Should I implement forum to site now? Or wait til I have members?

LegitSells · 09-05-2009, 12:09 PM

Either my Google searching is off this week or I'm overlooking what I'm trying to find.

Working on my first membership website, and I'm going to add a forum to it. (The forum will probably be the best thing since everyone in my niche can talk to each other about it)

What stops me is, what if I launch the site and get a few people to join. Obviously my membership site isn't going to explode and get thousands the first day. Doesn't that mean my forum is going to be DEAD?!

Maybe I wait to implement the forum until I have a steady group of members, then launch it?

I think I have heard of hiring people to post on forums to make it alive, that correct? If that is the case, I have many many friends... I'd rather just have them post on it daily instead of hiring people(but that's not my point)

So, I'm leaning toward waiting on the forum until my membership base is bigger. Any suggestions?

R Hagel · 09-05-2009, 12:14 PM

One possibility...

You can give away free memberships to people who're willing to help you launch and "populate" your forum. Ideally, you should choose people that already have a proven track record of participating on forums, such as members of other busy forums in your niche.

The bonus here is that you have REAL niche folks, rather than friends or ghosts who'll disappear. In other words, these members are likely to stick around and keep posting.

Cheers,
Becky

ETA: If you have an affiliate program, you can also invite your affiliates and JV partners to participate on the forum.

LegitSells · 09-05-2009, 12:25 PM

Hey that's a great idea

Didn't think of the free memberships!

darktemplar · 09-05-2009, 12:35 PM

Actually, that is a great idea. You could even state that giving them free memberships that they agree to give your forum a boost at first. If you DON'T give away free memberships, I would definitely wait until you have some kind of membership base, even if it is small, and hold some kind of launch for it.

SS

09-05-2009, 12:09 PM	#1
LegitSells aka Kory War Room Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 663 Thanks: 277 Thanked 81 Times in 52 Posts Contact Info	Should I implement forum to site now? Or wait til I have members? Either my Google searching is off this week or I'm overlooking what I'm trying to find. Working on my first membership website, and I'm going to add a forum to it. (The forum will probably be the best thing since everyone in my niche can talk to each other about it) What stops me is, what if I launch the site and get a few people to join. Obviously my membership site isn't going to explode and get thousands the first day. Doesn't that mean my forum is going to be DEAD?! Maybe I wait to implement the forum until I have a steady group of members, then launch it? I think I have heard of hiring people to post on forums to make it alive, that correct? If that is the case, I have many many friends... I'd rather just have them post on it daily instead of hiring people(but that's not my point) So, I'm leaning toward waiting on the forum until my membership base is bigger. Any suggestions?
	[Video Work] Increase Sales With Professional Videos

09-05-2009, 12:14 PM	#2
R Hagel Copywriting and More... War Room Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Where it's cold, USA Posts: 3,222 Thanks: 1,401 Thanked 1,886 Times in 703 Posts	Re: Should I implement forum to site now? Or wait til I have members? One possibility... You can give away free memberships to people who're willing to help you launch and "populate" your forum. Ideally, you should choose people that already have a proven track record of participating on forums, such as members of other busy forums in your niche. The bonus here is that you have REAL niche folks, rather than friends or ghosts who'll disappear. In other words, these members are likely to stick around and keep posting. Cheers, Becky ETA: If you have an affiliate program, you can also invite your affiliates and JV partners to participate on the forum.
	You can save two Warrior's lives: KimW and Ken Strong Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake. ~Henry David Thoreau

09-05-2009, 12:25 PM	#3
LegitSells aka Kory War Room Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 663 Thanks: 277 Thanked 81 Times in 52 Posts Contact Info	Re: Should I implement forum to site now? Or wait til I have members? Hey that's a great idea Didn't think of the free memberships!
	[Video Work] Increase Sales With Professional Videos

09-05-2009, 12:35 PM	#4
darktemplar Active Warrior Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 44 Thanks: 4 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	Re: Should I implement forum to site now? Or wait til I have members? Actually, that is a great idea. You could even state that giving them free memberships that they agree to give your forum a boost at first. If you DON'T give away free memberships, I would definitely wait until you have some kind of membership base, even if it is small, and hold some kind of launch for it. SS