Community Help

[op2rules]

Hey guys, a lot of you seem really well educated and or possibly successful.

 

My question to you guys is how to find people for my simple little generalized community. My website is op2rules.net, and that is where I want people to join and talk about games, ideas, and just simple social stuff. I know I'm targeting the wrong audiences all the time because almost everyone at my school registers, posts maybe once if they know how, and never go back. I've tried really hard to get my community going and it seems nothing works. I work hard on my website mainly for educational purposes, making me a responsible staff member, as I will respond to almost any complaint or suggestion.

 

So my question is again, how can I find members for my community?

[Hakaku]

Well, first and foremost, ask yourself why? Why should I choose to visit your forum amongst the millions already on the web? What makes your forum unique? What makes me want to go back?

 

Forums are best created when you already have a primary website (or other medium) that naturally generates visitors. And for your website to generate visitors, it needs to have both content and a theme. I should be able to just visit the front page of your site and immediately understand what it's for. Since you state it's roughly a gaming site and whatever, then maybe you should post up some gaming related articles. Put up your opinion on certain stuff. Give people a reason to read and agree or disagree. Get them prepped and motivated to talk back. Put up some visuals and have your own logo. People do actually consider the colours, visuals, and catch phrases when they visit.

 

No broken links.

 

Promote your website. Go visit other forums and websites and promote your site from there. Put it in your signature with a spiffy catchline and whatnot. Submit your site to every existing search engine. Updated content and keywords will allow search engines to rank you up, and the more places that link to your site, the better. Also consider looking up Search Engine Optimization tips and how to add metadata.

 

Reply to topics and start up new conversations on things everyone can relate to. What's currently going on in the world? Create controversial topics and have a controversial opinion. You can easily create yourself a second account to separate your admin account. You can also use one of the more subtle tactics, and talk to yourself using multiple accounts. It sounds ridiculous, but it shows prospecting newcomers that your forum is healthy and active.

[L.C.]

What Hakaku said, and...

 

be consistent. Don't give up after Day 7 or Month #3. Sometimes it may feel like nothing is working and happening; ignore that feeling. If you are really passionate about what you are doing there, then you won't give up. On numerous occasions I have thought about, considered, and even partly acted upon getting rid of my personal blog (not one that anyone really reads or pays attention to or anything). But, I've held in strong.

 

Holding in and not letting go will be one thing that keeps you alive, regardless of the circumstances. It takes time to build. You might not ever become a huge community, but then again you might not be a small one forever either.

 

EDIT: You should do what you do because you are passionate about it. If you aren't sincerely and honestly passionate about it, then ...

Edited July 8, 2010 by L.C.

[Static Burn]

Your site needs a better name.

[op2rules]

Thanks for all the insights guys, appreciating all of it!