I was thinking about this while on support.proboards.com . That is a large community and while your on it you tend not to feel known really. As an admin you probably want a large community but if it's too large, it will feel as though no one really knows you.
I suppose it would depend on the kind of community you're running or you want to run if you are in the stages of planning to open a forum. I myself am running a general chat forum, and while those are hard to get active, I don't mind it because I actually before smaller forums over larger ones, because on a smaller board you get a chance to connect with your members and really get to know them on a personal level in some cases. So that's why I'm doing the community I'm doing is that I prefer smaller forums over big active ones. Again, it all depends on the genera though, naturally.
In a bigger board, you will still be known by people who discuss around the topics you post on.
Consider, you are posting actively in this category "Managing your Forum" in Forumpromotion. People who actively visit that category, will know you well, and be friendly with you.
In a small Forum, you can be less active to be known well. But in a big forum, you should be more active, or active on selected categories.
You just need to post more 😛
Anyways, on with the real reply.
I have seen communities where this has happened, and people are sort of in awe of the Admin due to the fact that only the first 300 of about 50,000 people actually know him. I try not to let that happen by interacting with my members as much as possible, and it works. However if I had a humongous site, I don't think I can manage it so well. So I guess I don't like the fact that it's true you don't know people so well on a huge community, but I respect the staff and other members in the fact that I will have to build a reputation, not just expect to have one when I join.
Coming from someone who owns a big board, yes, I love it. I love going to sleep and then waking up to find 100 new threads and around 500-700 new posts.
Everyone would like a large forum, but i think that in the niche im hoping to get there wont be massive demand for it unless a follow up is released so I think I will always be able to manage it. 🙂
it's really one of them best of both worlds sort of thing. i rather have a smaller forum for the fact i know just about everyone on my forum but if i had a larger one it would be like who are you? when really he is the admin you hired a week ago. but ya duh i would like a large forum for the fact you get too meet so many people.
For me I like the idea of going right down the middle! I don't want a forum that's so huge that I struggle to keep up with the topics, or I am unable to interact with members. But then I don't want a forum that's so small that new topics and posts are hard to come by. Finding a happy medium would be great 🙂
I always thought I wanted to own a huge forum, but now I realize that I love owning Hobby Zone. It's not that big or active, but when people do come on, it makes me happy. And I make sure that every new member makes there mark on the community and enjoys it.
