JayJACKEL!
Paragon
We don't all have cash floating around do we?
I know I didn't when I first started up a forum, so I thought I'd share my ramblings in the hope that they help you!
The worst thing you can do when you're starting a forum (especially alone) is to add too many boards.
This is a monumental task to keep up, as forums can sometimes take many years to become active to a point where you could leave for a week and people would keep on posting.
Too many boards means a lot of extra work for you. Posting actively in each forum to generate traffic and discussions is time consuming to say the least, and writer's block will soon be an all too familiar occurrence!
So, what do you do when adding boards?
Well...
The way I did it from the start was to add Site related forums which I could post in daily with small updates (mainly to build post count more than anything). Generally I posted the slightest things, like changing a setting etc.
Next you may want to set up General Chat etc. All the generic one's most forums have and are relatively active from the start.
Then you move onto your specialist forums. If you have an active interest in a particular subject, make room for forums! If it means you can actively post in it to generate content and traffic, then you want to do it!
This part is mainly for traffic and the odd loyal reader. I personally never saw an increase in my registration and post count when using this, but my analytics saw an increase in referrals from Digg and Reddit.
The best way to go about this, is to Bookmark everything lengthy.
Reddit only allows you to submit one link every ten minutes, so pick carefully! If you right a daily thread which is rich in content and keywords, submit that without question. Then move on to others.
For other sites like Google Bookmarks, Digg, StumbleUpon etc. submit everything! You never know who will come across them and be interested!
That's right, I went there. I posted on my own forum under several different accounts daily to generate posts and discussions. Many posts like this will give a similar tip, and you may think "Well that's just silly, it looks obvious and not to mention boring!"... Well yeah it does, but that's not the point. An active board is an attractive board.
If you notice, boards that don't have constant updated content die very quickly. People aren't interested in a forum full of dead accounts and threads as old as the crisp wrapper under my bed (old btw, just to clarify...). So make sure you keep on top of any threads that have been posted!
I suggest you make yourself team on every account. That way it looks less suspicious and people will think it's a few friends helping each other out!
Much better than a thread every 3 days asking how the weather is.
Oh, and the odd Viagra spam one you always seem to get. They're always fun.
Now, I bet you looked at that heading and thought I'd gone mad. I mean, who wants to do ratios outside of school right? YOU DO. Well, you might. I'm just guessing.
There are many sites which offer free traffic to your forum. This is the simplest method of generating traffic, which interests advertisers! Not that I would suggest advertising on a new board, I'll explain that next though. It's just good to get a head start now so it's not a manic rush when you get an active forum!
Some of these sites include:
- EasyHits4U
- TrafficSpammer
Don't worry, these aren't referral links. I've saved you from them this time 😉
I won't go in depth with these, if you start using them they become pretty clear what you have to do with them. But still, here goes!
EasyHits4U is incredibly powerful. I personally browse around 500 sites per day with this alone (bearing in mind the minimum per site is 15 seconds, maximum being 40 seconds. And I don't always click immediately when the timer has finished) and I reap the rewards dramatically.
I get exposure to my sites, affiliate links which make me cash and it's actually quite therapeutic! Stick some music on and get clicking. Best way to do it.
Now, TrafficSpammer is different. This is automated, so no input is required at all after you start surfing. Which means that people turn the page on, then leave the computer for hours on end and only turn it off when the computer is off. It's highly unlikely you will get any real interested people in this, but still it's traffic and it all adds up in the end!
Probably one of the biggest mistakes I've seen when people start a new forum is focus on the cash element. They think that by posting 1538393424663 ads on each page, they will become rich and proboards will forever be their best friend. This doesn't work amigos. Trust me.
Advertising on new boards drives people away. It makes the board look tacky unless they're placed correctly, and they rarely are. For example, the biggest SEO forum on the web (DP for those who are interested) has barely any ads. Not that they need them, the income they make is immense, but still. They only have ads mid thread, and sponsored ones in the header. That's it. Literally.
I've seen boards with ~100 posts and more ads that your eyes can focus on. They don't fit the colour scheme and dislodge vital parts of the board. So if you can relate to this, take them down. For me?
Of course I understand people need to make money to get by nowadays, so if you are going to advertise, do it right. Pick an advertiser you like, and stick with them. Make sure your keywords fit in with the site you're using them on, and you'll maximise your clicks because they relate to your content. Spam your boards with ads and you'll drive readers away.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So, I hope this has helped one or two of you guys! It's not 39 minutes till my birthday, and I could really do with a drink. So when I come back, I expect many, MANY hugs and kisses from you guys.
Regards!
I know I didn't when I first started up a forum, so I thought I'd share my ramblings in the hope that they help you!
