Increasing membership?
HCF Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 689
From: Plattsburgh, NY
I know I'm a newb, but I like how another forum has a list of the ten most recently commented upon threads. It helps to find the more active conversations. I know that the title of each sub-forum has the most recently commented thread, but if more than one active thread is in one sub-forum, you wouldn't be able to tell.
Chubby Chaser
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 4,681
From: whitwell,Tn 37397
I know I'm a newb, but I like how another forum has a list of the ten most recently commented upon threads. It helps to find the more active conversations. I know that the title of each sub-forum has the most recently commented thread, but if more than one active thread is in one sub-forum, you wouldn't be able to tell.
HCF Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 113
From: Chapel Hill, NC. Moving to Raleigh Soon.
Thanks again! How about a fuel efficiency sub-forum for members to discuss efficiency related modifications? To me, it seems that the tuner and fuel efficiency communities always seem to be separate. If you brought them together a little bit more, the forum would be more unique.
HCF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 52
From: Virginia, US
I didn't read through all of the posts; however, did want to put in my 2 cent worth (for what it's worth anyway) A buddy of mine and myself started a forum a couple of years ago (http://www.motorcyclistsunited.com/). It is still in existence, but we no longer own it - we sold it pretty much due to stupid bickering baby crap and certain members constantly causing problems. I designed the entire thing - PLEASE NOTE - since it has taken on new owners the layout has been 100% changed - my work was much better, they just wanted something new that pretty much sucks in my opinion, but anyway)
I have been coding sites for years, but this was the first forum I ever built and ran. I learned a lot and membership was a problem towards the end. There is so much competition out there that it is hard to always get influx of members constantly. You always have be diligent when trying to recruit new members. For instance, first and foremost content is key so that you can get loads of really good "organic" search engine results. Ranking on search engines should be top priority and S.E.O. is now a science to be honest.
Content seems to be pretty good here - loads of topics on specific subjects. Therein lies another issue though too - the more specific you are with your audience (i.e. Honda Civic Forums, as opposed to Honda Forum, or even Automotive forums). Sort of the difference between Walmart and Boutique Stores. The latter has a niche and the people that frequent it like that nice and share similar interests - just like a forum like this. I like the fact that this forum is specific to Honda Civics - there is just something about a group of people who all have a passion for one thing - in most cases this causes more of a "brotherhood" or dare I say it "club" atmosphere - which again is not bad at all.
However, there are other things that can be done besides content. We were pretty successful with setting up a twitter account and getting followers. Then I used an application that updated the topics with links as tweets whenever a new post was made on the forums.
Additionally, there are TONS of people that use Facebook. We created a Motorcyclists United facebook page, which again got people to the forums and participating.
Finally, you have done awesome with getting sponsors, not sure what the setup is (i.e., ad dollars or what coming in). But contests, giveaways, freebies, etc. are all things that are good to use. It is 100% marketing, plain and simple. Although I am an IT guy now, may first career was sales and marketing which I was really good at, just sort of hated doing!
Biggest thing is, do not give up - you will hopefully always have a dedicated core group of people and then you will have the temporary members who come by for a question, stay for a little bit, and then leave. Then you will have the fly-by-night johnnies who come and post a question, copy and paste it to many other related forums, and then never come back ever again.
Overall, it is a great forum and has much more going for it than many others. Keep the activity going and you are doing well. I do suggest a change of scenery though - this basic VBulliten layout is the de facto, but it is just that - normal and not unique. You need to find a delicate balance between unique, easy to use, and functional which isn't always easy.
Mike
(okay, maybe it was more like 8 cent worth)
I have been coding sites for years, but this was the first forum I ever built and ran. I learned a lot and membership was a problem towards the end. There is so much competition out there that it is hard to always get influx of members constantly. You always have be diligent when trying to recruit new members. For instance, first and foremost content is key so that you can get loads of really good "organic" search engine results. Ranking on search engines should be top priority and S.E.O. is now a science to be honest.
