[Question]Tips before starting up a forum

[1337Elite]

Hello again.
I would like to start up a forum that focuses on map editing, but mainly I'll use it to distribute my maps and stuff. Do you guys have any tips or something before starting the whole thing up, like what to think about, how I should moderate it, where/how to advertise it, etc..

Forums are a big hobby of mine, but I've never gotten any forum "serious"(well they were serious, but no one visited ). How should I get people to know it's out there, in the vastness of the web, and, I'll ask this once again, what things should you think about the most in the start? Getting it to run properly, getting a nice skin/theme or is it mostly about content? How should I categorize boards?

I've always pondered about these questions, yet never got any of them answered. I hope The helper could put a change to that. That's it I think. I'll add more to it when I come up with something.

 

[SFilip]

> mainly I'll use it to distribute my maps and stuff
In that case...

• Make sure your home page aren't the forums - people tend to leave when they see a bunch of small numbers (post count, members count...). The front page should either be some news (under the condition, of course, that you have news to post) or the downloads for your maps.
• Don't make too many forums to begin with. I suggest one about the site (bugs, features etc.), one about your maps (maybe with a separate subforum for every one you have, that's for you to decide) and one for everything else. As "everything else" forum expands, you can make new forums depending on what people talk about the most.
• Post! Get a couple of friends to post on the forums. Doesn't matter if it makes little sense, doesn't matter if it's two people talking, the important thing is that something is happening and that the post count is growing.

 

[The Helper]

Remember that it is OK to be a newb at the forum thing. Don't be scared to try stuff. The beginning, when you don't have any traffic, is the time to experiment. Be ready to change everything. Try to get feedback on the site from all your users.

The thing you need to do about promotion is submit your site to the search engines - yahoo, google, etc, and try to get as many links to the site out there on the internet that you can. You want to build an infrastructure of links to your site and always be trying to get more - tip - add a link to your site at the end of all your posts on forums.

Also - you want to make sure that you do not require people to register in your forum before they can read posts. If you do that, you have cut your forum off from Search Engine spiders who cannot read your content because they are not registered. You want the search engines to index your forum and making it only Registered users can read is the kiss of death unless you have an established user base.

 

[1337Elite]

> mainly I'll use it to distribute my maps and stuff
In that case...

• Make sure your home page aren't the forums - people tend to leave when they see a bunch of small numbers (post count, members count...). The front page should either be some news (under the condition, of course, that you have news to post) or the downloads for your maps.
• Don't make too many forums to begin with. I suggest one about the site (bugs, features etc.), one about your maps (maybe with a separate subforum for every one you have, that's for you to decide) and one for everything else. As "everything else" forum expands, you can make new forums depending on what people talk about the most.
• Post! Get a couple of friends to post on the forums. Doesn't matter if it makes little sense, doesn't matter if it's two people talking, the important thing is that something is happening and that the post count is growing.

1. I think I'll go for a blog for the main site, that covers changelogs, screenshots and updates.
2. That helped me alot. I've only got 5 forums planned(plus sub-forums for my map). Those cover the site(bug reports/suggest features etc), general discussion, and a forum for members to ask for help with the world editor.
3. I'll make the forum a meeting place for my friends, where they can share links, news and other stuff. Thanks for the tip

Remember that it is OK to be a newb at the forum thing. Don't be scared to try stuff. The beginning, when you don't have any traffic, is the time to experiment. Be ready to change everything. Try to get feedback on the site from all your users.

The thing you need to do about promotion is submit your site to the search engines - yahoo, google, etc, and try to get as many links to the site out there on the internet that you can. You want to build an infrastructure of links to your site and always be trying to get more - tip - add a link to your site at the end of all your posts on forums.

Also - you want to make sure that you do not require people to register in your forum before they can read posts. If you do that, you have cut your forum off from Search Engine spiders who cannot read your content because they are not registered. You want the search engines to index your forum and making it only Registered users can read is the kiss of death unless you have an established user base.

When I think back on it, I haven't changed so much, even though people have sent features, mainly because I didn't see that it was necessary. That was a dumb mistake. :banghead: I've added all my sites to google, gonna add them to yahoo sometime soon.

I've always had the option enabled that un-registered visitors can view the posts. ^^

Thanks for the help! Add more to this if you know any other good tips. Bye for now.

 

[Oninuva]

The best tip before starting a forum is to not start a forum.

Other than that, basicly what they said before. But yeah, I think my tip should be great help. No serriously.

 

[Miz]

[Tips] For a New Website or Forum
http://www.thehelper.net/forums/showthread.php?t=71613

Hope it Helps XD

 

[DoubleDraGoN]

When I think back on it, I haven't changed so much, even though people have sent features, mainly because I didn't see that it was necessary. That was a dumb mistake. :banghead: I've added all my sites to google, gonna add them to yahoo sometime soon.

What do you mean add sites to google/yahoo. How do you do this?

 

[PurgeandFire]

I think it is just added... :\

I don't think there is a way to do it.

 

[MeRcChRiS]

I think it is just added... :\

I don't think there is a way to do it.

http://www.google.com/addurl/
https://siteexplorer.search.yahoo.com/submit

 

[DoubleDraGoN]

Thanks Chris I added my website to both *crosses fingers*

Thanks for posting this 1337, I was curious about starting up some forums too

 

[The Helper]

Thanks Chris I added my website to both *crosses fingers*

Thanks for posting this 1337, I was curious about starting up some forums too

You don't need to cross your fingers. If you added your site at those links then you will be crawled. Either that or just post a link in this thread and you will get crawled. Either way.

 

[1337Elite]

My forum nor blog has not yet been crawled for some reason(by google, that is). I've seen that msn, aol and a lot of other search engines crawled though. Added my site to dmoz too, I hope that helps too.

 

[The Helper]

Added my site to dmoz too, I hope that helps too.

It will if it gets added to the directory.

 

[Oninuva]

Even if google spiders your website. It is not going to do you any good unless you got some good traffic and content to start with.

 

[Rad]

Look at it from your visitors point of view. Think of why you would or wouldn't visit someones website. I sure don't like going through the trouble to register and login to download a map and such. And if I was searching for mapping forums I'd probably find TH

And how many maps have you played that had a website in it, then after that went to the website? I've only done that once or twice for Heroes and Empires and GoE.

 

[1337Elite]

Yeah. I've discontinued the mapping sort of view thing. Focusing more on a general forum about games and entertainment. Got an arcade with tournaments and such too. The focus is mainly on movies, games and popular culture and the like.