Forum Moderators: phranque
do you fake a bunch of names and make some artificial posts to get it going, or do you just leave it and see what happens?
Sure, it will probably be a little slow at first, but it will eventually pick up.
I just suggest creating interesting categories and descriptions that make them want to register and post.
And you can ask some real questions, or get some posts started up on your own as the admin.
Some things I've done are
1) Initially start a couple of '-est' topics - like 'What's the best WIDGET', or 'What's the stupidest thing you've ever done with a WIDGET'. These are topics that everyone can contribute to, and on my forums they are easily the longest threads. I find that new members often post to these, which causes a round of emails to be sent out to previous contributors, which means they visit and . . .
2) Keep the number of subjects small at first so they don't look empty. I initially had a 'culture, society and history' areas - once that got up to about 30 posts, I split it into three distinct areas. That way, I avoided having three empty holes on the page at first.
3) Ownership of forums. I often get asked by users 'Can we have a forum about XXXX'. I usually agree, but ask them to make sure it stays reasonably active - answer any queries that haven't been answered by anyone else after 24 hours, start a couple of new topics if things are quiet, etc - not give them moderator status, but give them a bit of responsibility for the success of that particular part of the site. It usually work. If it dies, simply close it and merge it with another section.
Roddy
I certainly understand about the anarchy. That is the reason I am creating a board instead of refering my visitors to an already established one which has completely lost focus and in my opinion has become a 'bad' board and leads to abuse of any member that stumbles on to a topic where another member wants to be the expert. (And no moderators either)
I have arranged my few begining topics so that it would be much more dificult for the same problems to show up on my forum. Basically making it tough for any abusive people to find a soap box by making my topics more directed toward the members rather than the topic.
That's a good idea about baiting the forum with questions. I already created guidelines in topics that would need any clarification. I was also prepared to respond under a regular user account rather than the Admin account if needed to keep people comming back.
I am just worried that getting that first few people to join and post will be dificult if there are no other posts.
Roddy
I also established the mood of the forum as loose and for the more mature in our often times teen dominated catagory.
It's all about finding a few good people and creating a consistant identity. It will grow from there.
I think that really jump started it.
The mentality is a critical mass one, people won't post if they don't think anyone else is reading.
A few tips:
- Post news items, links to news and ask questions in the post like (What did you think). The first people to post will be ones with opinions.
- Make sure users know that the forums is up and running. Put in the nav, in the login, in the news.
- Put some content in the forum and link to it from the homepage. Make users go to the forum to read it.
- Make it REALLY easy for people to sign up and post. The more barriers you have the longer it will take.
BZ
Maybe a giveaway of a free e-mail address for the first 25-50 who register for the forum? Then all of their e-mails are like free advertizing for *@domain.com
I don't know about the rest of you, but I always check out domains from people that send e-mails. I'll just have to be on the lookout for spammers.
The book idea is good too, I'll have to see if I can find an affordable book. :) Maybe I could do a magazine in stead, I'm sure there is an affiliate program that will give away magazines in hopes that people will subscribe.
Time to go hunt for goodies... funny that it's just before Halloween! :D
1. Have content on your site that people want to talk about. That's what they'll use your forum for first (foo-style forums come later - we didn't have one for the first 8 months, now it's very popular. People meet and want to talk about other nonsense...... or have word games ;-) ).
2. Post a lot yourself, and be a high content high value poster. Don't reply to threads that you can't write the gospel on. People will at least come back to talk to *you* in the beginning.
3. Appoint a couple of admins early on - you'll be thankful for them when things get busy. The types that make good admins will be obvious to you (and also never ask to be one - you'll have to twist their arm).
4. Don't fake posts - it's really obvious.
5. Create something special for a members only forum. It encourages people to sign up.
6. Once you've got past 300 members you're home and dry. Among that number, you will have a handful who really know what they're talking about. You'll become the site of choice if people want the authority answers. Until that time, you have quite a bit of work to do.
TJ
whoever said they were finished with their site was just giving up. I don't think I've ever been 'done' with a site.
at least the forum will be a fun 'constant content' type thing for visitors. I was thinking of leaving the forum open, but I usually don't like to post in forums that have a bunch of 'guests' posting. For some reason I have more dificulty believing it is real people if they all post under the name 'guest'.
although I'll probably give the guest thing a try when I first open up the forum.
although I'll probably give the guest thing a try when I first open up the forum.
This is why we did a members only section (no money or anything to join, you just have to join for free).
People's own curiousity makes them join up this way, then they tend to use their account rather than post as a guest.
You can also make it so that guests can view but can't post (like this forum in fact).
I know what you mean about guest posts - I've always taken a view on free to post forums that if you have nothing to say that you would put your name to, then don't post.
Thankfully, we still allow guests to post and we only get the odd once-in-a-blue-moon idiot.
TJ
