Quality Discussion Forums Help

[SteveG]

Okay, here's my tip for the day.

I have found that if you have a quailty content web site that is regularly updated with new articles, pages, photos, etc., a good discussion forum on your site will keep visitors "locked in" as a regular visitor. It's just another way to keep visitors coming back - by participating in a forum about the topic at hand. I have web sites where "experts" on the topic visit daily and enjoy espousing all their knowledge about a topic. Heck, many do the work for me and volunteer to write new articles for my web site, in exchange for a bio with a link to their web site. And consider the forums you participate in now (including this one): If the forums were not there, would you visit as much?

Having a discussion forum also helps with SEO, for search engines appreciate that there is constantly new postings and pages being created on your forum as well. Also, you can put adsense on your forum header & footer which is another chance for visitors to check out your contextualized ads.

Again, I will say I think forums will only work for legitimate, quality content types of sites. Your thoughts and comments? -s

[mondine]

Originally Posted by SteveG

And consider the forums you participate in now (including this one): If the forums were not there, would you visit as much?

Um, since this site is a forum, I guess not.

But I know what you mean. A quality site can be enhanced by a good accompanying discussion forum.
Too often though, you see the case of them being tacked onto sites like an afterthought,
or overly ambitious in scope (a broad variety of empty sub-forums),
or just a hang-out for the site owner and a couple of buddies.

[Rosking]

I agree. I visit websites who have a good forum more often then if they wouldn't have one.

[sushithmn]

me too...having a good forum is always helful in getting return traffic..i enjoy participating in forums.

[kapps]

Yup, forums are good to keep the users coming back for more. Take this site for example, so many people just keep on coming!! Its a good way to build up traffic.