I am not exactly sure where to go yet

[Luigi1632]

I've just recently gotten back into foruming and I am trying to figure out some ways to get my inactive forum from 2013 off the ground. But I am just alone on there. The only activity I seem to get is from post exchanges.
For one thing, I am not on there during late-night hours, because it isn't healthy for me to do that anymore. I might try to ask on here if they would want to help out on the staff member/generating activity part of the job.

I'm also going to look for a dark theme today for late-night posters in the future. I do wonder if my tendency to not post current gaming and anime news is preventing my forum from gaining some activity as well. Part of that is because I'm not interested in the current console generation and because I do not haven't started watching recent anime titles.

The most I can do is rewrite these archived reviews of some anime and video games and post them on my forum. Whenever I watch something popular like Attack on Titan (or Kill la Kill) and write a review on that, it may generate some activity. To be honest, I don't want to mess with SEO extensively and have to install a load of phpbb3 mods on my forum just to gain activity. At the most, I might create a affiliate button and get it posted on a few gaming forums.

I've tried many times in the past to get a community started and the one point where I was really close... but the hosting site killed it because I did not log-in into my hosting account for a long time.
If I somehow posted a large number of topics and bumped it the total number of posts to 1,000 or higher, I wonder if that would make a difference. (It stands at 400+ posts right now) 😕

 

[fantanoice]

Have you tried bulk-emailing your members to say the place has been re-opened? That might get a few veterans back. It's a long shot, but you never know.

You will, however, likely need to start looking for new active members if past people have moved on. I usually look for new active members by visiting similar-themed sites, making friends, and inviting them over.

I do wonder if my tendency to not post current gaming and anime news is preventing my forum from gaining some activity as well. Part of that is because I'm not interested in the current console generation and because I do not haven't started watching recent anime titles.

Well, you users are going to need something to reply to. *shrug* If you're not able to produce new, up-to-date threads for them, maybe look into getting some thread packages / exchanges to fill that void?

I've tried many times in the past to get a community started and the one point where I was really close... but the hosting site killed it because I did not log-in into my hosting account for a long time.

Tell me about it. My forum lost 9 years of content from a dodgy host. At the moment we have daily automatic backups to stop that from ever happening again. Maybe look into getting something similar?

If I somehow posted a large number of topics and bumped it the total number of posts to 1,000 or higher, I wonder if that would make a difference. (It stands at 400+ posts right now)

I would definitely look into getting some new content, just make sure anything you make adds value to your forum and isn't just there for the sheer purpose of boosting your stats.

I'm also going to look for a dark theme today for late-night posters in the future.

I'm not sure what you mean here. Are you looking for a dark theme that will cycle on a day/night cycle?

Personally, even though that's a little bit 'wow'-ish, it may make you forum seem inconsistent, and might even confuse people if they're online when the theme flicks over. You also need to remember that you might have members on the other side of the world who will be posting during the day which will be during your night (and vise-versa).


Anyway, I hope all that helps. Best of luck with your forum. 🙂

 

[Luigi1632]

I'm afraid that I do not have the e-mails of all the "veteran" members. But I will start going to a few gaming forums and getting an affiliate button on there. In addition, I might get some advertising on this site too.

Even if it doesn't concern my "old-school" gaming lifestyle, I will start posting gaming news articles.

 

[Allan]

Are you using the same Database as your older forum?

 

[Smokey]

At first glance, your skin is very hard to read. The red on blue name and dark links is very hard on the eyes, I would try to get a lighter, easier to read skin.

 

[Luigi1632]

My graphics designer hasn't gotten back in contact with me since January, so I've been editing the skin myself. The blue color for the "Administrator" group is that way because:
1)It was hard to read with the red grandient
2)The rank image is blue

I could darken the red color some, but I don't want to change the gradient to a different color, bevause it goes against the theme my graphics designer intended.

@Allan: The old database was wiped along with the site when I didn't log into my host for a long period of time. Except for a few topics I had manually backed up, everything was lost.

EDIT: I think I'm going to have to re-do parts of the theme from scratch. My graphic designer may not be as pleased with the results if he ever comes back, but I'm more focused on getting this out of the way.

