Getting 'critical mass' on a new forum. How?
Discussion
Has anyone any experience on setting up a new forum system?
I've set up a new forum using phpBBS on my webserver to provide a forum for technical support, discussion and announcements for my various freeware and shareware products.
I emailed the members of the current mailing lists for the various products (which is about 100-odd email addresses) plus my friends (yes, I do have some) and the board reports that the maximum number of visitors is..... two. Including me. :(
Where have I gone wrong? [pic]http://www.jonrb.com/emoticons/confused.gif[/pic]
Any suggestions? Should I try to add as much content as possible (eg. create new threads for each FAQ in my existing FAQ list) or does that look a bit desperate?
The new forum is at http://www.coruscant.ltd.uk/fora although I'm afraid it has nothing to do with cars. :)
Cheers
Jon
I've set up a new forum using phpBBS on my webserver to provide a forum for technical support, discussion and announcements for my various freeware and shareware products.
I emailed the members of the current mailing lists for the various products (which is about 100-odd email addresses) plus my friends (yes, I do have some) and the board reports that the maximum number of visitors is..... two. Including me. :(
Where have I gone wrong? [pic]http://www.jonrb.com/emoticons/confused.gif[/pic]
Any suggestions? Should I try to add as much content as possible (eg. create new threads for each FAQ in my existing FAQ list) or does that look a bit desperate?
The new forum is at http://www.coruscant.ltd.uk/fora although I'm afraid it has nothing to do with cars. :)
Cheers
Jon
JonRB said:
Any suggestions? Should I try to add as much content as possible (eg. create new threads for each FAQ in my existing FAQ list) or does that look a bit desperate?
Definitely looks a bit desperate and always wonder why they bothered setting it up if they need to make the content themselves. Is there actually any demand for this or would email and an extensive FAQ work just aswell considering you will probably end up answering all the questions anyway?
Serious question, who do you think will visit it, and why?
As somebody with no particular interest in any of your products I couldn't find anything there relevent to me. Obviously it isn't aimed at me. If it's intended mainly as a tech support forum perhaps you could at least *pretend*
that there were other visitors asking questions for you to answer?
As somebody with no particular interest in any of your products I couldn't find anything there relevent to me. Obviously it isn't aimed at me. If it's intended mainly as a tech support forum perhaps you could at least *pretend*
that there were other visitors asking questions for you to answer?I'm in kind-of the same boat at the moment... I've got a forum on our racing site that I'd like to promote and have some regular activity on, but at 9 members, (4 of which are in the team!) we aren't exactly blossoming..
We're getting a relatively good amount of interest in the site ( <100 visitors a day though, so not stunning!) so I'm trying to work out the best way to increase hits and interest...
hmmmmmm....
slinky
587racing.com
We're getting a relatively good amount of interest in the site ( <100 visitors a day though, so not stunning!) so I'm trying to work out the best way to increase hits and interest...
hmmmmmm....
slinky
587racing.com
GreenV8S said:
As somebody with no particular interest in any of your products I couldn't find anything there relevent to me. Obviously it isn't aimed at me. If it's intended mainly as a tech support forum perhaps you could at least *pretend*
Indeed. And the thought had crossed my mind, Pete.
I think a forum is probably the best way of providing technical support for a product as you (hopefully) don't need to answer the same question again and again - in other words it grows into a Knowledge Base as much as a forum.
Trouble is nobody wants to post to an empty forum, so I think you may be right - a few fictitous users might be the way to go here.
>> Edited by JonRB on Saturday 11th June 16:31
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