08-29-2010, 06:09 AM
Thanks for the guide. I enjoyed it, and you're right. It's very useful to keep an open mind to your users and don't seem too unprofessional when dealing with off-topic sections..I find those to be deadly from experience by posting in them. It makes you more involved in your community, however it can lead people to have some sort of a bad opinion on you if you throw in a off-taste joke or something of the sort.
Honestly, what omni said, I think it's incredibly hard to get new members, activity, and the like on new forums. I find that you have to be rather creative in doing this, though. Contests I have noticed are really helpful.
Here's my tip to add to the discussion:
Getting all your friends and as many of their friends to join is a really good idea. For me, it REALLY helped fill out my forum in the beginning and create long-standing members of the community who are truly interested in helping it develop and contributing to the site.
Honestly, what omni said, I think it's incredibly hard to get new members, activity, and the like on new forums. I find that you have to be rather creative in doing this, though. Contests I have noticed are really helpful.
Here's my tip to add to the discussion:
Getting all your friends and as many of their friends to join is a really good idea. For me, it REALLY helped fill out my forum in the beginning and create long-standing members of the community who are truly interested in helping it develop and contributing to the site.