Starting a forum

[WesTurrant]

Now that I have everything setup, and its been working for a while how do I get members?

I have tried putting the webiste in my signature on other forums, and telling people in chat rooms but no one signs up.

I realized there is nothing on my forum yet, but there isn't going to be until someone signs up, and I don't feel like talking to myself.

Its not really a technical forum. I write some programs in my spare time, but not as a profession. So its about programming. But I also want it to be just a general forum where you can talk about stuff that doesn't always have to be technical. Sometimes I need a break from talking about code.

I'm having a hard time picking a topic for the forum that someone would be interested in. I can't create a programming forum, because there are already too many good programming forums out there, with thousands of members.

Everyday I check but no one has registered yet and I spent a lot of time getting it setup and making graphics for it.

[lklein]

I just staeted one myself, and thinking about that also.

I will start several topics about my niche.

Have my forum link in my sig like you are.

Maybe write a few articles about my niche and post them to article directories with my forum link in the resource box.

Hmmm maybe Yahoo Answers

Hope someone here can give us some other ideas.

Lambert

[Joe Gronlund]

Submit site URL's to search engines, plus make some "SEO" optimizations...

[WesTurrant]

I have no idea how to do that, and I don't know what SEO means either.

[WesTurrant]

I'm kind of interested in losing weight lately. I have to lose a few pounds. Maybe we can do one of those post exchanges. We can register at each others boards, and start posting, and put links to each others boards on our website.

You can post on my boards, and I will post on yours and visitors will see at least some activity and might decide to comment or register too.

I also have a book review board on my forum.

Let me know if you are interested.

[lklein]

I would be interested.

Where's your link?

Lambert

BTW I also have a book review section.

[masterme]

It is not always that easy to get a board running. Ideas and setting it up is the easy part, the rest.

My board is active from january 15th and has 59 members, 326 topics and about 1730 replys. It is still growing but must say I am working each day to keep it up and going.

What did I do?
-Like you did, posting in places where I would find members.
-Small Adwords campagne to start (10 bucks)
-Advertise on the right sites.
-Get your site linked on many good sites. Always be kind and say you will repost a link to them.
-Make sure that the searchengines can see all.
-Use good words to make topics.
-Have a bunch of moderators who started their own forum under the main. They too must work to make their forum a succes, so they do the job also.
-Make sure you will be found in searchengines. At the end of Januari I was not in Google, begin of february at page 35 and now at 3. Lots of work, but it gets me there.
-I also recommend the vBseo. Ok, I do not have it on my own board, but sure will do as it does a good job.
-Keep doing it over and over again, keep your board alive, make sure their are new posts each day, make sure you never spam (its a thin line, I know).

This does not guarantee succes. It also depends on the topic you have, how much concurents there are around and how you run your board.

Just my 2 cents...

[lklein]

Good points!

[WesTurrant]

I would be interested.

Where's your link?

I will send it to your PM. I'm not sure if I am allowed to post it here. I'm not sure if you will be interested in my site other then maybe book reviews and chit chat. I really don't know what other topics to make right now.

I will register at your forum later when I get home from work, and I'll post a link to your forum if you will do the same.

masterme, thanks for the replies. I'm really not sure what I am doing wrong but I will try some of the advice.

I think there should be a board on this website, after you buy vB that they will help you get people to start registering. Like an introductions board where you can post your link and other vB owners or visitors of this website can come to find good forums.