5 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
5 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

Getting users on a debating website

by Coveny
3 replies
Hello,

New here, first post, just starting to look around, nice to meet ya, and whatnot.

I'm the owner of ForDebating.com which is being developed by ePixal. For the last couple of months I've been trying to get users to use the forums and create debates but it's going nowhere and the forums just look like I like talking to myself. I've tried adwords, Facebook groups, Google+ groups, recently spun up a twitter account, got some Fiverr backlinks, bought some "traffic", and even tried to get some people with page owner on Facebook who wasn't able to get the interest he was "sure" the site would garner. I have a Facebook channel with several videos on how to use the service as well.

Now I know the site has issues with the mobile aspect so all my advertising is devoted to desktop/laptops for now. When (if) ePixal gets done with the core functionality I'm going to contract out getting the mobile and Facebook app done next. But I'm struggling to get users to the site to start using the service. I have what I consider pretty cool features. I'm doing direct advertising via an Ebay style of bidding, live anon chat and voice through Discord, 1v1 and 2v2 debates, bi-weekly discussion post, quizzes, and they are in the process of getting the 16 man debate tournaments up and running so I can start the free cash prize debate tournaments up.

Anyway if you wouldn't mind looking it and giving me some feedback I'd appreciate it. I'm driving traffic there, I've got about 90 user, but no one is posting but me and my wife. http://fordebating.com/LeaderBoard.aspx?style=Forum

Thanks in advance,
Mark
#debating #users #website
Avatar of Unregistered
  • Profile picture of the author Benjamin Ehinger
    I would consider adding a blog to your site to promote your forum. Then, cover super controversial topics to drive the debate and get people to talk about it. If it evokes emotion, people will have something to say.

    Benjamin Ehinger
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11351447].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author thomarv37
    I would run an influencer marketing campaign, your micro influencers would need to start a debate and invite friends and family to participate in the debate as part of a contest to earn points to win a prize. I run these types of campaigns all the time. I did one for an App that needed user generated content and had over 3,000 micro influencers post content to my clients app for 3 months. At the end of the campaign we had over 4,900 active users on the app and over 80,000 pieces of content posted to the App. If i had wanted to scale it up beyond that, I have over 9M influencers in my database.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11401260].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author brettb
    I've had no problems establishing a new forum. It can be done. You've just got to make sure you start one in a niche people are passionate about.


    Try looking for smaller microniches as well. And it helps if some of your competitors have given up. Then you can "take over" their traffic so to speak.


    As for content, it's gotta be compelling. My forum's bounce rate is below 40%. If your site has a bounce rate of above 70% then you've got to have a rethink.
    Signature
    ÖŽ FindABlog: Find blogs to comment on, guest posting opportunities and more ÖŽ
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11428503].message }}
Avatar of Unregistered

Trending Topics