Attracting Visitors

[vallen75]

HI,

Just wandering what is the best way to attract users to sign up for a forum.

We have one on the communityfriend.co.uk and get hundreds of visitors to the main site every day, but people seem reluctant to sign up to the forum.

Any advice?

Vince

[midlandi]

You could try offering something that only members can access,maybe for a minimum number of posts to qualify.
Would need to be something associated with the theme of the Forum.

[temi]

I second midlandi's suggestion, you need something attractive that is only available to registered users.

[Stephanie]

Did this work?
We have a number of things only available to those who register - have only just started up but have noticed a number of people just looking. Am going to try encouragement by including in the notice how quick it is to register and how their details will not be sold-on. Any other hints?

[temi]

I think a taster of what is available to registered members could also encourage people to register for example the beginning of an interesting article and then a notice saying something like "the concluding part of this article is available to registered members, please click here to register"

[Stephanie]

Thanks Temi, sounds like a good idea, will try it.

[soEvo]

Should try getting paid posters. Advertise in forums like here, i'm sure there are adverts already up from other forums. People will start posting as soon as they see activity. If your forum gets alot of visitors from search engines, but they see the last post as being a few days ago, they'll leave.

Also, paid posters are likely to be able to provide good quality, interesting posts

[SkinnerW]

...Also, paid posters are likely to be able to provide good quality, interesting posts

I disagree with this statement - to provide quality posts one should be competent in the subject, and it's not always the case with the paid posters...

[thequester]

Also, paid posters are likely to be able to provide good quality, interesting posts

I tried a trial offer with a paid poster service and the posts I got were rubbish.

[temi]

Post exchange with selected people has worked for me in the past. You get batter quality post