1. Boards - Don't Get Too Excited!
The worst thing you can do when you're starting a forum (especially alone) is to add too many boards.
This is a monumental task to keep up, as forums can sometimes take many years to become active to a point where you could leave for a week and people would keep on posting.
Too many boards means a lot of extra work for you. Posting actively in each forum to generate traffic and discussions is time consuming to say the least, and writer's block will soon be an all too familiar occurrence!
So, what do you do when adding boards?
Well...
The way I did it from the start was to add Site related forums which I could post in daily with small updates (mainly to build post count more than anything). Generally I posted the slightest things, like changing a setting etc.
Next you may want to set up General Chat etc. All the generic one's most forums have and are relatively active from the start.
Then you move onto your specialist forums. If you have an active interest in a particular subject, make room for forums! If it means you can actively post in it to generate content and traffic, then you want to do it!
2. Social Bookmarking
This part is mainly for traffic and the odd loyal reader. I personally never saw an increase in my registration and post count when using this, but my analytics saw an increase in referrals from Digg and Reddit.
The best way to go about this, is to Bookmark everything lengthy.
Reddit only allows you to submit one link every ten minutes, so pick carefully! If you right a daily thread which is rich in content and keywords, submit that without question. Then move on to others.
For other sites like Google Bookmarks, Digg, StumbleUpon etc. submit everything! You never know who will come across them and be interested!
3. Dignity? Who Needs It!
That's right, I went there. I posted on my own forum under several different accounts daily to generate posts and discussions. Many posts like this will give a similar tip, and you may think "Well that's just silly, it looks obvious and not to mention boring!"... Well yeah it does, but that's not the point. An active board is an attractive board.
If you notice, boards that don't have constant updated content die very quickly. People aren't interested in a forum full of dead accounts and threads as old as the crisp wrapper under my bed (old btw, just to clarify...). So make sure you keep on top of any threads that have been posted!
I suggest you make yourself team on every account. That way it looks less suspicious and people will think it's a few friends helping each other out!
Much better than a thread every 3 days asking how the weather is.
Oh, and the odd Viagra spam one you always seem to get. They're always fun.
4. 1:1/2:1 Traffic Exchanges!
Now, I bet you looked at that heading and thought I'd gone mad. I mean, who wants to do ratios outside of school right? YOU DO. Well, you might. I'm just guessing.
There are many sites which offer free traffic to your forum. This is the simplest method of generating traffic, which interests advertisers! Not that I would suggest advertising on a new board, I'll explain that next though. It's just good to get a head start now so it's not a manic rush when you get an active forum!
Some of these sites include:
- EasyHits4U
- TrafficSpammer
Don't worry, these aren't referral links. I've saved you from them this time 😉
I won't go in depth with these, if you start using them they become pretty clear what you have to do with them. But still, here goes!
EasyHits4U is incredibly powerful. I personally browse around 500 sites per day with this alone (bearing in mind the minimum per site is 15 seconds, maximum being 40 seconds. And I don't always click immediately when the timer has finished) and I reap the rewards dramatically.
I get exposure to my sites, affiliate links which make me cash and it's actually quite therapeutic! Stick some music on and get clicking. Best way to do it.
Now, TrafficSpammer is different. This is automated, so no input is required at all after you start surfing. Which means that people turn the page on, then leave the computer for hours on end and only turn it off when the computer is off. It's highly unlikely you will get any real interested people in this, but still it's traffic and it all adds up in the end!
5. Last but not least - Advertising.
Probably one of the biggest mistakes I've seen when people start a new forum is focus on the cash element. They think that by posting 1538393424663 ads on each page, they will become rich and proboards will forever be their best friend. This doesn't work amigos. Trust me.
Advertising on new boards drives people away. It makes the board look tacky unless they're placed correctly, and they rarely are. For example, the biggest SEO forum on the web (DP for those who are interested) has barely any ads. Not that they need them, the income they make is immense, but still. They only have ads mid thread, and sponsored ones in the header. That's it. Literally.
I've seen boards with ~100 posts and more ads that your eyes can focus on. They don't fit the colour scheme and dislodge vital parts of the board. So if you can relate to this, take them down. For me?
Of course I understand people need to make money to get by nowadays, so if you are going to advertise, do it right. Pick an advertiser you like, and stick with them. Make sure your keywords fit in with the site you're using them on, and you'll maximise your clicks because they relate to your content. Spam your boards with ads and you'll drive readers away.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So, I hope this has helped one or two of you guys! It's not 39 minutes till my birthday, and I could really do with a drink. So when I come back, I expect many, MANY hugs and kisses from you guys.
Regards!
