Anyone else agree with this point I've noticed?

Having an active and popular website does not automatically equal an active forum, and usually, the most active section of a website is the first section added to said site.

I say this because most times I've seen blog sites add forums, they usually only get relatively few members and posts compared to the article commentators, and the same with wiki sites and forums.

Any other possible reasons that say, adding a forum to a successful site, blog or wiki could be less successful than the other aspect? Seems to work in reverse too, I've seen very few forum sites add wikis and blogs and do greatly well with them as features... difference in userbase?

 

I would put it down to the first thing being the main focus and the main reason visitors come there and once that has been established the first one is always the main focus unless you get rid of the other.

 

That's a good possibility. Take AdminAddict. It's a forum first and foremost, and you're saying that since most people come here for that aspect of the site, adding say, a wiki or the like would be less popular because most people didn't come here to contribute to that, correct?

 

Correct..

 

Yeah exactly, whatever it is first seems to be the rule here

 

Very few webmasters actually "get it". They add sections and try to be everything to everyone but they don't put the as much effort into the project outside their main focus. This isn't really the fault of the webmaster. They can only do much and most people are solo freelancers who don't have a dedicated team of people working for them.

One website that does continually get it is Sitepoint. It started out as one person with a forum. The focus was on the forum at first with some articles and the Tribune newsletter. It was called Webmaster Resources then. Later the owner took on partners and it became Sitepoint. They hired staff, started a publishing arm, a development arm and continued to improve the website. What makes it work is everything has been interconnected from the start. The forums lead to the articles which lead to the books which lead to the blogs and they keep everyone interested with half a dozen newsletters. They are truly an online publishing and content company.

Individual solo freelancers need to handle what they can take on and grow naturally. Don't just add a section because you see something similar on another website. Add it because it makes sense to your community.

I don't visit the front page or the directory. Hardly look in the Marketplace forums. The front page hasn't been updated for months even though the last article was posted 5 days ago. That means the frontpage doesn't provide valuable information. I just clicked on Articles right now to expect it to be a copy of the front page. Imagine my surprise when it had new content. The Marketplace is just a feedburner RSS feed of the Marketplace forum. Why not just link to the forum instead?

 

You bring up interesting points here actually Wayne. I've honestly never clicked the "articles" link, I always assumed it want back to the homepage to the articles there, not sure why its split in to two different sections. You should post this in the forum suggestions

 

Sites attract different types of people that want different things.

I rarely go to the main page of AA because there is nothing there at really interest me. But someone else find the articles of great value.

When I land on a site, one of the first things I look for is the forum or community link. No forum, bam, I'am outta there. But that is because I like posting stuff.

 

I've noticed it too. But it really depends on the site in general. Perhaps if you made a post on the frontpage about the forum, then that would get peoples attention to join it.