Impossible to become HUGE nowadays?

I'd like to hear some other opinions on this topic. I feel like you'll never see a forum that launches now or in the future (or even in 2007/8) become a true big-board. Every forum I see that has an extremely large amount of posts (I guess 5 to 10 million) is actually very old, having launched in 2004 or earlier. I think 2007 is technically enough time to reach 10 million posts if it were going to at all, but I just don't see it.

Not to mention, any forum you start nowadays probably already has a huge and very old competitor to begin with so you'll never have that one-of-a-kind/no-other-choice type advantage.

 

It depends do you need 5-10 million posts to be considered successful? I don't think so. You need a format to provide information that is unique and pushes your revenue stream.

Also the thing about large competitors is that they are not as quick or nimble as they used to be. I look at SitePoint today and they are a large site with millions of posts. However I think their quality has fallen. Both in the community and in their articles. I would guess their focus now is their books but who knows. Other large communities are the same way.

The small quick competitor can gain some of those disillusioned with the large forums and still become quite successful. Everyone seems to measure a forum's success from the number of people and number of posts but really its more than that.

 

That can be taken so many different ways......

 

Let's assume that he's referring to one of the non-dirty discussion topics. :lol:

To be honest, I don't consider the amount of posts to be the deciding factor when it comes to a forum becoming "huge" or "successful". Sure - it's a superb achievement when you reach large post amounts, but it's not the most important aspect. Having a dedicated memberbase and a passionate staff team that return to the forum regardless of any changes and/or additions/removals made is what I would call a success.

 

I agree with that wholeheartedly.

 

My forum is 3 years old. 2 years ago it started all over from scratch and now it has over 726,000 post. Currently, my forum gets more post in 24 hours then it used to get in a whole month.

With the right promotion, anything is possible.

I disagree.

You have to blaze your own trail, instead of following what others have done.

 

For practicality's sake, I'd say that Kevin's forum is a success. Very rapid and steady growth, a great resource for his topic/niche, and an all-around useful forum.

I think it's hard to tell unless you're patient. You can't expect a forum to be a huge success in 2-3 years (even though many do, such as Kevin's). Give it at least 4 and then tell me what you think. I know of a handful of forums that started in or around 2005 that are successes today. If you go by numbers, you're never going to find a fixed "time" for becoming successful.

I also think that if you have competitors who don't expect your entrance into the forum industry, you may have a chance of surpassing their success. In other words, they are sitting back and watching their forum grow. To them, it's a success and it "runs itself", so they watch as things happen, and let the money rake in. Then you come in with a boatload of enthusiasm (which they don't have - remember, they're sitting back) and by the time they realize they have a competitor on their hands, it's too late - you'll already be on your way to success.
At least that's what I think.

 

One thing we don't know is how many nascent forums created back in the early days failed miserably.

Give some of these forums years to develop and I'm sure some of them will become big boards too.

 

amen!

 

Thats it!! .. Do what others have not achieved...be the best in your field.

In the 3 yrs that TilersForums.co.uk | Tile Forums | Tiling Forum has been running we have wiped the floor with any other competitors...

Content / friendliness and a helpful member base makes a forum a happy place to visit and if n ew comers feel welcome then they come back.

Good staff are worth thier weight in gold.

 

I think this is why AA is successful despite having a huge competitor. Just going the extra mile for your members makes a world of a difference.

 

You said it, Nick. You said it.

 

You sure did Nick!

I was also going to use Kevin's site, along with AdminAddict and the very new Rush Hour Madness!

And, to the original post, it's possible to become a large nowadays.

It may be hard, but it's definitely possible.

Encourage your members to stay active through contests, daily activities and always have a nice, fresh flow of content.

I find that many sites are not becoming huge because they are copying off of other sites and stealing their ideas.

Being original is key. Whether it be through styling, rules, the people, etc.

 

Ditto. I am on par to do 1 million posts for 2009. I started in April 2007.

There were dozens of sites in my genre. I was able to seperate myself by doing this differently and approaching the field with a fresh view. It worked of course.

I think this forum is a good example of that same explosive growth.

Forums are hit and miss. I have started dozens of them but it only takes that special one to move and you're in.

For growth I am very hopefuly. The internet is becoming more and more a social tool. While sites like facebook, twitter, and myspace are huge forums are imho the better community with long-lasting ability. Forums that do well are usually in a niche field where people are passionate about the topics. That can't be said about myspace or facebook. They are general social networks. Of course it works as you are appealing to the masses.

But here is the best part....forums are not popular. They simply aren't. I speak to most of the people I know and ask them if they are part of a forum or heck...if they even know what it is. Most say NO! I actually like that because it means they are a potential future forum user. Forums are imho an upward momentum genre. One that has it's roots in the beginning of the internet. Heck ..the beginning of computing with dial up BBS systems with 300 baud modems (I was there). Then onto stuff like Matt's wwwboard and Newsgroup. Both early forms of todays forums.

Forum have huge growth potential. I would estimate that only 5% of the market is really tapped.

Forum is on the rise and here is proof:
Google Trends: forum

 

In my opinion, even though you might have a competitor, if you're able to think ahead or more creative., you're able to succeed not matter what, with the right leader of course.

 

I actually ignore what other sites do. If you spend your time thinking about them you aren't spending time thinking about your own community.

 

That's true, but sometimes it's ok not to ignore the other sites, there still there and such. Have to take in mind that there ARE competitors. Always creating something innovative is an option, whether is design wise or a 'ability' the members have especially on your forum. At least that I know of, design wise, I try to be as 'creative' as possible so the users downloading the design would like to come to my community more and relying on me to have great quality and banging looking designs. Anime wise, I would love for us to have the latest anime, of course having the members being able to also enjoy the features of a forum. I haven't seen a forum set up like this [anime wise], I always see a blog which they have anime hosted at and then a separate forum. Reason in which in times is ok NOT to ignore the competition.

 

Listen to your members needs at your own site. I don't see how the needs of members on another site help yours. Don't be a follower in your field. That's how you become #2 not #1.

 

Those members might see another site and ask us to do the same, therefore not only listening to the members can be 'non-beneficial' but it's not really original.