Website design By BotEap.comTo begin this project, you will benefit from having a clear plan for each step of the process. For this illustration, we are going to assume a very limited budget where most, if not all, of the tasks will be done by you. The steps you can consider plotting are as follows;
- software selection
- find a host
- installation and configuration
- content creation
- customization forum
- marketing forum
- support for
Website design By BotEap.comSoftware
Website design By BotEap.comTo get started, you will need to choose a software solution for your forum. While creating an online discussion community can be an enriching experience, it can also become unnecessarily complicated. The complexity will largely depend on the software you choose. Assuming we’re working on a tight budget, there are basically two options; use “open source” forum software that will still require installation, configuration, and hosting, or find a reputable free forum hosting service.
Website design By BotEap.comThe most popular open source software applications are probably phpBB and MyBB; SMF also deserves a mention. While these are great products with a wide variety of layouts and options, the fact is that they need to be downloaded, installed, hosted, and configured before you can use them.
Website design By BotEap.comKeep in mind that with limited resources, the key to building a successful forum is to focus on the most productive tasks. If you are more interested in building a thriving community than improving your programming skills, then a free and reliable forum hosting service is the most practical option.
Website design By BotEap.comThe main benefit of using a free forum hosting service is that all the work of managing, updating and securing the forum is done for you. You’ll never have to deal with database issues, security issues, debugging issues, hosting fees, etc. Also, by choosing a forum hosting service, the “setup and setup” responsibilities mentioned above will be largely reduced to making a few customization tweaks to your new forum.
Website design By BotEap.comDelighted
Website design By BotEap.comNow that we’ve fixed the configuration problem, let’s talk about the content. Content is the lifeblood of every forum, and in the beginning, every new forum is a dry lake of content. If you’ve created original and relevant content in the past for other purposes, consider “repurposing” it and posting it on your new forum. Topic research, blog posts, articles, and newsletter contributions are all fair game for republishing.
Website design By BotEap.comAdditionally, any research you have done may be of great interest to others and may also have significant search engine optimization (SEO) value. Consider publishing the results of relevant research on a specific topic. Every time you go looking for answers on the web, make a note of everything you find (links, data, statistics, etc.) and post it as content. These hard-earned bits of information can often be of great value to others. Later, as your forum gains momentum, the individual search for new content will decrease as your community naturally thrives.
Website design By BotEap.compersonalization
Website design By BotEap.comGenerally, once you’ve set up your forum, it’s easy to customize. If you’ve created a forum using one of the solutions mentioned above, finding a plethora of free “skins” and themes to customize it shouldn’t be difficult. Forum themes are easily applied to most popular forum software and installation instructions are often readily available.
Website design By BotEap.comMarketing
Website design By BotEap.comWith the recent update of Google’s search algorithm (Panda/Penguin), content has become synonymous with marketing. Good content = good marketing. Keep in mind that to be SEO friendly, content must be keyword rich. Beyond good content, marketing your new forum will require reaching out to the community. Send invites to everyone you know who might be interested (but don’t spam!). Also, consider asking experts in your field to participate in relevant threads. If timed correctly (when thread engagement is high), experts will often jump at the chance to share their insights and promote themselves. Experts are often a big draw, and you may be surprised by the number of people who visit your forum to chat with a “celebrity” in your field.
Website design By BotEap.comSupport for
Website design By BotEap.comThe one indispensable help that every aspiring forum administrator needs is a friendly and knowledgeable support community. In fact, the experience and help of the support community should be one of the key determining factors in choosing the right forum software solution. Regardless of which software solution you choose, be sure to visit and spend some time in the support community forum before committing to your decision. Remember, even the most experienced forum administrators sometimes have questions!
Website design By BotEap.comSummary
Website design By BotEap.comTo remember; Building an online community takes time and planning. When done correctly, it can bring great satisfaction and benefit to you as the forum owner. Whether you follow all the steps outlined above or not, do yourself this favor; plan before you build. Having a clear picture of the target before you start will drastically increase the probability of hitting it.
