Tips for a new forum admin?

[Astrael]

So, I'm launching a new forum and it's going to be my first "serious" website. The website is called GamerCore.net and it is a site about video game reviews, news, videos, discussion, etc. I was wondering if anyone could give me some tips on how to have a successful launch, and what I should expect to be dealing with in the future.

Thanks for the help.

[Flamingo]

The first thing I notice while visiting your site is the loading speed.

To provide content faster, I recommend setting up a cheap CDN; many forums and sites do this to provide content faster.

Secondly, check out the SEO secction here to become familiar with all the tips and tricks to bump your site to the top.

Make sure you have a firewall set up to fend of competitor's toys, and you'll be fine, no worries.

[Fragma]

I think you currently have too many sections.

If I were you, rather than have a PS3 section, and a PSP section, just have a general Playstation section. You can then expand this section as your forum grows. Same can be said for the Xbox & Nintendo.
Also I wouldn't add sections for the iPhone just yet. It won't be very popular to start with, but perhaps add it once your forums grows.

For your Graphic Design category, simply have a general section where members can discuss, share & critique graphics.

In your marketplace, having a section for Scam Reports doesn't look good. This is something that you would add once you have a lot of activity. This can deter guests browsing from registering.

At the moment, your general discussion is at the top, which makes is stand out too much. Your forum is for gaming, so you should have gaming discussions at the top where it stands out more.

[Mystic Guru]

For a gaming site, I recommend you do the following:

1. Make a theme related to gaming
2. Advertise on other gaming sites
3. Add all gaming sections such as FPS, MMORPG, etc.

[Cybr]

Too many forums in your Gaming category. Maybe sum a few of them up into a "Portable Gaming" forum?

[Solidus]

- Start small. Don't create lots of sections expecting them to be filled when you just don't have the user base.
- Don't place ads on your site. It's just starting, you wont earn anything and it makes your forum unattractive to guests. Give before you take.
- Read SEO guides, or ask for help here. Get your keywords and page titles spot on.
- Make it unique. Purchase a premium theme and customize it to perfection. Seeing the same templates over and over isn't good, visitors will be heading straight for the exit button.
- Encourage posting. Set up competitions, offer good prizes. Be approachable and professional.

I've just looked at your site, it needs a lot of work. As a guest, I would not join.

[AceInfinity]

- Start small. Don't create lots of sections expecting them to be filled when you just don't have the user base.
- Don't place ads on your site. It's just starting, you wont earn anything and it makes your forum unattractive to guests. Give before you take.
- Read SEO guides, or ask for help here. Get your keywords and page titles spot on.
- Make it unique. Purchase a premium theme and customize it to perfection. Seeing the same templates over and over isn't good, visitors will be heading straight for the exit button.
- Encourage posting. Set up competitions, offer good prizes. Be approachable and professional.

I've just looked at your site, it needs a lot of work. As a guest, I would not join.

I agree with all of that, you need to encourage registrations as well. You can get all the activity that you want if you have a good SEO method, but once a visitor becomes not interested in the website, they probably won't be coming back, and that won't do you any good.

Encouraging posting through competitions and awards is a good approach to start off activity, then you can tone it down a bit and start working to develop your site more with ideas. I've also recommended an award of some sort for members mentioning new suggestions for the site that are good enough ideas to implement for improvement, because it encourages your site development, and updates are easier to list out that way. If members see an admin working to improve a site, and they see that the person in charge is dedicated to keep it going, then they are more likely to sympathize and help out as well.

[Solidus]

Awards mean nothing until you have a bunch of members who want to be there.
Offering a posting award when you open will not work.

[AceInfinity]

Awards mean nothing until you have a bunch of members who want to be there.
Offering a posting award when you open will not work.

Not right off the bat, but usually if you do good enough with the advertising, you can start off with around 20-30 people, which should be good enough for a competitive atmosphere between members. I know it wouldn't be hard to get around 20 registered in 2 days at the most. But for the members, awards usually mean something even though they are attained easier when the forum is first created because administrating them involves some level of worshiping those members.

They will usually go for the award to get that feeling of power, or they will try anyway in hope to get a staff's position. Either way, it starts activity.

It's like playing a game, and I know Omni has some of the same strategies. Some awards on his forum are no longer being given out because they were meant to create activity. They are easy to get, and with the increase in members that would be a lot of "Granting" members those awards.