Need Help! I've done everything I could!

[Aryan]

Alright, I started this forum http://www.gamingzion.net less than a year ago (when we moved from GamersRegion). Since then, we've changed our focus several times, and I've even bought a completely custom theme for it. We were doing good before Christmas, but in the past few months the community had been awfully inactive. Me, 2 of my friends and a couple of staff are the only people who log on every day, and even we don't have anything to talk about. The worst thing is that my google analytics reports are showing steep downhill lines. We had around 100 daily uniques in November 2009, and we're having 10 daily uniques now. 🙁

What should I do? I don't want to lose this forum. Some of the staff members say that we need to focus on something and general gaming is too boring.

 

[StripesAndFins]

Well there are a lot of general gaming forums out there, you just need to make yours unique from the rest. Have you tried adding an arcade to the forum? that might help.

 

[chattaboxforums]

Its bloody hard work! i'm having trouble with mine at the moment, even the £500 referral competition isnt working

 

[Aryan]

Yeah, I have an arcade with over 150 games.

Any suggestions for a good focus?

 

[Raptor]

Try out active exchanges .

 

[Aryan]

Until when? I can't keep my forum alive with exchanges forever. I need to find a way to get active members. 🙁

We're going to move to a better server in hostgator next month, which means way faster load time. Will that help?

 

[Mikey]

Where are you promoting it? Promote it here, look for staff, take advantage of the posting packages offered as well as the ad services etc. Also, try out google adwords, and advertise on other gaming sites which display google ads.

 

[xwadigg]

Your website is pretty good man.
You need to take advantage of Social Network Sites.
Preferably Youtube. Doing some video reviews for games would probably help you all get views

 

[Raptor]

Changing server might help if your board is active due to slowness . But in general if your board is inactive , changing hosts wouldn't help I guess .
Try out social networking sites and whenever you get the chance tell your friends and all those you meet in the net about your forum . In simple words , advertise it to the fullest .

 

[Justin]

Your website is pretty good man.
You need to take advantage of Social Network Sites.
Preferably Youtube. Doing some video reviews for games would probably help you all get views

Bam! That was great advice 🙂

 

[fantanoice]

How about actually posting there? I tried for a month to finish the post package you requested for me and every time I went there was about one new post.

It's not hard to make at least a new topic everyday, or at least every other day.

 

[David]

How about actually posting there? I tried for a month to finish the post package you requested for me and every time I went there was about one new post.

It's not hard to make at least a new topic everyday, or at least every other day.

^This.

People aren't just going to sign up and make a topic out of the blue. You have to make topics and get people to post, and when people see that they can relate that topic to another, they will then make a new topic.

 

[Aryan]

Thank you for all your suggestions! 🙂

Well, we had a reviewing department a while ago. They made around 25 unique reviews, but nobody read them.

I know, even the staff aren't active. Sorry for that fantanoice. I think I should do some huge post exchanges simultaneously to bring some activity.

We're planning to focus on something else, like a popular freeware game. Do you think that's a good idea?

 

[Midnight]

dude, compared to most websites/ forums on here. you are doing pretty well for yourself 😉

 

[Lee Lawson]

Meh Advice: Atleast post three to ten times a day, also that goes for your team. Get a team to promote around to and get them to give examples of what they have promoted, perhaps two or four competitions running at the same time, with all good give-aways, try registering on other gaming forums and grabbing there affiliate and them grabbing yours, try adding more gaming boards to discuss especially gaming. I personally think you need new forum icons which I would happily create, just PM.

But if you re-furbish the team and add gaming boards and get ten pre-posts in them you'll be on a roll.

 

[Aryan]

Nice advice. Thanks! 🙂

We're discussing the issue in our staff room right now. A few people have suggested to focus on "Board Games" like Chess, Monopoly and these stuff. I don't know if it's a good idea really.

 

[Lee Lawson]

Your board is based on gaming, so why not focus it on the world of gaming, anything that revolves around gaming, board games, to PC games and to console games, to mobile games. I would love to work beside you to build a strong community but the issue with me I don't do gaming.

 

[Aryan]

We've been focusing on General Gaming for ages on different forums, but we never became popular, and we wont be, as long as people have Gamespot, IGN, 1UP and these sites. That's why we need another focus.

We're also planning to make a strong GFX community along with Gaming, so we're looking for interested graphics designers.

 

[Lee Lawson]

I am a graphic designer although I am not as far good as the other designers. Try mending the forum into different categories, as were you have the bar at the top Gaming & Community. Try doing it like this as this may work for the best:
Main & General Discussion>>Gaming Brands & Console Discussion>>Gaming Frontline(include reviews, newer games, elderly games, members games, PC games)>>Misc(include board games, gaming equiptment, RP games)
The best way that I would work your forum.

 

[Midnight]

We've been focusing on General Gaming for ages on different forums, but we never became popular, and we wont be, as long as people have Gamespot, IGN, 1UP and these sites. That's why we need another focus.

We're also planning to make a strong GFX community along with Gaming, so we're looking for interested graphics designers.

Get some strong professional staff behind you!