How to start a successful forum

1. Find a topic for your forum and stick to it. Find a field that you know a lot about. (Web Design, gaming, coding, movies, ect…)

2. Choose the best software (I like Vbulletin the most)

3. Have a unique forum skin. Make sure it is easy on the eyes and professional looking.

4. Choose a domain (.com .net) and good hosting.

5. Don’t have too many forums for each category. The ideal ammount would be anywhere from 3-6. If you have too many it would become hard to check the threads out and people will lose interest.

6. Write great articles. Say you have a forum for gaming or designing or coding. And you are on another forum and someone needs help. You can reply with “I can help you with that. We have a great article over at my website about just the thing you need help on. You should check it out”. This will draw many members.

7. Always keep it updated and be interactive with your members. I like it when the owner talks with the members on a personal level daily much like what Robson does over at www.Talkfreelance.com. If someone needs help, try to be the first to help them.

8. Maturity, nothing is worst then a forum full of people who can’t hold an intelligent conversation.

9. Moderators, and Admins. Make sure you have reliable, and mature people helping you out. Trust me, you don’t want idiots representing your website.

10. Advertise, Advertise, Advertise. Go to forums that are meant to show off websites and advertise it. Put your link in all your signatures you have at the forums you are a member at.

11. Install mods for your forums that are neccessery.

12. Have incentives, or promotions for people to sign up and stick around.

Make sure you cover all topics on your boards but don't create too many topics. Don't go over 20-25 different topics.