[tester23]

Hi all,

I run a travel forum and was wondering if you had any advice as to how to increase the number of contributing members?

thanks

[jono]

When you find out, make sure you tell me!

I'm always after ways of increasing forum participation, but have a look at the member lists of some of the big forums out there and note how many users have more than 10 posts against their name - it's not that many.

I think it depends on your niche but some people are just content on browsing while others are more forward and get involved.

There are some tactics you could use to encourage people to contribute - for example, running a competition or have areas locked out to people with less than x number of posts. With these kind of tactics you do have to be aware that people could run up their post counts and you could get a lot of meaningless posts.

I am finding that it's critical to get out there are mention your forum where ever you can. Only in the last day or two I have posted on some webmaster forums and found an instant increase in hits.

[Web Templates]

Originally Posted by tester23

Hi all,

I run a travel forum and was wondering if you had any advice as to how to increase the number of contributing members?

thanks

Here are just a couple ideas off the top of my head.

1. Make it Do Follow
2. Allow forum signatures after a small amount of posts.
3. Give points - show leader board - people like seeing points even if they don't really don't mean anything (look at Yahoo Answers)
4. Contests can be quite effective - I have seen a webmaster forum I follow quadruple the posts - the forum moderator solicited prizes from forum posters - gave them all links and posts are way up.

HTH

[wgcool]

Originally Posted by Web Templates

Here are just a couple ideas off the top of my head.

1. Make it Do Follow
2. Allow forum signatures after a small amount of posts.
3. Give points - show leader board - people like seeing points even if they don't really don't mean anything (look at Yahoo Answers)
4. Contests can be quite effective - I have seen a webmaster forum I follow quadruple the posts - the forum moderator solicited prizes from forum posters - gave them all links and posts are way up.

HTH

I would like to add something with it. I think we should promote that forum by participating in some social networking sites.

[jamesprx]

I think if you had to increase forum participation,, you need to post some really good stuff there in your forum
Post some contest there in your forum and some interesting things which catch visitors for your forum.

[The Leader]

People need controversy to get them involved. Double a nusiance poster and aggravate everyone.
That will get things firing!

[jamesprx]

controversy..
thats good idea..

[wgcool]

We should make forums do follow and allow members to add signatures and stop ourselves from putting to much restriction or deleting posts randomly.

[lowcostwebhosting]

Originally Posted by Web Templates

Here are just a couple ideas off the top of my head.

1. Make it Do Follow
2. Allow forum signatures after a small amount of posts.
3. Give points - show leader board - people like seeing points even if they don't really don't mean anything (look at Yahoo Answers)
4. Contests can be quite effective - I have seen a webmaster forum I follow quadruple the posts - the forum moderator solicited prizes from forum posters - gave them all links and posts are way up.

HTH

I total agree with you.

Point Number 1,2 and 4 are most important for your forums.

Because people will join you either for backlinks or for get some benefits.

So you can offers there some attractive services or other suitable thing in starting.

Thanks
Alex

[Blacky]

before you get forum participation you actually need people to go to the site. Since we've got ideas for getting it active, how about attracting people to forums?? any ideas?