Do You Advertise?

**fattony69** · 04-12-2009, 01:41 PM

Recently, when I advertised my forum, I got a comment that I don't have many active members. I never really considered this. Although, now that it has been brought to my attention, I don't. I have NEVER advertise. Never paid, nor done anything free. I have vBSEO of course and did all the SEO things for the forum, but besides that, I have done absolutely nothing. I believe it would behoove me to do something, but I really don't know what to do. Any advice?

**ohiosweetheart** · 04-12-2009, 03:29 PM

One thing that helps is putting a link to your site in your signature at all of the forums you belong to.

See? If you had one here, I might have checked out your site.

**Cerberus** · 04-12-2009, 04:02 PM

Advertising doesnt mean you have to pay for it, there are tons of ways to advertise for free, such as the lovely lady shared, links in your signatures. Any and every backlink helps, I would also suggest maybe submitting your site to various rss feeds and directorys and such, places that will get your link out there. They have tons of free places to advertise.

**fattony69** · 04-12-2009, 05:15 PM

I am not talking about paid advertising per say because, I really squeeze every penny. Literally, I have a few stuck in my hand, but I see that I don't have any surge of members at all. I just have a few. I don't know what to do.

**Rizzo** · 04-13-2009, 12:01 PM

I have a few times, when i do i tend to get an influx of members, however they don't tend to stick around. The ones who do are the ones referred from other members, so i don't tend to do it very often.

**juster** · 04-13-2009, 12:22 PM

Like Ohiosweetheart said, It would be easier if we could take a look at your board.
Than we can see what is wrong or not. Now it would be random guessing

**KevinL** · 04-13-2009, 12:52 PM

Click on his name

His site is pretty sweet.

**juster** · 04-13-2009, 01:07 PM

Lol, do you know how difficult it is to click on his name.... Sigh, me is stupid.

Nice site yes, very eyecatching. But I do miss on the frontpage what it is all about.
Ok, I take a closer look so I know it is a general topic board, but unfortunally the board does not make his name true. The name Bestforumever is very cool, but like I said, on the first page I do not get a feeling what it is all about. Worse, I get the feeling it is a tech/design board because the nice gadgets. And that can scare the first visitors away.

I went to the forum and my first impression as a 'expert' is 'nice!'. But since you are a general topic board, you must atract all kinds of people. And than I say it is a bit much. Load is not fast (I have a DSL, can imagine it is a drag for people with slower connections) and you have allot of graphics in signatures etc.
Also, all the extra's (activity/longetivity and more I missed ou) can scare the newbies on boards away. Keep it simple because you want a userfriendly board.

Also get a bit the feeling there is an incrouwd (did I spell it right?) which is also a scare away.
My 2 cents and my thoughts.

**GL2814** · 04-14-2009, 11:05 AM

I have made up business cards and left them on gas pumps, elevators in hospitals, in rest room mirrors, left them on cars at large events, etc.....

I have advertised in school programs like plays and chours events.

I put my forum in my signature where I can

I have had other members mention it on other sites too

There are a lot of ways to advertise.

Business cards work well for me.

**~kev~** · 04-22-2009, 01:16 PM

I use free advertising. I make videos and post them on sites like youtube, metacafe, dailymotion, veoh, vimeo,,,, only to name a few.

When I launch a new video, its usually posted on 10 video sites.

**Brandon Sheley** · 04-22-2009, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ~kev~

I use free advertising. I make videos and post them on sites like youtube, metacafe, dailymotion, veoh, vimeo,,,, only to name a few.

When I launch a new video, its usually posted on 10 video sites.

Video's are a great way to advertise, I really should do a few for vBSetup
We are thinking about filming some of our meetings for the Topeka site I'm a part of.

**~kev~** · 05-07-2009, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brandon Sheley

Video's are a great way to advertise, I really should do a few for vBSetup
We are thinking about filming some of our meetings for the Topeka site I'm a part of.

I think videos help create a closer bond with your members. Not very often do people get to see the face, or hear the voice of a forum owner. Most of the time the owner drops in, post a few things and that is it.

Video blogging gives you the chance to get a little more "intimate" with your members. Instead of just seeing text, users get to see the places you go, what you do, and sometimes what you like to eat.

**ArnyVee** · 05-07-2009, 02:12 PM

Videos of the site and it's functions and/or features would be a great way to get some interaction between the forum owner (you) and the current members. And, by uploading them to YouTube, you can then get the associated traffic from there.

Also, another good way to get 'free advertising' would be to do a podcast for your genre or niche. Do a quick 15 minutes or 30 minutes featuring some of the recent comments or great topics started on the site. If you mention some of your members, they'll share that with their friends to hear their name mentioned.

**popowich** · 05-08-2009, 02:20 PM

Yes, I have used Google Adwords for forum advertising.

-Raymond