📈 Marketing Strategies Forum launching on 1st September

[Al]

I have started a forum which will run alongside a blog. The blog is already active and is getting some decent content added and is attracting some traffic too. The blog is at rtshq.net and the forum will sit on rtshq.net/hub

With the help of Russ I have a great style in place (in my humble opinion). It's clean, it's simple, and links - seamlessly - the blog and the forum.

I have some paid posters already onboard and engaged with accounts created by me to avoid them "knowing" each other or using usernames which are linked to community promotion sites. These guys have strict criteria to follow in terms of content and content quality. I've also lined up additional posters to come on board from September 01 to increase activity at launch.

What else. I've been building relationships with indie game developers by writing about their games and I am hoping they will allow me to advertise the forum when it launches. I also have a full suite of social media accounts to actively promote the forum. We're on Reddit, Twitter / X, Facebook, YouTube, Steam, Instagram and Discord.

I really want this to be successful. Like, really passionate about making it a success. Not in terms on monetary gain, but in terms of popularity and activity. There are no dedicated RTS forums that I have seen out there in recent years.

So that's a little intro and a 'what I have done so far' but the question is - other than google ads or other ad services which I am going to consider despite the potential costs - what else can I do to ensure this is a successful launch and successful community? If you build it they will come no longer works.

Happy to hear ideas and suggestions from you guys.

 

[joelr]

This is awesome to hear. What I love is that you have a clear plan of content and relationships to power your success.

Keep us posted!

 

[Ravenfreak]

This is wonderful Al! I'm looking forward to seeing the community once it launches on September 1st! It's cool you've got in touch with indie developers as well, not only does it help you and your community out but it also helps the devs spread the word about their games, so it's a win win situation!

 

[Al]

I am thinking of running a contest in - probably - October. What kind of suggestions do you guys have?

 

[Ravenfreak]

I am thinking of running a contest in - probably - October. What kind of suggestions do you guys have?

You could gift Steam keys for different RTS games! And while posting contests are fun, instead maybe have a tournament in a RTS game and the top three winners could win a prize. That will take some time to plan I'm sure, but it'll be fun and worth it imo.

 

[Heatman]

The community is a very good project and if things are done right with how it's managed, I'm quite sure that it's going to be right up there with some of best RTS games communities you can think of.

 

[Heatman]

I am thinking of running a contest in - probably - October. What kind of suggestions do you guys have?

Top poster contest should always come in but you have to make rules to ensure those who are taking part will offer high quality contents instead of just posting trash to increase their post tally. Set a post word limit each must meet to count.

You can add referrals to be contest too with each referred users making at least 10 quality post for them to count.

 

[Al]

Top poster contest should always come in but you have to make rules to ensure those who are taking part will offer high quality contents instead of just posting trash to increase their post tally. Set a post word limit each must meet to count.

You can add referrals to be contest too with each referred users making at least 10 quality post for them to count.

I try to steer away from posting contests. You're either going for quantity which leads to shit-posts or quality which is subjective. I do like the idea of a tournament though.

 

[Heatman]

I try to steer away from posting contests. You're either going for quantity which leads to shit-posts or quality which is subjective. I do like the idea of a tournament though.

Yeah, your concerns about posting contests are well justified because it happens often with most of it. I think the idea of a tournament based contents fits the community's profile better. I'm for it.