Content seems to be pretty good here - loads of topics on specific subjects. Therein lies another issue though too - the more specific you are with your audience (i.e. Honda Civic Forums, as opposed to Honda Forum, or even Automotive forums). Sort of the difference between Walmart and Boutique Stores. The latter has a niche and the people that frequent it like that nice and share similar interests - just like a forum like this. I like the fact that this forum is specific to Honda Civics - there is just something about a group of people who all have a passion for one thing - in most cases this causes more of a "brotherhood" or dare I say it "club" atmosphere - which again is not bad at all.
However, there are other things that can be done besides content. We were pretty successful with setting up a twitter account and getting followers. Then I used an application that updated the topics with links as tweets whenever a new post was made on the forums.
Additionally, there are TONS of people that use Facebook. We created a Motorcyclists United facebook page, which again got people to the forums and participating.
Finally, you have done awesome with getting sponsors, not sure what the setup is (i.e., ad dollars or what coming in). But contests, giveaways, freebies, etc. are all things that are good to use. It is 100% marketing, plain and simple. Although I am an IT guy now, may first career was sales and marketing which I was really good at, just sort of hated doing!
Biggest thing is, do not give up - you will hopefully always have a dedicated core group of people and then you will have the temporary members who come by for a question, stay for a little bit, and then leave. Then you will have the fly-by-night johnnies who come and post a question, copy and paste it to many other related forums, and then never come back ever again.
Overall, it is a great forum and has much more going for it than many others. Keep the activity going and you are doing well. I do suggest a change of scenery though - this basic VBulliten layout is the de facto, but it is just that - normal and not unique. You need to find a delicate balance between unique, easy to use, and functional which isn't always easy.
Mike
(okay, maybe it was more like 8 cent worth)
Angry Admin
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,653
From: Reading, PA
Mike,
While you did lay down some valid points and I agree almost 100% with everything you said, the problem is we the people who actually administrate this forum have virtually no power to enact changes. We are owned by Internet Brands, or were considering IB was bought out a few days ago, and they have ultimate power over what goes on. It took ages just to get a spelling error fixed in the site banner. To completely change the layout, well to put it simply with the past experiences in getting things done, we'll all be dead by then.
Josh
HCF Admin
While you did lay down some valid points and I agree almost 100% with everything you said, the problem is we the people who actually administrate this forum have virtually no power to enact changes. We are owned by Internet Brands, or were considering IB was bought out a few days ago, and they have ultimate power over what goes on. It took ages just to get a spelling error fixed in the site banner. To completely change the layout, well to put it simply with the past experiences in getting things done, we'll all be dead by then.
Josh
HCF Admin
HCF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 52
From: Virginia, US
AH, I see - yeah that kinda limits things when you have a "the man"
In some ways that is good and in some ways that is bad. If I knew more about who they were, then I have experience in potentially getting some things done - not in the middle of a sale though. Sometimes one would be surprised what could get done just so long as it was presented the right way.
So how does the setup work anyway? Does IB simply own the site, hosting, and consequently get the ad revenue? Or do they maintain it as well? Meaning, what role does the admin play?
Sort of sounds like the problem that caused the birth of MotorcyclistsUnited in the first place. The founding members were all a part of MotorcycleForum.com which is/was owned by Crowdgather - similar to IB I guess. Their admins and mods were really ***** over there so we pulled the old secession card and created our own. It was much better, but at the expense of less members.
Thanks for letting me know.
Mike
In some ways that is good and in some ways that is bad. If I knew more about who they were, then I have experience in potentially getting some things done - not in the middle of a sale though. Sometimes one would be surprised what could get done just so long as it was presented the right way.
So how does the setup work anyway? Does IB simply own the site, hosting, and consequently get the ad revenue? Or do they maintain it as well? Meaning, what role does the admin play?
Sort of sounds like the problem that caused the birth of MotorcyclistsUnited in the first place. The founding members were all a part of MotorcycleForum.com which is/was owned by Crowdgather - similar to IB I guess. Their admins and mods were really ***** over there so we pulled the old secession card and created our own. It was much better, but at the expense of less members.
Thanks for letting me know.
Mike