Setting Up & Running A Forum

Overview:

I was going to cover software & setup options but it is an area I am not entirely familiar with so will be very brief.  You can either do a search of 'free forums' & set up a forum on one of these sites.

If you have hosting, you may have access to Fantastico, which should include free forums to install.

There are several companies who sell specialised forum software. Invision Power Board & vBulletin are two of the most popular boards available. This is my preference because you are buying the most up to date software which should be the most secure. You will also be provided with support.

Layout:

Avoid using the board default skin. There are many sites on the internet where you can download 'free' skins for your forum. This gives it a much more homely feel.

If you can't make a logo yourself pay somebody to make one for you & place this on your forum.

Don't start with too many forums. It is better to have a small number of busy forums than a dozens of forums which are barely used. You can add forums at a later date as the need arises.

Promoting your forum:

This is important for the growth of your forum. Ways to bring in members include link exchanges, competitions, paid advertising (Adwords for example), asking friends & family to join.

Good search engine optimisation is vital.

Rules:

A clear set of concise rules is a must on any forum. Your members need to know what is acceptable & unacceptable behaviour & be able to easily refer to them for clarification on issues.

You should include rules on how you expect your members to behave (ie; no swearing, respecting other members etc), guidelines on signatures & images etc.

I have found that rules have to be adjusted from time to time. This may be because a particular situation has arisen for which we had no clear guideline or the growth of our forum has necessitated a change to a rule. Be aware that what may work for a forum of 20 members may not work for a forum of 20,000 members. Revise as necessary.

There are some rules which are absolutely non negotiable such as profanity, showing disrespect etc., I am open to suggestions in regards to other rules such as image & signature guidelines. I think it is important to be open to listening to the suggestions & requests of your members. It also makes them feel they have some say in how 'their' community operates.

Help Forum:

If you can think of any commonly asked types of questions such as how to post photos, put in a signature etc., then it is a good idea to pin a post to the top of a forum (either new members or help forum) for them to refer to.

I also like to have a help forum for members to come & ask for help if they get stuck on how to do something.

We've also found it useful to write & pin tutorials on basic forums topics such as uploading & inserting images, signatures etc. When a new member asks how such & such is done, we can just refer them to the tutorial.

Upgrades:

Upgrading software as new versions/patches are released is important. Often these are more secure & up to date versions & you could possibly leave your forum vulnerable without the latest version.

Modifications & extras:

There are usually modifications you can download & install on your forums which add extra features. Take a look around at support forums for your chosen board software to see what is available. Personally I try to keep modifications to a minimum because every time there is an upgrade these need to be re-installed (and if it is a big upgrade, the modifications may no longer work).

There are some forums features that you can turn on & off or assign to specific user groups. I like to give members who have higher post counts a few extras, just as a way to say 'thanks for sticking around'. They aren't given a lot of bells & whistles, just more PM space, the ability to upload photos using our server space. I do not believe in creating privileged users for no good reason but I do believe in rewarding loyalty.

Moderators & Administrators:

In the early days you should only need one or two moderators. Pick the best person for the job, not who you get on with the best.

What you should look for in a moderator:

• Excellent communication skills.

• Is friendly & personable.

• Current dedicated members who active on the board.

• Is patient towards other members.

• Has the ability to step in & settle disputes.

• Is able to stand their ground firm & treats the members with respect.

• Has technical skills are advantageous as moderators are often called upon by members to help with 'how to' question.

You should avoid anybody who;

• Are not active on the forum.

• Has poor people & communication skills.

• Somebody who is doing it for the power or status.

As forums administrators & moderators, it is up to you all to set the standard on the board. Behave how you expect the members to behave.

Have a clear & easy to follow list of what is expected of your moderators including behaviour & guidelines. Be available to advise them when they are unclear & step in & take over if necessary.

A moderator forum can be a great place to hash out issues & discuss ideas. A place to offer support & just decompress from the stresses of managing a forum. But don't use the moderator forum as a place to gossip about & deride members.

