Comments on: Ode to a Forum http://www.websitepublisher.net/blog/2008/05/09/ode-to-a-forum/ Website Promotion, Generating Revenue, Website Management Sat, 28 Feb 2026 22:09:57 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=3.8.41 By: Chris Bowyer http://www.websitepublisher.net/blog/2008/05/09/ode-to-a-forum/#comment-25747 Tue, 27 May 2008 19:06:18 +0000 http://www.websitepublisher.net/blog/2008/05/09/ode-to-a-forum/#comment-25747 I concur. Building an active community can take a lot of time and effort, and there will often be times where it feels like a lost cause, but there’s a ton of upside to it, as you’ve detailed here.

I think one point you mentioned, about using forum software as a site-wide registration gateway, is worth repeating. A few sites do this, but not nearly enough, to my mind. When I start any significantly-sized site now, integrating it with vBulletin from the bottom-up is a given. Using vB’s templating system greatly speeds development time, as does letting it handle all of the registration and login details.

]]> By: Tom M http://www.websitepublisher.net/blog/2008/05/09/ode-to-a-forum/#comment-25547 Mon, 19 May 2008 17:01:13 +0000 http://www.websitepublisher.net/blog/2008/05/09/ode-to-a-forum/#comment-25547 Great article!

I think forums are great but I think they take up so much time and there is tons of competition. In fact, so many forums fail each year because the owner just gives up.

I believe if you can hold the course and have a nice budget to promote the forum, in the long run it will be a great benefit.

]]> By: Rob http://www.websitepublisher.net/blog/2008/05/09/ode-to-a-forum/#comment-25449 Wed, 14 May 2008 21:23:01 +0000 http://www.websitepublisher.net/blog/2008/05/09/ode-to-a-forum/#comment-25449 Chris, I love reading your articles. You’re love of forums is what has kept me committed to forums and user generated content.

I love the word linking idea! I don’t use VB, but my forum software has the ability to convert “banned” words into other words. I can simply convert a word or phrase into a linked version of that phrase to a page on my site… I love it!

Also, I’m in the process of leveraging an existing community into a complimentary forum / community. Right now all the members of the new community are from my original forum, but I’m hoping that as the SE’s get a hold of the content I’ll start getting a lot of new members, many of which I can even funnel into my original site. Potential for some exciting community synergy!

]]> By: Chris http://www.websitepublisher.net/blog/2008/05/09/ode-to-a-forum/#comment-25350 Fri, 09 May 2008 18:59:02 +0000 http://www.websitepublisher.net/blog/2008/05/09/ode-to-a-forum/#comment-25350 Which is why I said “almost all” and “eventually.”

I have one forum that for 4 years couldn’t do more than 200 posts a month. Now it gets 100 a day.

]]> By: Gyutae Park http://www.websitepublisher.net/blog/2008/05/09/ode-to-a-forum/#comment-25346 Fri, 09 May 2008 17:39:46 +0000 http://www.websitepublisher.net/blog/2008/05/09/ode-to-a-forum/#comment-25346 Hey Chris,
Great article, but I would have to disagree with your last point that “almost all forums eventually become successful.” In my experience, forums are the hardest types of sites to grow because they rely so much on other people.

Blogs rely on content and articles, ecommerce on products, and forums on community. Without people forums are nothing but most people won’t join a forum unless it’s already popular. It’s not impossible but a forum takes a HUGE time and effort commitment to make successful.

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