Starting to promote your community

**shellspeare** · 03-05-2006, 02:09 PM

Promoting your community is vital, otherwise you'll be sat looking at your statistics willing them to magically change.

What you get out of running a community is what you put in and promotion is a grueling task to begin with but the rewards are fruitful.

Where to begin

As well as promoting your new community you are also promoting yourself. The way you conduct yourself on the internet is very important. I find a friendly, fair, approachable and professional attitude works the best for attracting members and business deals such as sponsorship, affiliates.

To start getting your name and community 'out there' the best place to begin is by adding the url into your signature on other forums you frequent and activley participate in.

*Check every forums rules on self promotion and comply by these rules.

*Post quality posts - you will not attract members by simply agreeing or putting 'lol' - get people interested in you and what you stand for.

*Don't spam - respect your fellow admin and the time and effort they have already taken to get their members.

Below is a list of other ways of promotion..

*Join topsites
*affiliate with other forums
*word of mouth
*ask friends to add it to their blog, website, sig etc...
*Join web rings etc
*submit url to as many search engines as possible
*submit link to as many directories as possible
*make business cards and drop them in internet cafes, university computer lounges, colleges, doctors surgeries etc

Be inventive and imaginative with promotion.

To find topsites, web rings, search engines and affiliates check other forums, google and the boards support forums.

You have to strive to get traffic to your board, it will not just appear like magic, hard work and determination is vital.

Topsites & Directories
]Forum Directories (add to)

Tips for Topsites

At first add yourself to topsites that count hits in rather than pageviews giving you the chance to be near the top of the list where you will be noticed more.
Create a banner for the topsites that is eye catching, professional looking and reflects your board. Host this on imageshack or photobucket so you can access the url easily.

Hope this helps you onto the path of promotion
For the next step check out our seo forum.

**Lee** · 03-06-2006, 06:02 PM

Very good read!

**rex_b** · 03-06-2006, 06:06 PM

Lots of good advice

**sandman** · 03-09-2006, 05:34 PM

I have good luck with the topsites idea. I was able to find a targeted one for my subject and went at it. The targeted traffic can be nice!

**Gareth** · 03-11-2006, 03:25 PM

Very nice article, I already do the majority of those. However, some of those links are very useful, thank you.

**psking** · 03-19-2006, 07:07 PM

The thing is that for some of those things like forumzilla you need to have at least 100 members...I don't even have ten. What is the best way to get your first few members to build your community?

**shellspeare** · 03-19-2006, 07:10 PM

Msn buddies, friends, word of mouth, advertising in sig, www.stumbleupon.com to name a few

A good topsite will get you started too.

**innocence** · 03-20-2006, 10:14 AM

Very useful... It'll elp me in building my community

**Purplescraps** · 03-24-2006, 08:30 PM

This is great, thank you thank you!

**rain of fire** · 04-02-2006, 01:58 PM

nice communitys i loved it
maybe someday i'll be part of some of it

03-05-2006, 02:09 PM	#1
shellspeare Forum Enthusiast Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: England Posts: 2,520	Starting to promote your community Promoting your community is vital, otherwise you'll be sat looking at your statistics willing them to magically change. What you get out of running a community is what you put in and promotion is a grueling task to begin with but the rewards are fruitful. Where to begin As well as promoting your new community you are also promoting yourself. The way you conduct yourself on the internet is very important. I find a friendly, fair, approachable and professional attitude works the best for attracting members and business deals such as sponsorship, affiliates. To start getting your name and community 'out there' the best place to begin is by adding the url into your signature on other forums you frequent and activley participate in. Check every forums rules on self promotion and comply by these rules. Post quality posts - you will not attract members by simply agreeing or putting 'lol' - get people interested in you and what you stand for. Don't spam - respect your fellow admin and the time and effort they have already taken to get their members. Below is a list of other ways of promotion.. Join topsites affiliate with other forums word of mouth ask friends to add it to their blog, website, sig etc... Join web rings etc submit url to as many search engines as possible submit link to as many directories as possible make business cards and drop them in internet cafes, university computer lounges, colleges, doctors surgeries etc Be inventive and imaginative with promotion. To find topsites, web rings, search engines and affiliates check other forums, google and the boards support forums. You have to strive to get traffic to your board, it will not just appear like magic, hard work and determination is vital. Topsites & Directories ]Forum Directories (add to) vBulletin Directory phpbb Directory ipb Directory Forum Directory ForumsInfo vBulletin Links Forum Haven Forum Directory Forum A-Z Forum Showcase Forum Finder Forum Topsites Forum Fight Top 100 Forums Punka's Topsite Forum Topsites Web Rings ipb Webring vB Ring vBulletin Webring To form your own Webring Topsites Other http://www.itch.com http://www.boardtracker.com/ http://www.forumzilla.com/ Tips for Topsites At first add yourself to topsites that count hits in rather than pageviews giving you the chance to be near the top of the list where you will be noticed more. Create a banner for the topsites that is eye catching, professional looking and reflects your board. Host this on imageshack or photobucket so you can access the url easily. Hope this helps you onto the path of promotion For the next step check out our seo forum. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.* \| To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

03-06-2006, 06:02 PM	#2
Lee Administrator Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 1,434	Very good read! __________________ New @ EarnersForum.com ~ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Recent Audio Interview ~ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

03-06-2006, 06:06 PM	#3
rex_b Apprentice Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Louisiana Posts: 351	Lots of good advice __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. - vBulletin modification resources To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. - Coming Soon!

03-09-2006, 05:34 PM	#4
sandman Lurker Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 11	I have good luck with the topsites idea. I was able to find a targeted one for my subject and went at it. The targeted traffic can be nice! __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

03-11-2006, 03:25 PM	#5
Gareth Groupie Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 33	Very nice article, I already do the majority of those. However, some of those links are very useful, thank you. __________________ ▌ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. ▌ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. ▌ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

03-19-2006, 07:07 PM	#6
psking Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 57	The thing is that for some of those things like forumzilla you need to have at least 100 members...I don't even have ten. What is the best way to get your first few members to build your community? __________________ _______________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. - Free Photoshop Tutorials, Forums, Tips, Tricks

03-19-2006, 07:10 PM	#7
shellspeare Forum Enthusiast Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: England Posts: 2,520	Msn buddies, friends, word of mouth, advertising in sig, www.stumbleupon.com to name a few A good topsite will get you started too. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. \| To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

03-20-2006, 10:14 AM	#8
innocence Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 56	Very useful... It'll elp me in building my community

03-24-2006, 08:30 PM	#9
Purplescraps Groupie Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Home Sweet Home Posts: 44	This is great, thank you thank you! __________________ Becky To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

04-02-2006, 01:58 PM	#10
rain of fire Lurker Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 10	nice communitys i loved it maybe someday i'll be part of some of it

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Starting a new community - how to implement store and articles?	batesy	Planning and Brainstorming	3	08-16-2006 08:07 PM
Worst ways to promote a community is?	miner	Handling Problem Members	8	12-31-2005 01:01 PM