Tips & tricks:

Patience, patience, patience. It takes time & hard work to build up a forum. You cannot expect to open one up & have dozens of members posting within weeks. You may find a surge in registrations & then they falter. Keep posting original & interesting topics to encourage your members to post & new members to sign up.

Have a purpose & a vision. Know what you want from your forum & have a vision of where you would like to take it.

Be transparent in everything you do. I can't emphasise how important it is. Don't behave in a way that your members would frown upon.

Respect your members but don't be a pushover. Expect to be treated fairly & treat them with the same courtesy you would like to be treated. Remember, it is your members who are the lifeline of your forum.

Back up frequently. This is so important. While most webhosts routinely back up their servers, you cannot rely on them to have a current back up if something goes wrong.

Burnout:

There will come a time when you become burned out due to stress, too many demands (both on & off the forums) or losing your drive. When this happens, take some time off. I have seen burned out administrators continue to run a forum & it is apparent they need to take a break. As long as you have an excellent team of co-administrators & moderators, you can take some time out. The board will be fine, you won't be if you don't take some time off to recover.

Find people to talk to. Your forums staff should be understanding & supportive (as you should be with them). Don't whinge to members if you are stressed or burned out. There are excellent resources for forums administrators on the internet where you can get help, support, advice & best of all, understanding from people who have been in the same situation as you.

Disputes:

Try to be open & approachable to member complaints & disputes. I avoid getting involved in member disputes unless a rule has been broken.

Sometimes no matter how diplomatic you try to be, you will still end up being the bad guy & I have received my fair share of hateful, abusive & downright scary emails in my time. Once a disgruntled member resorts to insults & abuse I have found the only solution is to ban & cease all communication. The times I have tried to continue discussions with them their behaviour has escalated. These situations are incredibly stressful but thankfully they are few & far between. Don't be too hard on yourself when this happens, if need be, take some time out.

Dos & Dont's:

• Don't think that you are above the rules.

• Don't use the moderator forum as a place to talk about members in a derogatory way.

• Don't allow your staff or members to discuss competing forums in a derogatory manner. It is unprofessional.

• This is entirely up to the individual but I am not a fan of forums that don't permit guests to view (at least some of the forums). I want an idea of what the forum is like before committing to registering.

• Don't create secret/invisible forums that only a select few can participate in. If you are running a  forum all members should be treated equally. I believe it can be of benefit to make certain forums accessible to members once they reach a certain post count, but not forums which are invite only. That creates divisions among members. Again, transparency is essential if you are running a forum.

• Don't read members PM's unless there is a very good reason to do so. State on your privacy policy that you can access PM's & what reasons will lead to you reading them. Snooping is unethical, don't do it just for the sake of it.

• Don't go spamming other boards, especially competing sites with links to your forum. You wouldn't like it if they did it to you. Spread the word by all means, but do it in  professional manner, not by spamming.

• Don't put on too many moderators. If you have a new forum with 20 members, you do not need to put on 4 moderators, that is overkill. Keep moderators to a minimum & put on more as the need arises. 

• Do ensure you & your staff have difficult to guess passwords. As staff, you have access to parts of the site & information that if put in the wrong hands could cause a security risk to both your forums & your members (remember, their details are stored on the database). Passwords should be random letters & numbers. Never use names of pets, children or other family members, your name backwards or commonly used passwords such as 'test, admin, password'. These are the first passwords hackers will try. You can generate random passwords on this site. It is also important that you change your password regularly.

• Do keep adding new content & articles to keep the forum/website alive & encourage not only new members, but old members to return.

• Do listen to your members, their concerns, complaints & suggestions. You don't have to necessarily agree with them, but being open to what they have to say is important & makes them feel valued.

• Don't try to steal members or moderators from competing forums. It is unprofessional. If you have an attractive forum, you will get members. You have to work at this by adding content & advertising (legitimately).

• Do welcome new members. It's lovely to have a group of dedicated & loyal regulars, but new growth is of equal importance.

• Don't expect to make a pile of money running an online forum. There certainly is money to be made, but you need a large volume of visitors to make anything near decent money.