Starting a Forum

[S TAYLOR]

Basically just want some guidance, im looking to start my own forum, I'm not that stupid but not exactly capable of making a HTML code site or whatever. Is it as simple of buying a domain, with a forum template and just adding from there?

 

[Craigus]

A Forum for what?

Bodybuilding?

 

[Adam.]

Don't make them about pyramid schemes, AloeVera or bathmates and you should be safe. (from the likes of medici6666666)

 

[Rhino172]

depends what you want it for.

I've recently created a very small one using www.forumbuild.com

so easy etc and it's free, will be nothing like the complexities of this site though...

 

[Steven103]

There's free ones which will do everything for you, but not let you do much.

Then there's the "proper" route. You'd be amazed at how simple it is to build a forum with vBulletin, for example, these days. Probably 95% of what you see in the "forum" bit of this site is all down to just setting basic options in a user-friendly control panel. If you go the "proper route" (installing proper forum software on your own domain) make sure you pick a good domain from the start. Domain accounts for a lot of your SEO. SEO accounts for sign ups. Sign ups account for ads, which = the thing paying for itself. "proper" forum software works like anything else, pay for the license, download files, put them where the instructions tell you to.

EDIT: Picking your forum software is very important to as you're basically stuck with what you pick. Makes a big difference in the security, amount of ad-ons (little "apps" basically for users to use) and the amount of options you have. You'll also notice basic phpBB based forum looks a million times less proffesional than a basic vBulletin forum for example.

 

[Mr Pants]

There's free ones which will do everything for you, but not let you do much.

Then there's the "proper" route. You'd be amazed at how simple it is to build a forum with vBulletin, for example, these days. Probably 95% of what you see in the "forum" bit of this site is all down to just setting basic options in a user-friendly control panel. If you go the "proper route" (installing proper forum software on your own domain) make sure you pick a good domain from the start. Domain accounts for a lot of your SEO. SEO accounts for sign ups. Sign ups account for ads, which = the thing paying for itself. "proper" forum software works like anything else, pay for the license, download files, put them where the instructions tell you to.

EDIT: Picking your forum software is very important to as you're basically stuck with what you pick. Makes a big difference in the security, amount of ad-ons (little "apps" basically for users to use) and the amount of options you have. You'll also notice basic phpBB based forum looks a million times less proffesional than a basic vBulletin forum for example.

Domain name is a very small factor for SEO.

 

[BatFastard]

Get some hosting with CPanel and Fantastico (very common to have this on CPanel) and it will set up a forum for you in a matter of minutes without any technical know how.

 

[Mr Pants]

Get some hosting with CPanel and Fantastico (very common to have this on CPanel) and it will set up a forum for you in a matter of minutes without any technical know how.

This.

 

[Jon.G]

As above, easiest way to make a forum, plus you have a domain and webspace to do what ever you want with.

 

[S TAYLOR]

Can you give me some more information please