What is the most challenging thing about being a forum owner?

[Shawn Gossman]

In your opinion, based on your experience, what are your top 3 most challenging aspects of being a forum owner?

What do you need help with or are confused about or struggle with the most?

 

[zappaDPJ]

1. Switching platforms on an established forum.
2. Attempting to remain on the same platform when the developer has a major change of direction.
3. Challenging the forum member's majority view when you know it's the right thing to do.

 

[Katrina]

1. anything on the back end
2. getting members to join, stay and be active
3. convincing existing members to create threads

 

[Page]

1. Understanding what you are dealing with, from backend to frontend. Having knowledge helps in a big way.
2. Active members, trying to keep members on is not easy they come and go.
3. Keeping add-ons workable, the developers tend to end their support on those products that you want XD
4. As an owner/staff is finding the time to be there yourself.
5. The cost of the forum/server, Yep can cost so much money with IPB.

 

[Ravenfreak]

1. Getting members to join and be active is the biggest one for me and probably lots of us here. It can be hard competing against social media, reddit, and discord.
2. The cost of a forum can be pretty steep, depending on the software you use and hosting you picked. Not only that, but there may be some themes and add ons you want to purchase to help your community thrive.
3. Coming up with new posts can be a struggle at times. Depending on the niche of the forum, it might come with ease but there may come a time where you just get burnt out.

 

[Page]

3. Coming up with new posts can be a struggle at times. Depending on the niche of the forum, it might come with ease but there may come a time where you just get burnt out.

WIth gaming related, as soon as there are or a new game release, that's like 20 topics right there 😛

 

[Nomad]

The most challenging things about being a forum owner are...
1. Bringing members
2. encouraging members to create content
3. Encouraging members to stay active

 

[Deleted member 17779]

Getting members to join and then stay active once they've joined. That seems to be the hardest part, at least for me.

 

[Ash]

The advertising aspect for me. I do not like it but it's something we have to do I guess

 

[Shortie_]

Over the years that I have owned a forum, even now I still have things that I am unsure of and I find challenging. Things like working on some things on the back end I still need help with, whilst I know quite a bit about working on the back end I do sometimes struggle, and especially now taking such a break from forum owning like I was doing, some things have slipped my memory as well so needing help to refresh my memory is always good.

Keeping activity flowing when the forum is still new, as much as I know methods that can help with activity, sometimes keeping it going is something I struggle with but I am learning more and more about that.

Promotion is also something I know a little bit about but I am still working on the social media marketing side of promotion and I do sometimes find that challenging.

 

[Cory]

Keeping a consistent flow of activity and interest seems to be a big challenge, for me at least. We're in the days of social media, where most people have flocked to. It's hard to find a group of people that are most interested in keeping up with the activity and doings of a forum.