Opening an empty forum

[22_22]

Has anyone seen people opening an empty forum? (0 posts or only a couple?)

I don't see the point. At least make some topics before you are going to open. :lol:

They must think a magical user will create the topics for them. :rofl:

I personally always avoid opening a forum with no posts. I always fill it up with some topics and reply to them later on.

 

[AnAccount]

I for one am guilty of this. I have done this in the past, and I personally think that it is not a good idea. It doesn't give anyone anything to do. But this time around I think we have done well.

 

[cityStatic]

I hate forums that do that. I at least try to fill them, and then have someone do a post exchange with me. I did it once with an old forum of mine, and results were not pretty. 🙁

 

[Fullmoon]

I can never understand people that do this. I mean your not going to gain any members if they see an empty forum.

 

[Bejay]

I really hate forums like this. I mean, content is one part in a user joining. Would you rather join a forum with 50+ posts or 0-2? I think at least get over 50 before advertising the forum.

 

[Fullmoon]

Or just 1 or 2 topics in each section. That would be enough for me.

 

[CyberFreak]

A good idea is to get some friends to post a few topics or replies just to get a few posts on the board and make it look like there is some activity.

A forum with all zeros everywhere will turn away most people.

 

[Bejay]

Also I think requesting a few post exchanges before the forum opens is good. I have done this with my new forum and it now has 500 posts and it isn't even opened yet. 😛 Perhaps a few active exchanges so you have a couple of active users when the forum opens.

 

[AnAccount]

I really hate forums like this. I mean, content is one part in a user joining. Would you rather join a forum with 50+ posts or 0-2? I think at least get over 50 before advertising the forum.

Well, maybe not 50+ posts, Zak. I would say a couple maybe three topics in each section (minus announcements) would be good.

Also I think requesting a few post exchanges before the forum opens is good. I have done this with my new forum and it now has 500 posts and it isn't even opened yet. 😛 Perhaps a few active exchanges so you have a couple of active users when the forum opens.

You know, someone suggested this to me once before, and while I don't always like the sound of it, at the same time it would look better on future reviews than just getting a comment saying that only staff were posting.

 

[shamzblueworld]

I think you need to post some topics atleast to give users some idea of what the forum is about.

 

[Acorn]

Zeros are the ugliest thing a newcomer to your board can see! ^_^ So don't let them see the dreaded zero! Fill it up even if with just a post or two, something so they can have something to respond to. It helps to have fewer boards when you start, for this reason. An analogy is sticking all your members together in a single room as opposed to scattered throughout a large building. You'll get much more conversation in that one room! Later on as it grows you can add more boards.

People will click the back button and move on if they just see zeroes all over the place because if they join someone else's board they don't want to do all the work! They want to join in conversations and a community that's already there.

 

[David]

Doing a few post exchanges before officially mentioning it to a community is the best thing. That way, it will appear you have something going, and so people might incline into joining.

 

[Nebulous]

Its a big no no.. Never advertise a completely empty forum. I dont care if you have to make a dummy account and talk to yourself.. Its better than seeing a bunch of zero's.
:lol: