starting a forum?

ravs2k6 · Joined: 09 May 2006 Posts: 3

I was wondering what it really takes to make a forum like this?

I wanted to start a forum related to cars a couple of years ago, but never did it. Now, I have been looking around at domain registration, web hosting and PHP forum stuff.

I looked at Godaddy for hosting and domain reg, but I want to be sure I know what I am getting into first.

Does anyone have any advice on domain reg sites (cheaper the better) and hosting?

How about advice on the forum portion?

Easy is best, of course.

JTingly · Joined: 13 May 2006 Posts: 59

woohooo! godaddy! candice michelle1
anyway, do you have knowledge of scripting, the web designing, and html, and all the other goodies?

RDProgrammer · Joined: 15 May 2006 Posts: 2 Location: Tulsa, OK

Good luck on starting a forum. I don't say that maliciously, but realistically, because forums are very hard to start and get running. If you want an active forum with a diverse crowd of members you need to have a high quality site that is specific enough to keep a reader interested, but not too much so that it deters many potential members. You also need to use a real host (meaning paid) and register a domain. I personally use Registeryfly.com because they are cheap and reliable. You will also need and atractive layout to keep users looking at your site. Hope this helps,

Richard
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Roane · Posted: Mon May 15, 2006 10:44 pm Post subject:

First off: good luck on starting your forum! I'm sure I could send just about every male in my life your way. (Of course, I'd swing by if I could talk about pickup trucks. They're my weakness -- strange for a college girl. Wink

)

Anyway, many of the boards I've been on have used phpBB (www.phpbb.com). It's an open-source package that you can download free from the site. The set-up is simple, the basics clean, and it still remains highly customizable. With even just slight manipulation of color schemes and simple graphics, you can create a rather spiffy-looking board. Some very "low-tech" admins I'm friendly with will sing its praises all day. Plus -- to top it all off -- there's an active support forum on the site, also free!

Now to add onto what Richard said, have you given thought to site content beyond the forum? I've found that a comprehensive site will draw in users, and the users and their discussion will then help to generate more content in a nice little cycle. Are you going to feature articles? Maybe a blog that feeds into topic discussions on the boards?

Just throwing out ideas -- and let me know if you have any questions about phpBB. Smile

Paula · Joined: 26 May 2006 Posts: 6

If you intend to make money off of the site, then free sites like phpBB are not for you. They do not allow you to run ads by say, Google. If you are paying godaddy or 1and1, then you can open an ad account and get paid for every click people make on featured items.
My .02 cents worth Wink

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sheenwhit · Joined: 26 May 2006 Posts: 7 Location: Florida

I have wondered for a long time how to make a forum. I am not worried about the layout/scripting of the forum, mainly on how do I get steady traffic to the board and keep them coming! I guess word of mouth and advertising! Razz

Jacob · Joined: 28 May 2006 Posts: 8

There is a rather boring formula that I could give you about how you could get members. Members=Members. Therefore, if you have lots of members, other members will join up, which results in more members joining and the train goes on.

The key to getting a forum up and running is offering something that people will enjoy to write about. You want to have a site about cars. You obviously have the chance to get quite a few member when it comes to car fanatics. If you see how many of those "Build up car" shows there are on TLC and The Discovery Channel, you can see that there are a lot of car fanatics out there willing to watch these shows. With the growing internet, people will obviously chat about it. Here is my advice for the layout and the growth of the site.

Put pictures of cars on the forum. Small pictures. You know how when there is a new post on a forum, a certain icon appears next to the topic? Well, make it a certain car that appears when there is a new post, when there are no new posts and when something is a sticky and an announcement. A nice design without too much jumping out is imperative to catch people's eyes. Though we are told never to read a book by its cover, we break this rule time and time again by judging things before we really know what is going on.

Have a lot of places for people to post. Don't mistake this for a lot of forums. I suggest limiting the number of forums you have until you grow larger. The more forums you have, the less posts per forum and the less active you look. What I meant by having lots of places for people to post is that you need to have lots of posts made by you that people can post their opinion. "I think that the alternator on the subaru sucks because..." Post your opinions about it and then people can say something else. Make another topic about another part of the car or maybe just a different car and how much you love it. The more that is there for people to post about, the better your chances are that something you said will catch a guest's eye and they will jump at the chance to reply. Don't allow guests to post and they'll be forced to sign up, thus joining and maybe posting in other places.

If you offer a point system for each post and then the chance to cash these posts in for cool avatars, such as a hot rod car or something, then they might post more. I am on this Star Wars forum and for each post I make, I get a point, called a credit. Pretty Star Wars cliche, eh? Anyways...I can buy different items, such as a blaster rifle and stuff with these items. It makes it fun and I find myself posting a whole lot more because I want to try and get more items. People will see all this posting and say, "Well, it must be active, let me go join." Then you'll get more activity and finally, you'll have a nice large group of members coming to your site.

Word of mouth is always a good technique, but it only works if you offer rewards for people bringing members. "Get fifty points for every person you recruit to the site." Then with those points offer prizes, you get the picture. If you want to do affiliations, I recommend small buttons either on the main page or at the bottom of the site. Affiliations will allow you to get a higher page rank on google which might ultimately lead to more members joining. I don't recommend paying money for advertising unless you plan on this becoming a business. If you plan on making money from this in return, whether through ads or selling stuff, then advertise with money. If not, just stick with word of mouth and what ever free forms of advertising you can get.

If none of this works, ask around and see if anyone else has any other tips that they can offer you. If you have any questions, feel free to message me or post here and I will check by shortly. Have a good night and I wish you the absolute best luck with your forum. It's a whole lot of fun creating a forum and watching as more and more people join. On some of my forums, I've found myself getting all giddy when another new member would sign up. Anyways...Take care and good luck.

-Jacob