Forum Traffic - How to Get More Members on Your Forum

Getting more traffic on your forum can be hard. But don't get discouraged yet! Here are some ways that you can increase traffic, or better yet, keep the people who are already going through your forum from closing out their window.

If you have been browsing the Internet for any period of time, you more than likely have visited a forum to ask a question, find information, or talk about a topic that interests you. This means that if you want your forum to be successful, you have to have a general topic area, or niche. Overall "general" forums do not do very well at first due to the fact that they have no guidelines. Human nature makes us feel like we have to follow rules, if none are provided, we are confused and don't know what to do. Setting the theme of your forum to that of your website is a great idea (and normally expected).

As stated earlier, people go to forums to get information. When people do start to ask questions, state problems, and post for advice, you should respond in a precise, short, and informative way. In addition, you should respond as quickly as possible. There is nothing worse than posting on a forum and checking back only to find that two people have read it, and no one cares enough to respond. The quicker you respond, the more likely the user will come back.

Do not have too many "sub" forums within your overall forum. Having fifteen "sub" forums within your forum with only a few posts in each does not make your forum appear active. Consolidate your forum and maybe group different topic areas together. A forum with three categories with many posts appears more impressive than a forum with twenty categories and only a few posts in each.

Offer incentives for posting in your forum; give them a trial product, offer a little free advertising, give them a link on the main page, allow them to post their website in the main forum, etc. It is amazing how the quantity and quality of posts increases after you offer even the slightest free incentive.

And what about for the new forums? Getting members can be a difficult task. In brief, start conversations in your forum with yourself. Create fifteen or twenty accounts (you probably will want the same password for all the accounts) and create threads with plenty of posts. You can let your "starter" accounts die out after you get actual members (you might even want to delete the threads, posts, and members just so no one can prove that your a schizophrenic). Another great way to get more action is to make your big site announcements through your forum. This means that people will have to browse your forum in order to know what's going on.

Overall, be precise, make the color scheme look good (no bright colors, people will be blinking to much to read), have a topic, do not have too many categories, and have conversations with yourself!

Jeffrey Abbott is a respected author and editor of eMoneyReport.com

Visit the site at http://www.emoneyreport.com and read reviews on programs that help you to make money from your own home. eMoneyReport offers a simple and easy format to find articles relating to all types of online business and website promotion.

In The News:

Community forums scheduled for three district merger
Herkimer Evening Telegram
Speaking during Wednesday night's board of education meeting, interim Herkimer Superintendent of Schools Gary Tutty said community forums will take place on June 6 at Jarvis High School in Mohawk, July 25 at Herkimer High School, Aug.
State approves three-school merger study in Herkimer CountyWKTV

all 6 news articles »

Cobb candidate forums kick off campaign season
Atlanta Journal Constitution
By Janel Davis The Cobb County NAACP and the East Cobb Civic Association will host candidate forums next week for county candidates running for office in July. The NAACP forum begins at 7 pm on Tuesday at the county government building, 100 Cherokee ...

and more »

Assembly candidate impersonator ruffles feathers at Marin forum
San Jose Mercury News
By Jessica Bernstein-Wax, Marin Independent Journal Activist Jonathan Frieman ruffled some feathers last week when he participated in a forum for the Assembly, congressional and Marin supervisors' races, proclaiming himself to be a write-in candidate ...

and more »

Fifth Astana Economic Forum opens in Kazakhstan
Gazeta.KZ
"The range of discussions of the Astana forum has expanded, since Kazakhstan has become a retransmitter of wide Eurasian look. This became especially important with the creation of a customs union," the president said. This year the Astana Economic ...

and more »

Forums Set for Keokuk Supt. Search
Tri States Public Radio
By Jason Parrott Keokuk residents have several opportunities to weigh in on the search for a new school superintendent. The school board has hired Ray & Associates to help the district find a replacement for Doctor Lora Wolff.


WFMY News 2
Greensboro Holds GPAC Forums
WFMY News 2
Seventy-five people showed up at two forums on Thursday to hear the pitch in person, a third took place later in the day. The performing arts center or "GPAC" would have 2500 to 2,8000 seats, and is being proposed for downtown Greensboro.

and more »

WTSP 10 News
Education public forum tonight in Tampa
WTSP 10 News
Tampa, Florida -- Florida Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson will be in Tampa tonight to meet face to face with parents and teachers as part of a series of public forums regarding the state of public education and the higher standards set for ...
Education officials unveil website, blogs for parents in wake of low FCAT scoresThe Florida Current

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Diablo 3 Forum $65 Weekly Contest | Win to Buy the Diablo3 Game
San Francisco Chronicle (press release)
The weekly contest involves people posting on the forums and whoever posts the most quality and numerous posts wins $65 to buy the Diablo 3 game. Northridge, CA (PRWEB) May 22, 2012 Diablo 3 is a great game but some people can't afford to play it.

and more »

Forum confirms school tax proposal is not supported
Examiner.com
Over three hundred people showed up on Monday night for an early forum of School Superintendent candidates at First Methodist-Ocala. Attendees learned that not one candidate dares to seriously support the proposed tax measure.

and more »

HNN Huntingtonnews.net
Coal Forum kicks off statewide events
Daily Mail - Charleston
The West Virginia Coal Forum held the first of three statewide events billed as "Stop the EPA's War on Coal" in Charleston Tuesday to encourage more public action and support for the industry. "We all need to elevate our game," said Chris Hamilton, ...
Charleston hosts one of several Coal Forum meetingsWOWK

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