Save the forums!

[Bret Craven]

Over time these forums have been declining in use. It has gotten to the point where the search bots are on the forums more then members are. I'm looking for any and all suggestions to save the forums and try to get the member base back on the forums that we had this time last year. These forums used to thrive. It's disappointing to know that we have many members signing up every day, and not very many of them come to visit the forums. So I'm asking you, the users, what can we do to save the forums. I'm open to any/all suggestions. Some may not be enacted but I'm still open. Lets save the forums!

If you have any ideas as to why the forums may be declining in popularity, please post those as well. It's surely not that no one is using the service because we have statistics that blow that theory right out of the water. Let me know! Thanks!

[chickenmeister]

i wish the forums were more active too.   
here's a few ideas:

1. Maybe in like the activation emails, or somewhere in the sign-up process, have a link to the forums or something...
"Need help getting started? check out the T35 forums! http://www.t35.com/forums/"

2. Have more catastrophic down-time. That seemed to provoke a lot of forum use. :O 

[Alex Melen]

There is already a link to the forum in the confirmation email :\ .. always has been.

[chickenmeister]

i dunno then.

building and sustaining a community is tricky business.

[Bret Craven]

We may be having contests on the forums one day soon for some sort of featured site link on the t35.com home page. Would get you guys a lot of potential traffic to your site. Keep a look out in the future. It's only on the forums though so keep that in mind 

[tpgames]

I have found that many computer forums are usually very popular with the newbie with lots of questions. The people with answers tend to avoid the forums. After awhile, people give up on forums as no one knows the answers anyways. They are often given over to google search to find the answer. I'm attempting to learn programming so I can be more useful in helping out in the answering department.

The question then becomes, what brings the Ace programmers in? Teranuts has graphic images that people post and make. Beyond Virtual has a gaming how-to forum. Its very topic specific. So, whats our topic? Whats our 'fan' base?

Perhaps, getting a hot blog type thread going. This thread would have tutorials in it that people write and submit. How-to's on webdesign for more traffic flow, basically, anything in running a better web business. Also, having a thread that offers Advanced programming tutorials, gaming tutorials, and so on. It would become a Webmaster's Dream 'magazine' or 'blog' for better business, and better programming, and so on. 

[danial]

I think you need to pull people who knows related techie stuff . It seems that people leave forums because they couldn't find the right answer to their problems.

[kngavl]

I think some sort of contest would work well. Maybe mass email old/new/current members and tell them about the new contest thats going on. You have some ads, possible allow revenue sharing or a new feature where the highest posting members are rewarded somehow. (maybe given their own title.)

[terceslil.t35.com]

I dunno.  As a newbie, I didn't find the forum until I needed help getting my ftp upload.  When I went to the main page of t35, I clicked on support, then was surprised to find a support forum.

I think that most people think the "support forum" equals "frequently asked questions."  I feel that people aren't here and aren't active in the forums because they are not aware that the support forum is actually a SUPPORT FORUM.

Most people disregard everything in their confirmation email other than the necessary link to click to activate and confirm a service.

Maybe a link somewhere from the main page that lets people know that there is actually a forum to discuss their problems, suggestions, and concerns (without having to click through "Support".)

[dWhite]

  I feel that people aren't here and aren't active in the forums because they are not aware that the support forum is actually a SUPPORT FORUM.

The forum died when our new ticketing service [help desk] became available. Before the new service, the forum was the main support area and was extremely active.

[trisha]

How about revenue sharing?  Ask members to make a certain number of posts first and then they qualify for a small share of the revenue from the forum. 

[dWhite]

The revenue from the forums go into the servers. >_>

[David]

The revenue from the forums go into the servers. >_>

But what is better? Just choose:

100% Little revenue going to the server...

or

x% of huge revenue going to servers and users?

[jimm]

A winner ive seen elsewhere is a 'lottery' style competition. Each post gets one ticket and every month you draw a winner. Maybe offer a month free hosting or 6 months to really make it worth it.

[tpgames]

  I'm fine with whatever is decided. I just don't want to be apart of the competition on my current websites. It's easier for me to keep my stuff status quo due to my disability. However, my sister's site would gladly use the benefit of a contest, when I get it up in the next couple months.

However, I did find out about one trick that people use. They join other forums that are like minded and have a link in their signature to their own forum.

[ipodman]

I am not sure if forums are declining, I think its an issue of more people grouping around certain forums so it makes it harder for new forums to jump into the market.

Its the hardest part of any forum, setting it up and getting a core posting base. But for me, I see forums becoming more central, but as we see now sites such as MySpace and other social networking site have now also started to use forums to retain members, so these member do not need to go any where else.

[EGS]

Any chances of selling the forum? If so, let me know the price. PM me.

[jenpsychicmoon@yahoo.com]

I agree with Danial.  The reason I go to most forums is only to find answers to trouble I run into with projects.  Most of the time I don't even bother to look and see if there are problems I can answer.  So if no one is answering the people who have questions they would leave.  Maybe a points program or incentive to answer(ers)

[viv008n]

i think fix reward rate per posting or revenue sharing should do the job.almost all of the new and upcoming forums are paid so it's become very difficult for the unpaid forums to entice members.

[deannatroupehw]

Do you have a twitter account? Try posting links to your forum to twitter. Just don't overdo it. There are tons of people on twitter that might be interested in your forum.