How do you promote a forum?

[merxeri]

While blog and informative sites are mostly based on their content to serve the users with forums the users serve each other. So how can one promote a forum and bring users to be active there?

 

[galbatron]

Social media would be a good start. Like relevent facebook groups for example

 

[jamie3000]

Probably promoting it on similar forums but you need a killer USP

 

[AdultRanks]

Having a facebook group would be a good place to start.

Once you have active users then promote your forum.

Also use SEO to position your forum as the top forum in your niche.

 

[WeTake]

The same way you promote anything else on the internet.use FB statues,FB news feed,FB groups,Twitter,instagram,

 

[Imz]

Depends on your forum as it stands today.

Let's say you promote it and in the next hour 1,000 legit unique visitors visit, would they stick around?

Is there enough content on the forum, are there other users or is it no mans land etc

 

[tubeboost]

I think you need to support/pay a kernel active group of members who are active all the time and make it alive. Forum is a society. Each society has a kernel.

 

[magicjones]

I think forums are great but there are so many already in every niche that are ghost towns. Hard to start new I would think.

 

[Imz]

Agreed.

With Facebook groups / reddit for every topic under the sun and more, it's a nearly impossible task in 2019.

Driving traffic is easy, converting it isn't (on a forum).

Look at this forum, it's taken a years for BHW to convert me as a lurker to a contributor, and still... this site hasn't made a dime from me.

In the grand scheme of things it's got a lot of traffic and paying members etc, brand new forums don't have that luxury.

 

[Sophie_UK]

There has to be desire, a 'what's in it for me' for individuals to change their behaviour and move across to your forum. And that has to be sustained through active management. There's often an impression that forums run themselves, I'm sure the mods here will tell you otherwise!

 

[M.C. Histemine]

Try influencers? If you can tempt one into joining the forum, they can promote through their channels.