I see this happen frequently. People come to admin forums asking why their new forum is struggling or failing to grow. In response, they often get the typical answers: forums are dying out, or maybe it's just bad luck. You know how it goes.

 

But when I take a closer look at their forum, one issue stands out.

 

They hardly post on their own site.

 

At most, they might have made one or two posts in the last 24 hours, usually just replying to existing topics. Sometimes, they haven't posted anything for days, weeks, or even months, expecting their users to miraculously keep the forum alive with hundreds of new posts without any effort on their part.

 

How can they expect their forum to thrive with such little involvement? Running a forum isn’t easy. You can’t just create some content on day one and sit back for months while expecting your community to automatically grow and generate content daily.

 

It might seem like things are going well initially, especially if you have a popular blog, YouTube channel, or offline presence. But that momentum won’t last. No one is so popular that their forum will sustain itself while they do nothing. I've seen many successful content creators launch forums, only to watch them fail within weeks.

 

So here’s some basic but crucial advice for running a forum: Post regularly. Share news and articles that interest you. Write your own content at least weekly, and start conversations in your forum to encourage engagement. If you want your forum to succeed, you can't just sit back and do nothing. The world doesn’t owe you success—it's up to you to keep your site active with fresh, daily content.

This is very much true. Just like Rome wasn’t built in a day, successful communities take time—often months or even years—to truly flourish. If you're not prepared to invest the necessary effort as a community admin, then creating a community may not be the right path.

 

Engagement is the heart of any thriving community. If you don’t take the initiative to ignite that engagement, no one else will magically do it for you.

This is very much true. Just like Rome wasn’t built in a day, successful communities take time—often months or even years—to truly flourish. If you're not prepared to invest the necessary effort as a community admin, then creating a community may not be the right path.

 

Engagement is the heart of any thriving community. If you don’t take the initiative to ignite that engagement, no one else will magically do it for you.

Exactly. I’ve seen some forum owners say, 'Oh, I’m fighting a losing battle with social media,' yet they’re not creating content or putting in the time to actually work on their forum, while still expecting results to come to them. That doesn’t happen. Without effort, dedication, and hard work, a community won’t last long.

 

You can’t expect a forum to grow without nurturing it; you have to plant the seeds first.

I try to make new threads on my forum on a regular basis, but it's difficult I must say...

I try to make new threads on my forum on a regular basis, but it's difficult I must say...

If it was easy, everyone would be doing it. :D

I think I depend on thread exchanges and content bundle requests for new threads, as I have difficulty developing new ideas for fresh thread content. I can make regular posts on my forum quite frequently as others seek help and topics that I can relate to.

I try to make new threads on my forum on a regular basis, but it's difficult I must say...

I’d say the best approach for generating fresh ideas is to check what’s being discussed on social media and develop your own topics from there. Sometimes, we need a new source of inspiration to spark fresh ideas.

 

 

Even news articles, blogs, and YouTube videos can provide great topic ideas.😏

I have a weekly planner - just on an excel spreadsheet for my tasks which reset every Monday. There’s daily tasks such has five posts/threads on https://rtshq.net/hub or 3 tweets on the associated Twitter account, but also tasks to complete throughout the week such as blog posts or YT video uploads. I find it helps keep me focused.

 

It’s really useful if you get involved in a post exchange. Reminds you what you need to achieve.

That holds true for me as well. On average, I make 40-50 posts on someone else's forums every day but I don't post on my forums every day, sometimes I don't even post for weeks. The major problem with small forum owners is that they think posting on someone else's forum is the part of their marketing effort.

I’d say the best approach for generating fresh ideas is to check what’s being discussed on social media and develop your own topics from there.

I keep away from social media though... but news articles, yes.

 

But I expect my members to pull their weight on the issue also, because I can't always do it alone...

Edited October 22, 2024Oct 22 by Bryn

That's unusual for me. To just sit and wait for mircle to happen. I am trying to find a balance, not to open all threads by myself but then again I don't want to wait for users to do it for me.

But I expect my members to pull their weight on the issue also, because I can't always do it alone...

That's a bad attitude. You might have to do it alone. You can't rely on anyone else. You need to be regularly starting discussions and, if someone else does (miracle!) encourage that by responding - even if you think it's something that you would normally be bothered to discuss. Nothing turns a member off more than being ignored.

They hardly post on their own site.

What's crazy about that is that it's the oldest failure in the book!

 

You have to keep posting to keep the interest up.

 

I have a group on Facebook that has 46K members. It's extremely active. But I notice if the other staff members or I aren't that active, activity declines. When we are active, hundreds of posts a day.

 

I schedule my posts on there, some themed ones, to help keep it active.

