Articles by Cedric
The Rise, Fall, and Flicker of Standalone Forums: A Look Back at Internet Communities
Once upon a time, forums were the lifeblood of the internet. You had your favorite boards bookmarked, spent hours posting replies, and knew everyone by username. It was the golden age of community-driven...
Running a community isn't rocket science, but it's also not as easy as just setting up a forum and expecting people to magically show up and become and instant success. If you want to crash and burn, there are some surefire ways to do it. But if you want your community to actually grow and last...
Running a forum isn’t all smooth sailing. Sooner or later, you’re going to run into problems, and how you handle them will determine the success (or failure) of your community. Some issues are small annoyances, while others can threaten your forum’s health, reputation, and even existence. Here...
We know running a forum isn’t just about keeping the lights on - it’s about creating a space where people actually want to be. But how do you know if you’re doing it right? You could guess, or you could just ask. And that’s where surveys come in.
I've just witnessed how Forum Promotion has done...
We all know running an online community isn’t just about setting up a forum and hoping for the best. It takes real skill, patience, and leadership to create a space where people want to engage, contribute, and keep coming back. Skills that you don't develop easily and some take decades to learn...
I've read something not so long ago asking the question if off topic posts could be a downfall of your community. Online communities definitely thrive on discussion, engagement, and of course the natural flow of conversation. While structure and focus are essential, there’s something to be said...
Visitors to your forum can be fickle - if they see something they don’t like, they’ll leave. Simple as that. You need to wow them if you want them to register and become an active part of your community.
In this article, I’ll walk you through what I believe are the top five things visitors look...
You have your community - it may be brand new, or it may be well-established. Whatever stage your community is at, you should always experiment and try new things.
Why Experimentation Matters
If you don’t experiment, your site and community will suffer. Trying new things can lead to massive...
Content Doesn't Create Itself
Building an active and successful forum isn’t magic - I'm sure by now you know it takes effort. Quality and quantity of content are key factors in any thriving online community. As an administrator, you can never overstate the importance of fresh, engaging...
There are plenty of ways to improve your site’s ranking in search engines, but not all of them are good.
Some people try to take shortcuts to boost their rankings, even if it means using methods that search engines frown upon. One of those methods is duplicate content.
What is duplicate...
Let’s get one thing straight: forums aren’t dead. Not even close. Sure, they don’t dominate the internet like they did in the early 2000s, but they’ve evolved. Evolved you ask? That's right, the problem isn’t that forums don’t work anymore - it’s that people are creating forums without any real...
Hiring staff for your forum involves understanding key factors, including when the right time to hire is, why you need additional help, and who would be best for the job. Here’s a comprehensive look at these questions to help you make informed staffing decisions.
When is the Right Time to Hire...
A recent post on the forums inspired me to write this into a bigger editorial, so here goes. Every great community, project, or website starts with passion. It’s the driving force behind the idea, the energy that gets it off the ground. But passion alone isn’t enough. Before launching your...
First impressions matter—especially in online communities. When you're running a forum, a blog, or any type of platform, the content that’s visible “above the fold” (what users see without scrolling) can make or break their experience. This is your chance to grab their attention, spark...
Forum hosting has evolved beyond traditional on-premises solutions. Cloud-based forum hosting has emerged as a versatile and efficient alternative for forum administrators and community leaders, offering scalability, flexibility, and ease of management.
In this article, we'll dive a bit deeper...
Starting a new online community is an exciting adventure. One of the crucial decisions you need to make is choosing the right forum software to power your community. With so much options available, both free and paid, this decision can seem challenging and it's easy to make the wrong one. But...
Original article was posted on freeforumhosting.com in October 2023. Much is still valid but some pieces can be a bit outdated.
If you're running a forum using Invision Community, XenForo, or WoltLab, you already know the value of community engagement and dynamic discussions. These three are...
Please note: this is an older article before v5 was announced. Nonetheless, it can still hold some value for those who aren't upgrading to v5.
A landings page is the first view for a guest to see what content you're offering on your community. It's crucial to understand the first few seconds...
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is an aspect of website management and digital marketing that is crucial. Using SEO can help improve your website’s visibility in the results for search engines.
This can lead to traffic that is more organic.
Not everyone is a professional at SEO and some may...
As someone deeply immersed in the world of webmaster forums and online communities, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing numerous forum owners start on their journey to create a vibrant online space.
While each forum is unique in its vision and purpose, there are some common pitfalls that...