SubZeroMan wrote: ↑Sat Jan 28, 2006 6:20 am
It seems like 99 out of 100 boards go no where. What does it take to get a good sized user base? Is it all in the name? What did the people that were successful do that the many, many that were not, didnt?
I've had my board 15 years and still can't answer that question. Sometimes they come in herds. Sometimes it's a drip drip. After all this time I still can't answer your question. However, I'm an expert on WHAT NOT TO DO.
Do not think just because you don't agree with an active user, you can do without him. Anyone active is gold and should be treated special. Five active members can carry a site.
Do not depend on active members to stay active. It's an ever evolving cast of characters.
One mad member can leave and take everyone with him. That jack, is a fact.
Controversy equals hits. Simultaneously, controversy runs a few people off. There's a balance. But no controversy, no hits.
Don't change a thing. By this I mean don't change your logo, your software, your ownership, and especially your domain. People hate change and they show it by not showing up. You never get a chance to debate it.
Active users usually visit several boards. Don't be jealous and don't try to make your board more like the bigger boards they visit. Just be you. And your board IS you. You can't get around that.
The quickest way to lose your best members are to make them moderators. I've been in this business a long time. I'll argue that point with anybody.
More people don't necessarily equal more money. I had my board making $6000-$6500 a month for years with less than ten thousand members.
Never let your board go dormant. If you just have to go on a fishing trip make sure someone is minding the store. You lose about ten members for every discount adidas post you get. And if something's broke... fix it. If you can't fix it, find someone who can.
If you have a niche, leave it to heck alone. Don't expand it, reshape it, try to add to it, or in anyway try to rethink it. If it ain't broke, it ain't broke.
Don't jump around servers. It's my opinion that it not only hurts your ranking but if you have a long relationship with your host, they'll do a lot to help you when you have nowhere else to turn.
I could write a book. But you get the point. And one last thing, members don't find you, you find them. If your forum doesn't represent something you are personally active at doing, it will never ever ever work.
Good luck