Forum Vs. Community

There are about thousands of forums on the internet, but only a few are a real community and have that community spirit. What do you feel is the biggest difference between a forum and a community? What can a forum owner do to turn a forum into a great community?

 

Make members interactive with site, have a reason for the members to stay and be active.

 

Not a good reason I would say. You can have a huge active forum and still not be a community because it just doesnt have the community spirit.

 

I guess it really depends on the interest, cause if its a topic on a sports team ofcourse everyone going to have the same spirit

 

Communities are always alive and is another version of your friendly neighbourhood you will see on TV's but what ruins them are trolls and wannabe memes, Forums seem to be different and are just for members to join and pass by every few months

 

Yea I agree, there will always be trolls and drama on communities but thats normal. You have drama in your family as well. DigitalPoin is a good example of a forum, where ForumPromotion is Community because there members there can relate with each other and work together and agree on things where on DigitalPoint people just sell their things and leave.

 

A community is a place where members are like family and respect on another and usually know each other, I see that over here on AdminBB. That is something a "forum" does not have. "The community spirit".

 

Well said john, we here at adminbb are like a very big family

 

Community is the most important factor. If forums had to personalities to them they would just be like 4chan, thousands annoymous of people saying random stuff.

 

Another great point you have there.. not all "forums" can be communities.

 

I don't think activity has anything to do with it, more about how the members & staff there act, etc.

A community is when the forum has that community feeling where everyone is welcome, and everyone is treated equally, etc.

A forum is when you join, and are not felt welcomed into the community and you feel that everyone else is being treated differently to you, etc.

 

Agreed. I hate when forum owners put other members first when they are friends or have been around longer, but I try to keep it equal because its not very nice making someone feel unimportant. And thats what happens on forums and not communities.

 

My forum is a community. We are very warm & friendly. Worry about each other and are genuine friends. Newcomers usually acclimate into our community easily and are very welcome as well.

 

Wober is a nice forum, and has a friendly atmosphere

 

Thanks

 

I agree, so true. A community is like a family in many ways where a forum is filled with mostly strangers who just do what they gotta do and leave. And also true on a community you always feel welcomed by the members and staff, and the staff are very friendly.

 

The feeling of being in a community is hard to achieve for admins but it can be don with a lot of hard work and a good idea. If you have an unique forum with reasons to join and posts for a guest then I think you made an community.

 

If your on the forum for the same reason you get a community but if it's for different reasons you don't.

 

can you elaborate a little further on what those reasons may be?

 

Okay for example a football team fan club all the members go because they support the team so it's something they have in common but on other forums members will join for a different reasons meaning they don't all have something in common.