Build Your Site: Creating A Successful Forum

[Kathy]

Kathy submitted a new Article:

Build Your Site: Creating A Successful Forum

Creating Your Forum by MetalGearMaster

The Beginning
If you are just starting your forum, it is very important to make sure everything works. One of the things that could hurt your forum is if your users find errors that disallow them use of your forums features. When I first started my forum, I did a 1 month "Beta-testing" period, where I got some good friends I know to come to the board and just post. It lasted much longer than expected, mainly because they kept finding error after error (do note, that at the time I was fairly new to vBulletin and so made plenty of errors). If you're just running the default version of vBulletin, with no additional changes, then there is a 95% chance that there will be no errors in the actual board itself if you set it up properly.

Hacks and Additions
I know that Jelsoft doesn't support hacked boards, and that they don't like to work with them much because of changes to the code that they might not understand or like. However, from my experience, the more you deviate from the default vB the better. While the average user has all he/she needs with the default code and options, most will get bored unless you make additions.

I have found that adding hacks such as the Store or Journal increases posts substantially, be allowing me to "reward" members for posting (with points and/or journal account, etc.). www.vbulletin.org has all the hacks you need. The site has information on how to install hacks, how to backup your forum, and how to start creating your own hacks.

I know that vBulletin staff and some members may tell me (or post here) saying that adding hacks will not make a forum successful. However, from my experiences, members hate seeing the same thing over and over. They don't want to go to one forum, find one set of features, then go to another and see the same set with different people. Sure, the new people might encourage them to stay, but unless they actually start posting, they won't get to know the people. Having a lot of features (and making them visible) is the best way to keep a member on the forums.

Custom Styles
vBulletin's default style is a great piece of work, and my congrats go to Jelsoft for making it so great. As great as it may be, however, it can get quite dull. Extending on what I said above, members hate seeing the same thing over and over. If you have the skills to...

Read more about this article here...

 

[The Sandman]

Thanks MGM - That's a nice article!

 

[MGM]

Thanks

And it's supposed to be a guide to make a succesful forum but this works too

If anybody wants to see additions made I'd be glad to do so

MGM out

 

[miner]

It is very helpfull for newbie's like me - reading your article has given me a morel support.

Thanks.

 

[campbeld]

Thank you very much. Some practical advice there and I always like to hear others experiences. You've inspired me. I'm going to write about how I started my own business. Thank you once again.

 

[The Equivocate]

I think one thing that should be pointed out, though not true in all cases, that a site usually needs a niche to be able to succeed. Granted, if you are the first forum of your kind, or have a great domain (*Topic*Talk.com or *Topic*Forum.com) then it's a little easier to just set up a forum. However, most the time there are literally hundreds of forums with your same exact topic all trying to succeed, so you need to set yourself apart from those forums. For example, a sports forum will have a little better chance of succeeding if you set up vBookie and let them bet on sports events (though everyone has it now).

Just set yourself apart from other forums in your category and you'll have a much easier time keeping members & activity.

 

[mebeingtisamo]

i need help building a site will someone help me

 

[jap0911]

Nice job. I like the guide. It's helping me a lot. Thanks.

 

[Jesse]

thanks a lot for that

 

[IamLoBAS]

Very cool!

Thanks for good idea.

 

[Ceci]

This article has been truly helpful for me because I have been trying to research ways to get my forum off the ground. I've been also scratching my head about how to increase traffic. I'm going to try some of the suggestions here.

 

[.Rogue]

Great article. Thanks for sharing that.

 

[CSparks]

Nice article! Im new to the forum bizz so i was wondering how well forums add to affiliate programs like google? any idea?

 

[yogi3]

Very well written guide, a great help thanks.

 

[wishmasterdjl]

wow thanks for that i will definatly try to do that with my old and dead site hehe

 

[johnoneill1990]

Wow nice, Great help Thannks

 

[promits89]

This article is very helpful to them who want to start a new forum.

 

[MatrixSurvivalInstinct]

Wow loved that article... I'm new and it was filled with a ton of info thank you very much. Thinking of starting a forum myself.

 

[diyday]

Good tips...I just had one question: if your forum affiliates itself with a like one in your niche, wouldn't the exchange of members be somewhat encouraged?

 

[SocialManUK]

Thanks for taking the time and effort to write this article, a very informative read indeed.