 

[buysell-browse.com]

So much work went into a free hosted forum? What a shame. To grow successfully and have a future, you need your own domain hosted on a stable platform.

 

[Kaynil]

Hy, I hadn't seen you in a while. I'm sorry to hear about what happened to your site, it was a good place. It changed many hosts though and at some point I lost track of it.

I hope you have found a better and more reliable host as to not repeat what happened.

About the skin, is there a way to save your designer skin as it is? That way you can edit a copy. So long you still leave your GD's credit, it should be all right.

I agree with the comment regarding the red clashing, I think trying out different shades of red could help you find a tone that will still have that text readable without having to change completely to a different color.

Also do not hesitate to PM the people you once invited to register again if you recognise them. Anything that can help.

 

[Luigi1632]

I have a backup copy of the style, but a lot of the theme is going to need an overhaul. I remember reading in an old review that one detractor to the style was that it used recolored versions of prosilver's icons. I could change the red to a darker shade, but it would have to keep the "blood" color scheme my graphic designer intended.

So much work went into a free hosted forum? What a shame. To grow successfully and have a future, you need your own domain hosted on a stable platform.

I can't do paid options because I don't have a job yet. Even if I land one soon, the student loans will have to come first.

One way of promotion I thought of is sharing anime reviews I occasionally write. If I found some anime blogs, perhaps that could get some exposure.

 

[fantanoice]

So much work went into a free hosted forum? What a shame. To grow successfully and have a future, you need your own domain hosted on a stable platform.

Advice like this always strikes a nerve because it isn't true at all. To be successful you need to invest time in your community and that is just as true with free forums as it is self hosted ones.

Sure, you might get a technical edge with self hosted, but when 90% of your userbase doesn't know one software from another, it's not going to make a difference. The things that will make a difference are your people and content.

 

[Kaynil]

Gotta agree with fantanoice here.

That said, it is important to offer stability, which I think IOGA lacked due the changes of hosts and stuff, not saying it was your fault Luigi1632, it is actually hard when you are starting to find a good reliable free host. I had my episodes with my own community when I convinced them to restart outside of Forumotion, but eventually found a reliable spanish web host that has been doing okay.

Hopefully where you are now will be enough to allow you stay and grow behind the cameras for your members. Now it is up and there is some content. More than a few members should be happy to hear the news. Why not organise an "official opening" and plan a small anime related contests, or something so old members get filled in the details and new visitors give it a go? For example trivias, themed avatar/banner sets, roleplay, fanart or short-fanfiction. I know you don't have money to pay but I'm sure you could still think of other perks to entice your potential-members into considering entering the contest. Once in the forum, with your effort and your team, some of them could stay out of their will.

I am currently renting internet, but I'll be more than happy to rejoin as soon as I get an ISP back at home. I have good memories. 🙂

If you're at loss at what to offer, try looking at other anime related forums to see what things tempt you into joining/staying and what are the usual disappointments. This can help you come with new ideas to offer better quality things in touch with your desired audience.

 

[Luigi1632]

I think a slight issue is that I'm not always on when... say a user from a post exchange is posting. Part of it stems from slow responses I give while on my mobile phone. Typing on a keyboard is easy and I can usually generate responses quicker that way.

Or the post exchange happens late-at-night while I am asleep.

What I have thought of doing is searching for online promotion directories and posting my site on there. But the only thing really stands out are the anime reviews I occasionally do. There are some that I have archived, but I haven't rewritten them all yet. I haven't searched for any anime blogs either. But my reviews could start something.

 

[fantanoice]

You could get a Bluetooth keyboard for your phone if that's concerning you.

 

[Luigi1632]

So I have been editing a separate version of the light theme and here is how part of it looks so far:


The pinkish-red background is a placeholder until either I create a good background or my graphic request on here is fulfilled. There are a few things I will still need to adjust like the view topic areas and the buttons, but I think it is on an interesting start so far.

 

[CM30]

It's more readable, so I guess that's a good start.

Might need to see it on an actual site to judge any further though...

 

[Luigi1632]

I've gone and applied it to the current site. There are still a few things that need to be changed, such as the navigational bar icons and a few more of the colors. But it should be easier to read everything on the site.

Other than that, I think I can get focused on content again.