How to promote a webmaster forum?

[thevirus]

Forums typically generate revenue through adsense and other affiliate programs. I personally find it hard to promote a webmaster forum though.

I have tried writing articles and submitting them to article directories, posting in similar subject forums, commenting on relevant blogs, submitting to directories, and submitting to social bookmarking services.

I feel that is a pretty good mix of promotion techniques all free. I have also done some forum post trades and that is where most of my posts have come from.

Besides that I am just receiving spam posts that I have to delete. Just wondering if you guys could suggest any other promotional techniques.

[Tails]

Try running a contest that requires members to sign up and possibly post X number of times. Advertise it or get people to blog about it and watch the new members roll in. You could also try hiring forum posters, you'll get a good amount of quality posts for a bit of money.

[Archbob]

You generally need a site to go with a forum these days. Having good content on the site will bring discussions to the forum. Have a CMS that links news/article posts to create new threads. Be active in your forum, post new threads and posts to keep people interested.

[gabriel]

for any forum to be a hit there need to be some contests and prized should be given actually not just abstract......

[javablues]

Offer free stuff to deserving forum members. For instance reward those active posters with free domain names or access to free web hosting services. Open also an avenue where they can advertise their own sites (i.e. text and banner links).

[webhostingUK]

Originally Posted by javablues

Offer free stuff to deserving forum members. For instance reward those active posters with free domain names or access to free web hosting services. Open also an avenue where they can advertise their own sites (i.e. text and banner links).

I remember once we have same type of promotion campaign where we had given free domain names for just 30 quality post but what we had seen that most of the forum member disappeared once they got their free domain name so i think such technique will not work rather try to get few paid poster who will try to start quality threads and may attract new members.

[c4cyber]

"Quality content " is what you need to attract visitors to your website.
In the begining, you can hire some forum posters to post some good content on your website/fourm.

Then try other marketing techniques, which will bring people to your forum, and quality content will make them to come to your forum.

This is a useful tip and always works for new forums. Just don't forget to pay these posters, or it can be bad for the forum's reputation

[e-webtemplates]

your forum is not working now

[Cure15]

You need some knowing people as Admins to coordinate existing topics and create new discussions. This is first all forums need.