Not enough new members

[RichardGaspa]

I have a problem and hope I describe the problem so any readers understand what I am trying to ask. The name of my site is Veterans Briefing.com and the content is 100% veteran and military related. I feel I am not getting as many new users to the site as I should be each month. The new users and guess that I do get seem to hang around and post actively once they arrive, but again I feel I should be getting more new users than I actually do.

Is there a place in XenForo that I can add keywords such as, veteran news, military, VA, veterans affairs, etc that search engines would pick up to help my SEO and gain more members? I am in no way knowledgeable, of code, html, ect so PLEASE, if you have an answer for me, make it simple.

 

[rafass]

Hello Richard, try with Xentag

 

[MQK8]

I wondered the same thing Richard, that's what's so powerful about Word Press. I wish there was a place we could list keywords related to the forum.

 

[Digital Doctor]

I would think there are a fair number of veteran forums ... many of which can outspend you in advertising.
I don't think gaining members will come easy.
Your best bet is to create content that will be of interest to veterans.

FYI I liked this section of your site.

How did you get those images and links to the forum over there ? Manual edits ?

 

[rafass]

Maybe is this addon: https://xenforo.com/community/resources/header-thumbs.3042/
by AndyB

 

[KenBrace]

How many new registrations do you get each month and why do you consider that to not be enough?

PS: You might try finding a facebook group for veterans or something. Make interesting posts in the group while also mentioning your site every now and then.

 

[MURay]

Many sites can start slowly. How long has yours been active? Best advice from me, keep your content fresh, stay active and engaging, appointing some good Moderators can really help, keep patient, and consider what others have posted in this thread!!

Best of Luck with the venture. As the old saying goes, "If you build it.....they will come!!"

I did visit your site and a couple of things to consider as well. You could narrow the width of the forum to open up some blank space on both the right and left sides. What this allows is to give you the opportunity to place a relevant background that catches the eye of visitors plus it makes people focus into the middle of the page and getting more info at one time. I personally am not keen on looking back and forth across the page on any site. Another thing is maybe make the logo in the header bigger and more eye catching. Just my 2 cents!!!

 

[KenBrace]

You could narrow the width of the forum to open up some blank space on both the right and left sides.

I second this. A more narrow layout would look better in my opinion. It's hard to focus on the whole page when it's so stretched out.

 

[RichardGaspa]

I would think there are a fair number of veteran forums ... many of which can outspend you in advertising.
I don't think gaining members will come easy.
Your best bet is to create content that will be of interest to veterans.

FYI I liked this section of your site.
View attachment 106167
How did you get those images and links to the forum over there ? Manual edits ?

This is a @AndyB addon. The images change every five minutes. I can't tell you how many great compliments I got from my members since installing @AndyB addon. Once the member clicks the image it takes you directly to the thread. My members are using this ALL the time. The name of AndyB's addon is " Header Thumbs 1.5 " and can be found here. https://xenforo.com/community/resources/header-thumbs.3042/

 

[RichardGaspa]

How many new registrations do you get each month and why do you consider that to not be enough?

I keep a watch on the stats every few days using the weekly and monthly XenForo stats lookup.

• We opened last December 2014. We only have a total of 149 as of today's three new registrations.
• We are getting an average of 10 to 15 new users a month
• We have a 200 plus monthly user active rating. (I don't really know what that means but that is what it says.)
• We get an average of 240 to 350 post per month ( by post I am thinking that means replies to threads but not really sure)
• I am also getting around 68 to 108 threads per month.
• Our site is also open to guest and we do get guest replying to the threads however not as many replies as I would like to see.

As I said above we only have 149 REGISTERED members. I am thinking that is not very good, but the members that I do have are very active.

 

[RichardGaspa]

I wondered the same thing Richard, that's what's so powerful about Word Press. I wish there was a place we could list keywords related to the forum.

I would think this would be part of the XenForo Core, Not being a programmer myself, I am not sure how hard it would be to do add this to the core. I wish they would though.

 

[KenBrace]

As I said above we only have 149 REGISTERED members. I am thinking that is not very good, but the members that I do have are very active.

You're actually doing quite well to be honest. You've only been online for a few months and already have ~150 users. I think you are over expecting. Just keep chugging along. You are doing great in my opinion. Especially since many of those members are active.

 

[rafass]

I keep a watch on the stats every few days using the weekly and monthly XenForo stats lookup.

• We opened last December 2014. We only have a total of 149 as of today's three new registrations.
• We are getting an average of 10 to 15 new users a month
• We have a 200 plus monthly user active rating. (I don't really know what that means but that is what it says.)
• We get an average of 240 to 350 post per month ( by post I am thinking that means replies to threads but not really sure)
• I am also getting around 68 to 108 threads per month.
• Our site is also open to guest and we do get guest replying to the threads however not as many replies as I would like to see.

As I said above we only have 149 REGISTERED members. I am thinking that is not very good, but the members that I do have are very active.

I also think you're doing a good job and your forum will be a great big board in the future.
The niche, design, colors, logo, the name, etc. well done!
Veteransbriefing will grow up and will be a great forum. I'm member already. I'm a veteran now

 

[Glockie]

If it helps, a new site too - and I have the same feelings Richard. I have over 600 members join since March, but I am constantly in a battle of whether or not specific things are affecting our site.
And are they causing causing newbies to a) not get involved, b) not join and so on.
It's a battle my friend and you just have to keep going. It looks good so keep at it