Hello,I haven't been using forums for very long but I am finding linking from my blog is helping to get my main forum started. Blogs are easier to look at IMO for the average net surfer so I like to use an interesting image with an informative article/post on my blog then link it to the forum to a ready made thread on the same subject. This draws the reader in through the blog and then directs them straight to the forum where those who aren't to savvy with forum software can land right on what they are interested in and then hopefully become engaged in the conversation and sign up. My analytical data shows this is working.
I've also started using a portal (Extra Portal) as a home page to help draw people into the discussion areas - no hard evidence this works but it can't hurt.
As stated above, Twitter seems to bring in short bursts of good activity for me sometimes same for fb.
I've ran two competitions so far using Competitions by Chris Deeming to help generate some interest and that's been OK ( I wish I could set some more parameters though to encourage/force more activity before comp entry).
Asking questions on your own forum has generated the odd sign up for me as people do like to help so they come across an unanswered question and sign up to reply if they can answer it.
Paid advertising to promote my own forum is not something I'm a fan of and I'd rather put money into improving the forum, writing content myself (like a review on a new product I purchased), or a prize for a member contributing.
At the beginning, I asked friends and family (and wife) to sign up and get involved and this gave me some instant activity which did taper off rather quickly but it did take my forum from a blank canvass and me talking to myself to looking a little busier
Hi Robby,Hello,
How did you instaal the sidebar on your site for extra portal?
Through widget framework?
If yes, witch frase should i use forum_home?
Its About relationships so adsense is a no go.What's your forum theme?
I get a lot of traffic through Facebook..
Thank you very much, gonna try this now.Hi Robby,
yes mate I use Widget Framework and "simpleportal_index" for the phrase.
My home page is the portal but I've left my index page to forums/ (so my landing page is still my forums)
Cheers, Mark
I get a lot of traffic through Facebook..
Just posting stupid pictures and plugging my forum URL with motivational texts. Again, depends on your forum's niche.How?
Just posting stupid pictures and plugging my forum URL with motivational texts. Again, depends on your forum's niche.
Create some good content (ie. articles) that people are interested in.We all know forumbuilding is not easy.
Here is a great article that was posted today about creating a sustainable source of new members.
http://www.feverbee.com/2014/01/new-members.html
I highly recommend all the articles on feverbee.com those guys really GET IT, they understand forum owners really well.
Thank you. I enjoyed your blog articles.I wrote a five-part series, much of which suggests ways to get traffic and buzz going....all depends on the subject, of course, but most will get something out of this series.
http://www.craigsfire.com/starting-a-successful-web-site-series/
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