Hey Guys,

Any tips for attracting visitors to a forum?
I recently started a forum on TV Shows / Movie discussion however, there barely seems to be any activity on it.

Promotion techniques to attract members?

Well; I'm really not too sure what kind of content as in articles I can make to submit to sites for promotion. The theme of the site either allows me to hold discussion or reviews.

I've tried holding a small competition however, I got barely 2 members who registered ...

I posted it on a webmaster site inviting volunteer positions for moderators, ah, that didn't seem to get much attention too.

Cowardness to admit defeat so soon, but I think I've really hit the wall with this one. I really do not know how to get it active ... any suggestions? What would make YOU register on a site like mine?

This thread (http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?t=606921&highlight=forum+traffic) would give you some insight what to start with, though it is about different niche forums. Hope it helps,

Amalia

Hi Amalia,

I did read that thread actually ... infact, I went through a few of the tutorials posted in the sub-forum too. However, there really wasn't anything I could use for my site (except link exchanges ... with a pr 0 site ... hmm, the possibility is pretty poor).

Yup, I'm a bit hesitant about that too ... there were many small niche websites out there for a specific TV show like Lost / House etc ... however, I wanted to open one forum to discuss most of them at a single place ... I think that might have been a mistake ...

Try some Google adowrds in and around their network sites.

Hi Amalia,

I did read that thread actually ... infact, I went through a few of the tutorials posted in the sub-forum too. However, there really wasn't anything I could use for my site (except link exchanges ... with a pr 0 site ... hmm, the possibility is pretty poor).

Yup, I'm a bit hesitant about that too ... there were many small niche websites out there for a specific TV show like Lost / House etc ... however, I wanted to open one forum to discuss most of them at a single place ... I think that might have been a mistake ...

Indeed, you've already started your promotion with the link in your signature. Attractive signature really. Made me wanna click it :agree:

Indeed, you've already started your promotion with the link in your signature. Attractive signature really. Made me wanna click it :agree:

Hey Vex,

Thanks for the positive reply. If you don't mind me asking you ... you said, that it made you want to click it ... however, on going to the site what would make you register? .... The design thought not custom, is pretty unique and gentle on the eyes. There aren't really too many empty sub-forums, just 3 basic one's (to prevent the site from looking too empty).
Could you mention the things on it that put you off from registering? ... the lack of members, perhaps?

I got my animation forum 50 members in under one week by doing the following things:

1. Making some attractive sigs/avatars which make people curious and want to click them on other websites.

2. I have a loyal member base, 5 of my members would just advertise anywhere they could on other forums and websites related to the topic.

3. Affilate with bigger forums and websites, this helped me get quite a few members.

4. Since my forum was about animations, the animators put a link to a forum in their animations when they posted on other websites.

5. I offered unique features unable anywhere else, this was the unique selling point of the forum if you like.

Also other things I would suggest:

Google Adsense, so adverts about your forum are displayed on other related forums.

Pay for banner advertising on big movie forums, this will help attract more members and it is your "target audience" although it is costly.

Hmm, thanks for the suggestions LeeM,

3) Seems to be a bit of a catch 22 ... why would similar forums want to affiliate with a smaller site?
And 4) ... any suggestions on what unique "legal" feature to offer ... lol, I couldn't do something like posting links to the weekly aired episode / movie , could I ? :)

It's hard to get interest going in a board that seems infrequently read and posted to... you need posters to post to an "empty" board to get things going. You can hire... very inexpensively... people who will create members and post to your board. They'll charge "x" number of dollars to create 5 members who will make 30 posts, for instance. Some quality copywriters can be hired through the "freelance job" websites who offer these types of packages for between $10 and $30.

I find that is a getting a forum popular can be tricky. Sometimes you get lucky though, the key is to always have new threads and posts. So active members are always worth gold.

One should focus on article and press release submissions, social bookmarking sites, blogs and other related forums. But the best way to spread the buzz for you forum is if you manage to make people talk about your forum. That is why the press releases and the articles should have an intriguing headline and content. You can also include something like a new feature or section nobody's heard of. Or the best way to do it is by saying that you will offer something that is not likely to be achieved. Then all the bloggers, users in social networks and so on would raise a voice (and it doesn't matter if it's good or bad) which will give you a great publicity. When you reach that point all will be in your hands. The ball will be at you an you'll have to keep it on the top.

Write articles and submit them to article directories. Offer prizes for posters. Post on other forums. Post blog comments.

Hey Folks,

Sorry for not replying sooner ... was really busy the past few days. I've gone through all your suggestions and am trying to implement the one's I can. Unfortunately, I have yet to see any results at all ... thanks for the help guys, really appreciate it !

Tell us what techniques work best once you are through this and you get loads of members. Best of luck!

I guess that without putting a bait on the hook there will be know way on earth that you catch the big fish. So that is why forum owners have to tempt and offer to their forum users interesting things, advantages that they can not find on other forums.

Get a better, original layout for your site. Also make sure visitors get the 'movie and TVshow vibe' when visiting your site. Now I only see a forum template, 3 forums and a non-describing title.

If you can afford to put a small budget aside, I would suggest getting some banners designed and advertising on a few similar forums that relate to the same subject.

Forum members are likely to come from people who use other forums.