how do u ppl start a board? - Page 2

Lorelei · 02-04-2006, 10:55 AM

paying for posting sounds a bit desperate, like... uhmm... availing of escort services...lol

i would have taking this idea though, but i have no paypal

is there any "posts swap" forums, beside thepostswap.com which i heard is rather dead?

Lorelei · 02-04-2006, 10:59 AM

yep noobie, thanks!
will try to add that later on... first want to sort the avatars gallery... and evidently guests can make posts...lol, gotta block that unfair option asap

Ferre · 02-04-2006, 11:27 AM

Lorelei, the only thing you need to do is just be yourself and post whatever you like on that forum, don't worry that it's not very busy or has a lot of members, they'll come anyway and everything you do to force it will only make the forums look bad.

Fake accounts are pathetic and so are paid posts, if you get the traffic your forum will get members anyway and those will be people who like to be at your forums.

What you could do is add a "new forums" button to your site, or something similar to let your visitors know that it's a new addition to your site, many people love to check out new forums.

Also make sure that visitors know that they can ask questions about your services on your forum, every forum started out empty and only a very few ever paid anyone to post or made fake accounts.

Michael Allison · 02-04-2006, 02:52 PM

Why do you want a forum, in the first place? They are a huge amount of work and, honestly, I don't see the benefits of them.

I think the same time and effort invested in a solid comercial enterprise is much better.

Just my

Zap · 02-04-2006, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lorelei

paying for posting sounds a bit desperate, like... uhmm... availing of escort services...lol

i would have taking this idea though, but i have no paypal

is there any "posts swap" forums, beside thepostswap.com which i heard is rather dead?

If you have a website with visitors, you can offer advertising on that website in exchange for advertising your forum on someone else's website. I will trade lext links with you if you like. If you would like to put my text link up at your website, I will put a link to your forum at my site at bestlist.us and I'll put an ad in my next newsletter which goes out to more than 800 people.

James Trotta · 02-04-2006, 07:53 PM

Paying for posts is a sign of desperation, but I think it works. New members are more likely to join an active forum than a dead one, no?

I believe sitepoint and digitalpoint both have a place where you do post exchanges, and maybe the forum here as well.

Web Gazelle · 02-05-2006, 01:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lorelei

ok... i have a problem, my forum is one day old and has only 5 members...lol

serious now, my main website gets a lot of traffic, and following this lil` success i decided to add a board to it. now the issue is: ok, ppl visit, download free stuff and "go home". but how do i pull them into the forum?

another thing that seem like a problem (again, after the forum has online 1 day) is that who would want to register while the forum is still small? no one knows it's new, so people will only think it's dead...

any ideas how to make that very first start?

I just created a webmaster forum, that has had a slow start. I don't worry too much. I figure in time people will see it is active and join it. I will join your forum, is it in your secret garden?

**John Scott** · 02-05-2006, 01:17 AM

http://www.v7n.com/forums_for_seo.php

That might help.

Web Gazelle · 02-05-2006, 01:27 AM

Nice article. I feel like I have alot of those aspects in place. My new forum is only about 3 weeks old and I am sure it will start to grow.

**John Scott** · 02-05-2006, 01:30 AM

I hadn't read that article in years. I wrote that maybe two years ago. I should re-write it.

Web Gazelle · 02-05-2006, 01:36 AM

It is still good advice.

**John Scott** · 02-05-2006, 02:22 AM

Lorelei - hold tight, article coming in t-20 minutes.

**John Scott** · 02-05-2006, 03:54 AM

http://www.internet-marketing-blog.c...cessful-forum/

Wrote that just now, just for the V7Ners.

James Trotta · 02-05-2006, 07:21 AM

I agree that forums aren't cash cows, but renting digiat point coop space (for the time being anyway) can make people some money.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnScott

http://www.internet-marketing-blog.c...cessful-forum/

Wrote that just now, just for the V7Ners.

Van Zant · 02-05-2006, 07:25 AM

i got very lucky with my forum

Posts: 130,491, Members: 2,219

in 4 months

and it's my highest earning site as well...so yeah, the forum = money thing isn't bunk. you just need to know how to do it properly.

the only thing different i offered was.........i dunno really, good content i suppose.

James Trotta · 02-05-2006, 07:29 AM

Most good forums go with good content sites so that makes sense.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Van Zant

the only thing different i offered was.........i dunno really, good content i suppose.

**John Scott** · 02-05-2006, 07:38 AM

I don't know that being a good forum is compatible with profitability. I have seen forums that go for maximum monetization, and I don't post in those.

For me, it's "either/or". Either be about the members, or be about the money. Can't be both.

James Trotta · 02-05-2006, 08:05 AM

I think you can meet the members needs and still be a little profitable (ads in the footer don't bother anyone for example). I should add that the only way to truly do this would be to get someone else to do most of the work on the forum (maybe a paid moderator). As soon as you start counting the hours you put in, making a profit is very difficult.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnScott

I don't know that being a good forum is compatible with profitability. I have seen forums that go for maximum monetization, and I don't post in those.

For me, it's "either/or". Either be about the members, or be about the money. Can't be both.