 

With a forum, it's even more important. Everyone is on social media; hardly anyone is on YOUR forum unless they join because of something they like. If they don't see an active admin, I bet they pass on joining.

 

If you can't be active on your own forum - you might consider a different type of website.

You might have to do it alone. You can't rely on anyone else. You need to be regularly starting discussions

The reason why I felt negative about that is the fact that topics made mostly by the forum owner can be a turn off to any new visitors...

 

But in general, sometimes I have other things to do and other times I lack the motivation to do such a thing. This is one part I hate about forum leadership, if I have to be brutally honest to you.

topics made mostly by the forum owner can be a turn off to any new visitors...

Okay, but what’s worse? A forum with the admin showing an interest in the subject matter or a forum with no activity?

 

Don’t be afraid to create a duplicate account to make posts with. Some frown on it but to me it’s a viable tactic to get started. Even if it does mean you are talking to yourself. Kinda like 90% of my conversations with [mention=1]Cedric[/mention]

Don’t be afraid to create a duplicate account to make posts with.

No, I'll pass on that one thanks very much. I don't allow duplicate accounts on my forum anyway.

I’m sure you’ll manage just fine without it. GLHF

Okay, but what’s worse? A forum with the admin showing an interest in the subject matter or a forum with no activity?

 

Don’t be afraid to create a duplicate account to make posts with. Some frown on it but to me it’s a viable tactic to get started. Even if it does mean you are talking to yourself. Kinda like 90% of my conversations with [mention=1]Cedric[/mention]

But if you get caught doing it, it could impact your reputation.

 

I think doing a post-exchange is better than that. At least with that, it's a real person.

Hmm. It could damage your reputation, but it also could not. You could be found out, but also you could not. Post exchanges are another method for increasing activity, but let me ask you this:

 

If we post exchanged am I posting on your forum because I want to post on your forum, or because of what I am getting in return? Is that ethical? It’s the same as:

 

Paid posting

Post packages

Sock puppets

Post exchanges

 

None of the them are ‘real’ so the ethics on all can be questioned. What makes one fake member system more ethical than another? Is paying to get to the top of google ethical? The role of the forum community manager is hard enough without limiting our toolbox based on some noble ethics system.

I don't think the fact they don't post on their site regularly is the root issue as there is something else at play that brought upon this lack of interest in doing so. Sometimes people need someone to believe in them before they can believe in themselves. It can be an issue of doing it for the wrong reasons as doing it just for yourself is not going to give you motivation to push through hard times while doing it for the benefit of others would do exactly that.

 

It comes down to a case by case basis but just telling someone to post more on their site isn't going to help matters as much as you think it might.

telling someone to post more on their site isn't going to help matters as much as you think it might.

 

Its not the be all and end all of the issue, but its a bloody good start to the solution. Sure there may be other issues such as disinterest and burn out, but to me its a bit like exercise - and probably why I don't.

 

The motivation comes after the act, not before. It's not about being motivated to produce high quality content, it's about producing high quality content even when you're not motivated and, in doing so, finding the motivation to continue. If people are struggling to get a fledgling forum off the ground the very first place they should start is by clicking on that "New Thread" button. It's the first, last, and best solution to the problem.

I have a weekly planner - just on an excel spreadsheet for my tasks which reset every Monday. There’s daily tasks such has five posts/threads on https://rtshq.net/hub or 3 tweets on the associated Twitter account, but also tasks to complete throughout the week such as blog posts or YT video uploads. I find it helps keep me focused.

 

It’s really useful if you get involved in a post exchange. Reminds you what you need to achieve.

If you want a recommendation for a planning app, I would recommend Tick Tick. It has helped me tremendously with weekly/daily/monthly planning and helped me increase productivity with its inbuilt pomodoro timer that also integrates the to-do list.

 

If you are not into the timer, you can still use it for its other features like creating folders, tags, and lists for tasks, setting single and recurring tasks and setting reminders for them, and setting different types of boards for different lists and folders.,

 

These are all in the free version, and the paid version has more features, but I am happy with what the free one offers.

If you want a recommendation for a planning app, I would recommend Tick Tick.

I have an excel spreadsheet. Simple yet effective. I work shifts so sometimes I'll be working on my sites during the day and other times on a night. I just highlight the task once complete.

The harder you push your forum, the better you'll do. Forums will grow slowly, and unless you got promotions to increase engagement you shouldn't expect rapid growth.

The harder you push your forum, the better you'll do. Forums will grow slowly, and unless you got promotions to increase engagement you shouldn't expect rapid growth.

That's very much true. Be consistent in what you do, and the rest will follow.

We are, perhaps, being pushed closer towards the instant gratification issue which plagues social media, and by extension, society itself. If a forum isn't an instant hit people become disheartened and stop posting.

 

This is never a good thing.