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I was wondering if anyone is using something other than mysite.com/forums or mysite.com/community to name their website?
Anyone use a different term other than forums or community?
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Rubber Jesus
Member
I use /social.
That being said I think I could call it /free-credit-card-numbers and I'd still have an empty forum.
That being said I think I could call it /free-credit-card-numbers and I'd still have an empty forum.
AndyB
Well-known member
I think the best option is to not use sub-directory, instead put the forum in the web root.
Cause people actually don't...
I think you're wrong. People who enjoy forums know what they are. Calling it "social" just puts you into compeition with Facebook or TikTok and you lose that fight.
I think you need to define what you think "people" means. Cause I would define "people" as "the average person", not "forum administrators from the 90s and 2000s". So, no, people do not know what the term means, at least not with respect to a "social platform" of any kind.
FTL
Well-known member
My forum sits at the top level of my site as it consists only of the forum. If I had some other site there with the forum behind it, it would have been at nerdzone.uk/forums.
I think "Community" is okay as a second choice but if we are talking about starting a new forum I would advise anyone to keep it as simple and clear as possible to inform those who might want to join exactly what you are.
By the way, using a subdomain also works, e.g., forum.domain.com or forums.domain.com.
By the way, using a subdomain also works, e.g., forum.domain.com or forums.domain.com.
AgreedSuit yourself. There are none so blind as will not see. Have a good night.
I have my own proverb: if a chicken crosses the other cheek to get into a glass kitchen he won't smell what the rock is cooking. Your response is just so quintessential to the entire idea of lagging behind. "I'm right, you are wrong, but why won't anyone visit my dead forum" lol
Im not saying /forums is wrong, but the term is not commonly understood. The overwhelming majority of people will not click on a forum these days, all other variables constant. But using links, titles, landing pages etc with terms like community and social, people will understand.
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StarArmy
Well-known member
I used to have a main site, a forum, and a wiki, but now my root redirects to my forum. The forum lives at /roleplay-forum and the wiki is at /wiki
There was once a /forum and a /roleplay but those were other forum softwares, which briefly ran concurrently as we were transitioning, and that was many years ago.
There was once a /forum and a /roleplay but those were other forum softwares, which briefly ran concurrently as we were transitioning, and that was many years ago.
Mendalla
Well-known member
Sorry, got to disagree. Social media is actually changing the language around this stuff. I am on a site that is a "Community" and has "Spaces" instead of "forums" even though "Site" and "forums" would apply equally well if they had gone with XF or something instead of Circle. And many of the members have no other forum experience, just social media, so that's the language they know. Not sure I would change the language on my site at this point since the members know it, but I get why some might consider it given that reality. Perhaps if I ever spin up another site, it's something I would look at.
Depends. I have mine in root but if it is part of a larger website with other parts besides the forums, then you might have to put it in a sub.
FTL
Well-known member
The irony of the whole thing is that "social media" and "forums" are actually the same thing. Sites like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter simply have a different structure, that's all - and are much more popular, unfortunately. A forum like this one is simply one type of social media, which is the generic term for this kind of online interaction.
Therefore, this thread is social media as much as any of those.
Therefore, this thread is social media as much as any of those.
Mendalla
Well-known member
Yeah, I vaguely alluded to that in my post talking about the terms used were interchangeable. To my mind, forums are just an early form of social media and still the one I prefer. Arguably, you could go back to BBSes and Usenet as the first social media. However, they were even more "geek-centric" than forums.
ForumFan
Well-known member
Agreed
Your response is just so quintessential to the entire idea of lagging behind. "I'm right, you are wrong, but why won't anyone visit my dead forum" lol
Im not saying /forums is wrong, but the term is not commonly understood. The overwhelming majority of people will not click on a forum these days, all other variables constant. But using links, titles, landing pages etc with terms like community and social, people will understand.
What really matters is how you're driving traffic to your site, not the name of the folder. Though, I agree that "forum" is still the common vernacular for..... you know.... forums. Go figure. If someone is searching Google for a ______ forum, they aren't likely using "community" or "social" as keywords. They're likely searching for a "_______ forum."
In fact, when I look up the search queries (keywords listed on Google's Search Console) used to find my site in Google, "forum" shows up. But, "community," "site," or "social" literally don't make an appearance on the list. Must not be "average" people using Google. Ha!
But, there's your proof. The FACT is that virtually nobody is using "community" as a search term to find an online special interest group. But, they ARE using "forum."
In any case, there are many other things that factor into attracting traffic that render the name of the sub-folder effectively moot.
FTL
Well-known member
Good point about BBSs and Usenet. The method of interaction there was so primitive that I never bothered with it at the time, this is sooo much better.
One of my friends still has his old 1990s computer (Acorn RiscPC) with the BBS on it, too. It boots up just fine, although it's of course, no longer online. You should hear the really loud chugging sounds from the SCSI drive in it as it boots - glorious!
And if you wanna go full nerd and then some, my forum is the place to be!
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