Enhancing Your Community's Appeal: Part I - Design & Setup
Forums, being one of the numerous forms of social networking sites, offer immense potential for creating engagement and success. However, before launching your forum, there are several steps forum owners and administrators can take to make it more social and appealing to users.
Choose the right theme for your Niche
First and foremost, let's discuss the importance of design. It might sound silly, but the visual aesthetics play a curcial role in shaping the social atmosphere of your forum. Polls conducted on Admin forums like Admin Junkies, consistently reveal that the design is what initially attracts users. Thus, it's crucial to choose a design or theme that aligns well with your forum's niche. For instance, a forum catering to discussions about pop idols like Justin Bieber may benefit from brighter, more vibrant colors, while a community centered around World of Warcraft might opt for a darker color scheme.
Remember, your forum's design contributes to its identity. In a competitive niche with other existing forums, it's essential to create a visually distinctive look. This distinctiveness not only helps members recall your forum but also encourages them to keep returning.
Avoiding the default theme
Whatever you do, avoid using the default skin for your site. With so many forums adopting the same default look, your site might get lost in the crowd. Thankfully, there are numerous free skins available most softwares, so you don't have to spend money. However, if you care about your community in the long run, I advice you to invest in a top premium theme or custom theme. Additionally, if you're up for a challenge, you can experiment with customizing your CSS to create a unique and attractive appearance.
A custom logo to define your Community
Having a custom logo is another significant aspect of your forum's identity. A well-crafted logo should appeal to your target audience, complement your forum's color scheme, and encapsulate what your forum is all about, perhaps through a tagline or relevant graphics. Your logo will be among the first elements guests see and will serve as a cornerstone for your marketing efforts. Therefore, having a thoughtful logo is essential, as lacking one, especially alongside the default theme, can give the impression of a half-hearted forum.
Don't leave out the Favicon
A seemingly minor but impactful addition is a well-designed favicon. Although it won't make or break your site, it adds that extra touch of sophistication. When visitors bookmark your site, the favicon makes it easier for them to identify your forum amidst their bookmarks, helping you stand out in every possible way.
Add Ons, Modifications, Plugins, etc.
So far, we've focused on the aesthetics of your forum, but let's not forget the importance of distinctive features. Incorporating add on's, plugins, mods (modifications) can significantly enhance your Community's appeal and functionality. However, keep in mind that the effectiveness of mods can vary between forums, so a little trial and error is necessary. Popular mods include media embedding, which keeps traffic within your site by avoiding external referrals, and member recognition mods, such as reputation systems or member-of-the-month awards. Don't leave out gamification, as it's also an important factor.
To make your forum more social, consider using an invitation system mod that allows referrers to send personalized messages to their referrals. Acknowledge and thank those who have referred new members, either through a quick private message or email. This simple gesture creates a sense of community and encourages further engagement.
Community Building through Off Topic discussion
Building social interactions into your forum structure is vital. While it's essential to have discussions relevant to your niche, create a space where members can go off-topic, share jokes, or connect on a more personal level. That's where the real community building works. An introduction forum is particularly valuable, as it allows members to introduce themselves, creating instant connections with others. On top of that, an Ask me Anything section should also be setup. Although some forums use automatic introduction mods, it's more effective for forum owners and moderators to personally welcome new members, setting a positive tone for the entire community.
Furthermore, give your members a platform to share their thoughts and suggestions for the site. Valuable improvements often come from user suggestions, so remember to respond to each suggestion, even if you can't implement them all. Acknowledging your members' ideas helps them feel heard and appreciated.
Another way to create a sense of community is by adding fields to the registration process where users can post information about themselves. Make sure this information is visible to others, not buried in a profile that most users may never see. This feature goes a long way in creating a more social and connected environment.
Lastly, consider adding a "Link to Us" section on your website. Many of your members likely have their own sites and will gladly provide a link back to your forum. Don't worry about the SEO implications or PageRank; what matters most is the inbound link and the sense of collaboration it creates.
Conclussion
In conclusion, there are numerous steps you can take to enhance the social experience of your forum even before it goes live. By choosing the right design, adding unique features, and creating a welcoming atmosphere, your forum will be well on its way to becoming a vibrant and engaging community.
