Member Avatar for mikeandike22

I have just setup a simple home page and forum. the homepage is and it the forum is sort of like this forum but there are not as many members or options (daniweb uses vbulletin $160, I use PHPbb free). So my site and my forum offer you news,info, and fixes related to computer tech.

How can i attract new members.

  • 8 Contributors
  • 7 Replies
  • 207 Views
  • 4 Months Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by php4ever

Dani AI

Generated

The original poster, , built a phpBB tech forum and got sensible publicity tips from several replies. A common gap in threads like this is treating traffic and membership as the same problem: search engines can index hundreds of pages and still send no signups if the site does not convert visitors into obvious, immediate value. 's report of many Google pages but no members is a good diagnostic clue — the next steps are conversion and retention, not only more links.

Concrete, high-impact actions that were not detailed above:

  • Seed a small set (5–10) of canonical, self-contained problem+solution threads that directly answer a common question in one view: short summary, step-by-step fix, and a marked "accepted" answer at the top. Use clear titles with the problem + environment (example: "Printer not found — Windows 7 — USB recognized but offline").
  • Make essential value visible to guests: one or two fully solved threads and a short "Fix Library" on the front page so an unregistered visitor immediately sees what the forum offers.
  • Reduce registration friction to the minimum needed (email + password); postpone non-essential profile fields. Highlight social proof (recent solved threads, top helpers) on the landing page to show activity.

Practical engagement and onboarding:

  • Automate a short welcome message and a tiny "how to ask" template so new posts come in with useful details; this raises first-reply rates and answer quality.
  • Run a low-effort recurring event (weekly "triage hour" or "fix of the week") to create predictable activity and reward core contributors with visible badges or a 'Top Helpers' list.

Measure and iterate:

  • Track registrations per referrer, reply-to-first-post time, and 30-day retention. If a highly indexed page yields few signups, A/B test the landing snippet, CTA placement, or guest access to a solved thread. Tie back to earlier advice about uniqueness: choose one narrow, useful focus and make the site the easiest place to get that answer.

Recommended Answers

All 7 Replies

Member Avatar for mdbusa

I have just setup a simple home page and forum. the homepage is and it the forum is sort of like this forum but there are not as many members or options (daniweb uses vbulletin $160, I use PHPbb free). So my site and my forum offer you news,info, and fixes related to computer tech.

How can i attract new members.

U might get alot more members if you dropped the red sox thing :mad: :mad:

There are so many pc tech site/forums out there I would not know how to attract new members----provide quick and accurate solutions might help to get members via word of mouth

Member Avatar for Dani

Offer something unique. A different style / color scheme other than default Invision. Provide something the others don't. Along with quick replies and knowledgable information. It may take awhile, but word WILL spread.

Member Avatar for JAMMAN

Offer something unique. A different style / color scheme other than default Invision. Provide something the others don't. Along with quick replies and knowledgable information. It may take awhile, but word WILL spread.

I have a unique looking place, modded to the gills, lot's of bells and whistles. But it's a general talk forum so I don't get a lot of new members either. Seems to be the trend with non service and non porn boards. I get crawled daily and have 124 pages on google but not one member from google.

Persistance is the key.

Member Avatar for Vinoth

depends, it is not that when u start an forum,members would get in.

advertise, link exchange with other members, this would help u a lot.

Member Avatar for lufc

the most over looked for of promotion is viral, tell your freinds, work buddies and every else about your forum, add it to the bottom of your sigs in forums and in your emails. the news of your forum will soon spread.

Member Avatar for eWebTalk

It takes time for a community to grow and at most one of the most effective advertising for bringing in members is "word of mouth"

Member Avatar for php4ever

LUFC; Viral? you want to see a clear example of Viral marketing. KMGI.COM

mikeandike22: Listen, they're all right. You need to give someone a reason to register and further more a reason to stay and to return.

Good Luck
Jared.

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.