
Next I join general discussion forums or forums of a similar nature and chat there, be generally friendly and make new friends and such. Maybe chat with them on msn, aim, or outside of that forum and hopefully develop a bond with them. Hopefully they will have similar interests with you, so it shouldn't be hard to chat and such with them. While doing this I set up forums to my liking, making sure to have enough to keep it interesting yet not so much that it is cluttered. Then I set perms, install some mods that would be helpful in the future (i.e. point mods, latest topic on index), and choose a theme.
Then I make minimum ten topics per forum.
After that I make the required amount of posts to get the amount of points I need to request the highest package I can get on 5-10 advertising forums; with the recent splurge of promotional forums. I would add a link to fancy-schmancy graphic to your signature while you post on them. Some people say that promotion forums can't help and the only people there are admins looking to advertise only, but I found that I got several active members from signature links and promotion topics. While on the promotion forums to get packages, and you are waiting for them to be completed I would do some exchanges - best to be done in 25s-100s, as I find it looks like a better community if you have say, 25 members but 5000 posts. Also, reading tips and admin-discussion topics can help you find ways to make your forum most successful.
Also, I would try to reply to topics that the exchange and posts, or even real members if you have any, have made. It makes you look detecated.
Next..the friends that you made earlier? Remember? Give 'em the link, but do it nicely, asking if they could help you out or something, or ask if they think it looks cool, and ask them to join. They should be your friend, so they should agree 😉 I find that beginning forum active members are typically a staff members friend.
Speaking of staff members, I would probably get a moderator or second admin. Why? Because what I like go on vacation or something? I would have to trust the forum in someones hands, also I find that the more people you involve in a project, the more chance of it being successful it has. People like to feel like they are a apart of things, and things tend to be less likely to fail if more people are putting their hands into it.
After that I should have at least 1000 posts. I would make a forum presentation, as first impressions are everything, I would make it look nice. Have the goal of the forum, what it is about, gently give some of the rules, direct them to an interesting topic or two, and have a nice graphic in the beginning of it. State my name on the forum and say that any questions can be asked via PM on that forum or your forum. Say that it would be a pleasure to have them there and that your community would welcome them with open arms. Tell them what the forums purpose is.. I personally find that humour can help a little to. Then I'd post it in the forum presentations section of the forums I requested packages at, or even others than the ones I requested at.
🙂
Yup.
Then I see what/if any other forums of the same nature are out there and how big and how well of a community they have. I see what they're doing that could be improved, while trying not to copy any of the forums or unique ideas from them
Next I see what forum software has my needs (I.e. certain mods, appropriate themes) and what host would fit best (affordable or not many posts a month, good support, ect.) and I well...set it up
Next I join general discussion forums or forums of a similar nature and chat there, be generally friendly and make new friends and such. Maybe chat with them on msn, aim, or outside of that forum and hopefully develop a bond with them. Hopefully they will have similar interests with you, so it shouldn't be hard to chat and such with them. While doing this I set up forums to my liking, making sure to have enough to keep it interesting yet not so much that it is cluttered. Then I set perms, install some mods that would be helpful in the future (i.e. point mods, latest topic on index), and choose a theme.
Then I make minimum ten topics per forum.
After that I make the required amount of posts to get the amount of points I need to request the highest package I can get on 5-10 advertising forums; with the recent splurge of promotional forums. I would add a link to fancy-schmancy graphic to your signature while you post on them. Some people say that promotion forums can't help and the only people there are admins looking to advertise only, but I found that I got several active members from signature links and promotion topics. While on the promotion forums to get packages, and you are waiting for them to be completed I would do some exchanges - best to be done in 25s-100s, as I find it looks like a better community if you have say, 25 members but 5000 posts. Also, reading tips and admin-discussion topics can help you find ways to make your forum most successful.
Also, I would try to reply to topics that the exchange and posts, or even real members if you have any, have made. It makes you look detecated.
Next..the friends that you made earlier? Remember? Give 'em the link, but do it nicely, asking if they could help you out or something, or ask if they think it looks cool, and ask them to join. They should be your friend, so they should agree 😉 I find that beginning forum active members are typically a staff members friend.
Speaking of staff members, I would probably get a moderator or second admin. Why? Because what I like go on vacation or something? I would have to trust the forum in someones hands, also I find that the more people you involve in a project, the more chance of it being successful it has. People like to feel like they are a apart of things, and things tend to be less likely to fail if more people are putting their hands into it.
After that I should have at least 1000 posts. I would make a forum presentation, as first impressions are everything, I would make it look nice. Have the goal of the forum, what it is about, gently give some of the rules, direct them to an interesting topic or two, and have a nice graphic in the beginning of it. State my name on the forum and say that any questions can be asked via PM on that forum or your forum. Say that it would be a pleasure to have them there and that your community would welcome them with open arms. Tell them what the forums purpose is..
I personally find that humour can help a little to. Then I'd post it in the forum presentations section of the forums I requested packages at, or even others than the ones I requested at. 🙂
Yup.
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