11 Ways To Increase Forums Activities
Getting people to post in your forum is probably the hardest thing to do. First, not all of your readers will post messages. In fact, only a small percentage will post regularly, and most will never post at all. Second, nobody want to be the first person to post a message. In fact, topic starters (people that start new topic of discussion) will be a small percentage of your posters; the rest will simply reply to topics that have been started.
In order to get the forum to a point where it is self-sustaining, you will have to do a lot of work. Here are some tips that you can use to get your forum rolling:
If nobody will start a post, start it yourself
Register yourself as several members (you with multiple identities) and talk to yourself. (Note that this will not work in forum with logged IP). This will create enough "seed" posts to get people to read and perhaps add replies of their own.
Find topics that interest people
If you get a mental block and cannot find anything interesting to talk to yourself about, then go to other web sites and see what people in those communities are talking about in their forums. You can also look at usenet newsgroups. Digest these ideas and regurgitate them using your various identities.
Advertise your forums relentlessly
Make sure your forum is accessible from every page of your site, particularly the index page. Make the link highly visible, or outright talk about it on the home page. Add a link to your web site and forum as part of your email, usenet and forum signature. Frequent other forums and mention your site and forum from time to time (be careful to comply to their rules and not to spam).
Use your forums to support your web site
You can ask your visitors "What do you think about this article?" (or tool, tutorial, etc.) and ask them to post their comments in the forums. Additionally, use it as part of your customer support program. For instance, I use our web site forums to support our free PHP scripts.
Use your forums to annouce new changes to your site
This is a great way to make announcement because people can write their thoughts about the new feature (or article) you've just added.
Find allies
There are many webmasters that have the exact same delimas as yours. Look for sites with empty or low traffic forums and email these webmasters. Offers to join their forums and post a few messages, then ask them if they can return you the same favor. If they want to know why you are bothering them, ask them to read this article.
Barter
Even if they don't have a forum, offer to write about their web site or add a link to their site in exchange for some posts.
Recruit moderators
As your member population grows, find a few good posters (the ones that post high-quality messages and replies) and ask them if they want to help you moderate the forum. Give them more rights than other users so that they can edit and/or delete other people posts at their descretion. They will help you keep the forum in order, make sure all the rules are followed and help you answers questions. Many people are happy to take on this challenge.
Do email follow up with your members
Send email to members that registered, but have not returned in a long time. Tell them what has change since their last visit and why it may be worthwhile for them to return to your site. Try to do this about once every quarter, but do not do this more than once a month. Be sure to respect their rights by including appropriate unsubscribe information and take their name off the mailing list at their request.
Offer incentives
Some forums like this one offers incentives for forum members to make posts. For instance, we offers free advertising in exchange for posts.
Hire a Professional
This would be my last option, but it may work for you. There are professional message posters out there that will participate in your forums by starting threads and posting replies. This is a good solution if you are really stuck and need someone else to help you get the forums going.
Some other things to keep in mind is that you should start your forums small with perhaps 3-4 categories, then slowly expand and create more categories. This way, the forums does not look so empty. Additionally, some forums software has polling features. Use these to your advantage. Controversial polls and topics can create flurries of activity.
Pinyo Bhulipongsanon is the owner of GreatNexus.com Webmaster Resources offering visitors with features such as webmaster forums, webmaster directory, webmaster dictionary, programming scripts, and webmaster articles.
Latest News
UWGB chancellor search forums start Friday Green Bay Press Gazette, WI - The forums start Friday with local candidate Tom Olson, followed Monday by Michael Renner of Mansfield University in Mansfield, Pa. Thomas Harden of Clayton ... University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Sweeps Valparaiso UWGB study looks at boosting Green Bay port's freight capacity |
Webcasting Plays Key Role in Chancellor Interviews at University ... MarketWatch - He and the other four finalists for Chancellor participated in two days of campus interviews, including two public forums. The campus community was ... Webcasting Plays Key Role in Chancellor Interviews at University ... |
Ritter launches small-business survival forums Denver Post, CO - Bill Ritter's office said today that his administration is organizing a series of six "small-business-finance forums" across the state that will begin next ... Surviving the downturn in Colorado |
Small business survival meetings set Bizjournals.com, NC - 16 forum in Denver, Gov. Bill Ritter said Thursday. The free Small Business Finance Forums, sponsored by state and federal agencies, and financial trade ... Asia trip creates foundation for business operations |
Forums set in Hunterdon County for homeowners concerned about wood ... Scarlet Scuttlebutt, NJ - By WALTER O'BRIEN • Staff Writer • December 4, 2008 HUNTERDON COUNTY —A state legislator has announced two forums for homeowners concerned about the safety ... |
Board finishes up budget forums Ypsilanti Courier, MI - By Tom Perkins , Special Writer The Ypsilanti Public School District Board held the second of two public forums on the financial issues facing the district. ... |
State Senate Democrats Launch Statewide Budget Listening Tour NewsLI, NY - (New York, NY) With New York State facing the biggest budget crisis in a generation, State Senate Democrats will convene a series of local forums around the ... |
Express Yourself! Forums Gwinnett Gazette, GA - Join the Send-Off for Grayson Rams! - 2008/12/04 12:06 The Grayson Cheerleaders are trying to line Georgia 20 with cheering Grayson fans on Friday as the ... |
Wallkill School District plans community forums Times Herald-Record, NY - HAMLET OF WALLKILL — The Wallkill School District will hold two community forums in December to share the district's vision and mission with the community ... School Board Finalizes Bond, Focuses on Library Issues |
Indianapolis Lands Influential National Medical Technology ... MarketWatch - To celebrate the organization's new headquarters location, the group is holding one of their three yearly forums in Indianapolis next Monday and Tuesday, ... Indiana Scores National Influence With Medical Tech Think Tank Move |
Resources
-
Our Ultimate Reality. Spiritual Evolution, Astral Projection, OBE, Out of Body Experiences and Astra
Information and Forums for Astral Projection, Astral Travel, OBE, Out of Body Experiences,Spiritual Evolution, The Afterlife and much more
-
Forum Fortunes - Make a living with online Forums
Did You Know That You Can Make A Living Using Online Forums? Forum Fortunes Helps Make YOU A Resident Expert By Automating Your Forum Message Posting AND Replies, And That Means More Income For You!
-
Did You Know That You Can
Get Paid For Your Opinion. Make money from home. Extensive database for paid surveys, paid Forums and more online.
-
Money4OnlineSurveys.com - Get Paid to Shop, Eat and Take Surveys!
Get paid up to $125 hr. to fill out online surveys, participate in online Forums. Get paid to eat and. Earn 60% as an affiliate.
-
The Original - How to Make & Market Gel Candles That Sell LIke Wildfire!
how to make, market and sell gel candles. the original gel candle resource for gel candle how to information, news, supplies, Forums, photos, assistance and other resources.
-
Poker Affiliate Program - PokerAffiliateWorld.com-
Poker Affiliate World is a resource for poker affiliates regarding poker affiliate programs and features an active poker affiliate forum. Learn to make money promoting online poker from professional poker webmasters who have succeeded.