08-06-2010, 03:47 AM
(08-04-2010, 08:31 PM)Tate Wrote: I've been administrating actually successful websites and forums since I was 9, and I learned alot that could help others.
First of all, don't try to bring up your activity. Don't post a lot of threads, don't reply to threads with a friendly reply, etc. Keep your post count to a minimum, and administrate. It isn't a game. People respect that, and it gets work done faster.
Secondly, if you're running a forum, don't have a messy forum. Try to keep the WHOLE forum in 3 categories, with plenty of subforums. Have broad topictitles.
Thirdly, if you're running a forum, as an admin, do NOT have a retarded signature. Keep your signature as small as possible. Don't ask me why. If omni went off and got a retarded looking signature with a goal list under it, wouldn't you be kind of turned off by the site?
Fourthly, people stay at a site if they see the administrator is smart. If there's a good community, with no loyalty to the admin, someone will just start a new community, exploit your flaws, and take your members. It happens.
Fifth, don't make tons of staff. If your forum has 100 members, you really don't need ANY moderators. It's obvious your only getting staff for activity. You'll only need mods when you notice a significant amount of work difference in your daily moderating.
Sixth, make sure your mother freakin staff are professional. You don't want dumbass staff, I see a lot of sites that could be professional, but they have 7 - 8 staff, all retarded.
Seventh, don't make too much change. You view your site more than anyone, so it gets old fast to you. Don't let that get ahold of you. To new members, your site doesn't feel "old". Only you have the feeling. If people start requesting a theme change, then you might want to start adding extra themes for use. Don't do it because of a gut feeling, though.
Hope those tips helped.
Regardless of what people shoot out of their ass, rep on most forums is what keeps people contributing.
Forums without a rep system generally are more chaotic.
The only thing i do not agree with is the amount of staff. I have enough staff now that the forum can be moderated 24/7 near enough and stuff gets done A LOT faster