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Nov 11th, 2006
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Better to hide forum sections

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Hello,

I was just wondering is it better to only allow users who register to see the forum?

Or allow all users registered or not to see the forums?
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Barnz is offline Offline
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since Jan 2006
Nov 11th, 2006
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Re: Better to hide forum sections

Let everyone read your forums. Hiding them makes it much more difficult to get new members. Reading the content and seeing that it is a lively community are the two of the biggest reasons new members sign up. Hiding your community takes this all away.
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stymiee is offline Offline
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Nov 12th, 2006
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Re: Better to hide forum sections

Click to Expand / Collapse  Quote originally posted by stymiee ...
Let everyone read your forums. Hiding them makes it much more difficult to get new members. Reading the content and seeing that it is a lively community are the two of the biggest reasons new members sign up. Hiding your community takes this all away.
hmm true, but surposing my forum is not very active. The other members might join just to see how good (or not) it is?

Also has anyone got any REALLY REALLY good tips on how to make a forum active.

I have no members that post hardly and if I just keep on posting topics I will just end up with like hundreds of topics with no replies, surely that cannot look good?

Anyone got any ideas?
Last edited by Barnz; Nov 12th, 2006 at 7:38 pm.
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Barnz is offline Offline
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Nov 14th, 2006
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Re: Better to hide forum sections

I came to ask the same question! so if the forum is not active, is it good to hide it from guests and allow only registered users to browse it? untill we get more posts and members?
another concern is, does that affect search engines? if I allow only registered users to read, does that have any influence on search engines?
thank you.
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Turnkey_Websites is offline Offline
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Nov 14th, 2006
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Re: Better to hide forum sections

1) Hiding content makes it harder to sell your forum. If your forum is slow promote it, don't hide it.

2) Hiding it prevents search engines from indexing it making it more difficult to promote.

Don't hide your forums!!! Want more members? Promote it! Make it more exciting. Run contests. Put your last 10 posts on your site's home page. Post in related forums and use your signature. Post in related blogs. Do anything but hide it.
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stymiee is offline Offline
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Nov 15th, 2006
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Re: Better to hide forum sections

I am a lurker before I decide whether a forum is worth my time to register. There are just so many forums out there nowadays, and it's so easy to set up a forum. It's what you do once it's set up that makes it special, and that's what we prospective members want to see. Not that you know how to run an install.php file.
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cscgal is offline Offline
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Nov 15th, 2006
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Re: Better to hide forum sections

Click to Expand / Collapse  Quote originally posted by cscgal ...
I am a lurker before I decide whether a forum is worth my time to register. There are just so many forums out there nowadays, and it's so easy to set up a forum. It's what you do once it's set up that makes it special, and that's what we prospective members want to see. Not that you know how to run an install.php file.
I know what you saying, im gonna have to start putting effort into promoting my forum, I just do not have time right now.


LOL "Not that you know how to run an install.php file" I did not run an install.php file, I handed coded it from scratch, it does not have all the features of vBulletin, but it has enough. I still get what you mean.

I want to know how Daniweb got started? Who was posting originally, there is no way your telling me you spent months posting different topics and got no replies to them.
Last edited by Barnz; Nov 15th, 2006 at 7:31 am.
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Barnz is offline Offline
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Nov 20th, 2006
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Re: Better to hide forum sections

Here's some information about how we got started = http://www.daniweb.com/techtalkforum...aq=daniweb_faq
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cscgal is offline Offline
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Nov 20th, 2006
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Re: Better to hide forum sections

Click to Expand / Collapse  Quote originally posted by Barnz ...
there is no way your telling me you spent months posting different topics and got no replies to them.
I did and I was persistent and I didn't give up and eventually it all became worthwhile.
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cscgal is offline Offline
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Nov 20th, 2006
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Re: Better to hide forum sections

Click to Expand / Collapse  Quote originally posted by cscgal ...
I did and I was persistent and I didn't give up and eventually it all became worthwhile.
Alright thanks for the info, I will give it a go, now that I have confirmation that the method does work.

I just think it must just look silly after abit having topics with no replies to them.

But I guess people might start replying after a while, so I will give it a go I have not got anything to lose lol.

Also how come TechTalk did not take off? And why did you quit with that site, instead of continuing?
Last edited by Barnz; Nov 20th, 2006 at 6:20 pm.
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Barnz is offline Offline
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This thread is more than three months old

No one has posted to this discussion for at least three months. Please let old threads die and do not reply to them unless you feel you have something new and valuable to contribute that absolutely must be added to make the discussion complete. Otherwise, please start a new thread in this forum instead.
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