How do I get people to join my forum?

[swapw]

Originally Posted by gregdavidson

I just started a new forum recently and only got 7 people to join not counting my own accounts in the past few days. I'm offering 150 free ebooks with resale rights so more people get tempted to join. Honestly, I think this is the main reason why anyone has joined. What do you think is the best way for me to get people to join my forum? Some people are telling me to make up a bunch of fake account and start posting things. However, I want the forum to build it's self up the normal way instead of trying to fake that the forum is busy. I think most people would catch on anyways. You can see my forum link in my signature and you can join if you'd like. If you can post a topic somewhere other than the "Introduce Yourself" section I would really appreciate it.

A few tips:

1. Start a controversial topic
2. Provide some updated informations or news
3. Provide some type of support
4. Advertise in "product sourcing" type forums
5. Have a few reputable business sourcing bloggers blog about your forums
6. Others have said it, have a contest
7. Offer connections that you have
8. Write a few good articles about it and submit them
9. Do some basic PPC campaign (Adword, YPN)
10. Personalize your response to help other members that have joined within the forum
11. Introduce your e-book and let others know why these e-books are useful and which ones to read (do a summary)

It's important that you study and understand your audience, if you don't a forum will never grow. Even if it does grow, it's doom to die out.

-Swapw

[Cana]

Originally Posted by TheFriend

Thanks i know, i am allways right......... (joke)

i think it is not a joke (joke)