How to build a popular forum these days?

Just to keep my skills sharp, I tried starting a forum from scratch a few months ago. BUT, instead of relying on user content, I purchased (for a low price) a abandoned blog and added a XF forum to it. The idea is that the forum will act as continuation of the articles I post. It will also allow user contributions.

This way, it can't fail. If it doesn't reach critical mass, it will still act as a place for me and others to post stuff expanding on the blog articles.

I did some blogging about exactly what I did to get the readership going. It was/is a low budget affair, but I'm pleased to report that after only a few months it will not more than pay for itself. This despite not really trying to monetize it yet.

In a year or so I'll be offering it up to Peter or others who want to buy and develop!
:)

Anyhow, here is the series so far on the development....this stuff may help newbies, but not much in it for the experienced web folks....
http://www.craigsfire.com/starting-a-successful-web-site-series/

Bottom line - it's still possible today to start a profitable and useful blog or forum. But you have to do things right....or at least most of them!
 
Crazyfruitbat said:
Recently I found this to be the more deciding factor. You can sometime make a lot of content and keep pushing it out there but if the users aren't wanting to make content of their own it gets a very frustrating experience.
Click to expand...

Another term for this is Critical Mass. So the question is why do some forums never reach critical mass? Here are a few possible reasons:

1) The forum subject matter is too broad. For example don't start a forum like www.CarsAndMotorcycles.com.
2) Lack of original quality content. Sure you will seed some content found on other websites, but it's important to create you own quality content as well.
3) Lack of advertising beyond using the Internet. For example the best way to get members is to ask them in person to check out your forum. Provide a card with the URL.
 
AndyB said:
Another term for this is Critical Mass. So the question is why do some forums never reach critical mass? Here are a few possible reasons:

1) The forum subject matter is too broad. For example don't start a forum like www.CarsAndMotorcycles.com.
2) Lack of original quality content. Sure you will seed some content found on other websites, but it's important to create you own quality content as well.
3) Lack of advertising beyond using the Internet. For example the best way to get members is to ask them in person to check out your forum. Provide a card with the URL.
Click to expand...

Totally agree.
I made my site as a request from a few friends, but it's hardly unique so I think that's why I have zero traction. There are a lot more bigger sites doing the same thing, but the majority of the owners of those sites pretty much do it full time. But I've noticed that unless I'm posting on my sites and plugging away at it constantly it won't move. I went away on holiday for a week and not a single thread was made, I wish the users I do have would be a bit more proactive, but hey, as I said I can't expect miracles if I can't always put 100% of my time into it.
 
I think in most cases it will click, if the forum is about something the forum owner and users love to discuss about. Especially because most of the early topics will be initiated by the admin and a small group of invited friends. Second, the user needs to be convinced he / she is going to benefit from the community. The reward may be answers to questions, virtual money / trophies, contests etc. I wouldn't want to join a community just for the sake of it. I would be looking forward to getting something out of it. Third, organizing a great team of volunteers / moderators can help you sustain its growth. Just my experience. When all this is done, great content will also follow with good user participation.
 
This is a old thread, last reply in 2013! I purchased 230 plr articles about my niche and posted them to the forum. Is this a good idea? The articles are very well written and giving lots of advice, in every forum I have 20-30 small 200-300 word articles, lots of content to read, but no members and no replies. I've been doing some SEO and am going to start advertising a bit. Hope it takes off.
 
floptuf said:
This is a old thread, last reply in 2013! I purchased 230 plr articles about my niche and posted them to the forum. Is this a good idea? The articles are very well written and giving lots of advice, in every forum I have 20-30 small 200-300 word articles, lots of content to read, but no members and no replies. I've been doing some SEO and am going to start advertising a bit. Hope it takes off.
Click to expand...
What are plr articles?
 
I think that for most people, it's a mistake to start a new forum today. There's too much work and cost involved for the potential payoff received (monetary or otherwise), and forums as a category are in decline. I believe the decline is due to several factors: (1) people are using mobile technology much more today, and mobile tech is not conducive to typing the long responses that are the lifeblood of forums (if I were using my phone right now, I would not be replying to this thread), (2) Quora, Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo Answers, and myriad other sites compete with forums and/or provide the answers and community that people seek, and some of these sites make it simple for people to start their own "groups," which compete with forums, and (3) there are already established forums on most topics.

I suggest that if you dispassionately weigh the pros and cons of forum ownership and administration, there are many more lucrative and creatively fulfilling things to do with one's life and time today. I also submit that there are many expenses involved in running a forum properly--for example, legal fees, expenses related to setting up and maintaining an LLC or other entity to protect yourself--that most newbie forum owners never consider up front. The once-easy revenue streams from Adsense or other revenue vehicles have also slowed markedly.

I would personally be interested in seeing a thread with the topic "What unforeseen expenses did you encounter in creating/running your forum." This could provide a much-needed additional dose of reality to those considering starting a forum.
 
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I agree, so far there hasn't been any unexpected expenses. But they will come, I'm lucky to have a couple Facebook pages in a unique niche with debate topics, but ya all the big players have all the market, like bitcoin talk, digital point, 2p2. I gotta ask myself, why would I sign up to a empty forum if there's one with thousands of information on it?
 
Plr articles are not recommended, I have learned that unique content is the only way to go, for five years I tried to create websites using plr articles, and failed. I then started a unique news website, and since 4 weeks ago when I launched I've earned $2700, because it's unique and people find the content worth sharing. Also plr article with copy and paste will not rank very well on search engines.
 
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