How do I go about starting up a forum?

[KRBlaze7]

I apologize if this is in the wrong section (I just joined).

I have an idea for a forum that can take off quite well, problem is.. I have NO EXPERIENCE running a forum let alone even owning a website lol I would just have someone help me out but I don'er know anyone personally who does this.

Basically, what do I need to know to start?

 

[Christopher1]

You need to know that forums are a dime and dozen. People have so many options so try to have one that is unique. And make sure it is something you are passionate about because eventually you will get tired. People also might leave or your forum will might have trouble getting traffic; however you will need to persevere.

I recommend getting a good admin team because forums take a lot of work. I would say that it is almost impossible to run a forum by yourself. It takes a good team.

I would also recommend finding forum software that you are comfortable using.

 

[DanielGarneau]

To start a forum, I'd suggest you read as much as you can what people have to say about various aspects of running a forum. Personally I started out with an idea about what became a menu-driven WordPress-based Web site. I created contents for its pages.

Eventually, I began looking into creating a forum that would be distinct from the site, where people could interact with my site contents. I began to investigate free forum software I could use to make this work.

The entire thing is a process that may last a long time.

 

[xXInfectedXx]

Starting up a forum isn't easy and there are several steps. I suggest you look and some guides on how to start up a forum but I will break down into a couple of steps to make it easy to understand on how to do this.

• I suggest you look at various webmaster articles on how to run a forum and how to make it successful etc.
• You then need to think of a name and a genre for your forum.
• You now have two options, purchase a domain name/hosting or register with free hosting. This depends on your budget and what you have planned for your community.

 

[zoldos1]

I apologize if this is in the wrong section (I just joined).

I have an idea for a forum that can take off quite well, problem is.. I have NO EXPERIENCE running a forum let alone even owning a website lol I would just have someone help me out but I don'er know anyone personally who does this.

Basically, what do I need to know to start?

I would definitely suggest getting your own domain name. You can get one for like 99 cents from various places. You'll then need hosting. There are three options there: Shared, VPS, Dedicated. Shared is okay for a beginner and usually doesn't cost much. If your forum really grows, you should consider a VPS which would offer more "resources". Dedicated is for pros who need a LOT of space and full control over the server.

Most shared hosts offer cPanel and you can use to easily install different free forums with the built software installer. At least that's how it was when I used cPanel. Or you can buy a forum software (I useXenforo). Up to you!

If you have any other questions or need help setting up, let me know. I've been doing this stuff for 20 years.