How to advertise and grow large a webmaster forum?

[softgroups]

Yeah ... well... I don't know if it's a good idea to open this topic here, but..

i would like to create my own forum, so what are the best ways to get some people out there... , and not 5 or 10 persons, but 5000 or 10 000

[rjr]

Originally Posted by softgroups

i would like to create my own forum, so what are the best ways to get some people out there... , and not 5 or 10 persons, but 5000 or 10 000

Having your own forum can be gratifying, but you have to be realistic. Starting your own forum isn't an easy task, and it takes time for it to get established. You also will have to deal with spammers, which in itself, can be a full time job. I'm sure the mods here will agree.

[GMF]

Soma advice

I guess you know how to get the forum up and running, so that is always a good start.

What I read: You, as the creator and administrator, need to post often. You could start with writing some introduction, tutorials... Everything that is related to the concept of your forum. If someone else registers and posts, be there and answer/comment his post so they don't feel alone.

Advertise your forum: Tell your friends, family etc. about it (if they are interested). Search similar forums and contribute. After a while, add a link to your sig. Don't go out and scream "I have a Forum please visit, I am so alone". Be professional and patient. A successful takes time.

Install anti-spam plugins: New forums tend to attract spammers and bots, so the first thing should be a good protection against them.

Hope that helps

[dame016]

Yes, and I guess you need to hire a couple of people that will help you inform people of your forum. I guess you have to start with email marketing. Also, you should have a gimmick when you're starting up.