Web Design Forums

cmac · 09-10-2006, 23:57

Me and some friends recently started an online forum for students at our university, and we're having a little trouble getting members

Our target audience is mainly students at our univeristy in addition to alumni, and possibly faculty, but mostly current students.

We've done quite a few things to get the word out such as:
1.) chalking the address on the sidewalk all around the university
2.) chalking the address on classroom blackboards
3.) hanging up flyers (flyers aren't allowed from non student organizations on campus, but we're hanging them up anyway, and they last a few hours before they're removed)
4.) word of mouth

anyone have any other tips for promoting our site? thanks!

Alexanda · 10-10-2006, 05:14

posters (great ones, not the usual crap) in bars where students drink off the uni campus

cmac · 10-10-2006, 11:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by cantona

posters (great ones, not the usual crap) in bars where students drink off the uni campus

good idea. maybe coffee shops too, because that's probably more of the personality we want on the site.

Narate · 10-10-2006, 12:18

I hung up posters every month for abit before I got bored.

We did some flyers last month but an admin women was 'highly offended' because it mentioned spurting your creative juices.

cmac · 10-10-2006, 13:06

checking my stats, it seems as if i'm getting lots of visitors but very few registrations and even less contribution. is there something I should do to spice up the site?

Alexanda · 10-10-2006, 13:37

to be fair it looks awful, the colors aren't nice

cmac · 10-10-2006, 14:01

those are the colors of the university, and they are god awful, but i guess i could consider changing them.

pgo · 10-10-2006, 14:23

Yes, but http://www.texastech.edu/ is nicer. You've over-using the red.

cam · 10-10-2006, 14:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmac

checking my stats, it seems as if i'm getting lots of visitors but very few registrations and even less contribution. is there something I should do to spice up the site?

I read somewhere lately that for every 100 visitors to a site that requires user-contribution you can expect an average of 1 or 2 to actually do something other than just browse. Interested in any suggestions people come up with here

Limbo · 10-10-2006, 14:47

Post decent and interesting information every day - make you headings title and links spiderable and relevant - promote your site via search engines.

Link to student events, get links from students events.
Link to student bars, coffe shops, popular hangouts, shops etc.

Give away free links as oftetn as you can - But make those links natural and useful - users like news, funnies and RELEVANT pages.

Screw off screen adverts - make viral ones that bounce around the uni mailboxes that are localised and relate to the users.

Dont' use your domain like a pimp - making promises it can't keep

Invent users who cause controversy (hush hush we've all done it)

Develop you content

develop you content

Develop your content...

And definitely change the colour - it's awful.

datahound · 10-10-2006, 15:33

Too red, its a colour of warning and alarm, scary. Its like the blood bath at the beginning of blade.

Can you get any of the cheerleaders to donate topless pics or do a web cam or something. (go on you were all thinking it!)

My advice, pack it in, get out more, meet girls, drink beer, get laid..

(Google have already blown their budget for this year)

paulanthony · 10-10-2006, 16:13

Create fake users, generate interesting debate to encourage participation
Content, content content, for the search engines

Offer things for user contribution - e.g. a reward for a discussion spanning ten replies or more. You need to think about the sheep effect - if there's no posts no one will post..

You have too may categories too - better to have a few with a lot of posts in them to start with - u can always add more later..Looks like a more active forum then.

mx · 10-10-2006, 16:35

Go out the union on the big student nights. Go round taking photos of all the drunken revelry(ers). post them on your site. Advertise that their there.

You might need to the permission of the union but the main night at our union did it every week and drove loads of people to the nights site, who then send the links to their friends etc etc.

Just a thought!

cmac · 10-10-2006, 17:12

thanks for the input. all great ideas, and i'll use them all.
i agree with the red being ugly. i just used a previously created ipb skin.

cmac · 10-10-2006, 18:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Limbo

Screw off screen adverts - make viral ones that bounce around the uni mailboxes that are localised and relate to the users.

what does this mean?

mx · 10-10-2006, 18:09

it's mean do a localised viral campaign. something directly targeted at the uni's own students

jamiecarruthers · 25-10-2006, 13:52

students love.... free stuff! find some freebies to give out to members when they sign up or post above a certain figure

mgpwr · 25-10-2006, 15:47

get some cheap ass posters around your uni

jasonb · 15-01-2007, 18:03

maybe myspace might be a good idea?

neka · 16-01-2007, 02:27

viral it. create some contreversial (cant spell

) topics and people will pass the link around.

09-10-2006, 23:57	#1 (permalink)
cmac Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 13	Attracting members to a student forum Me and some friends recently started an online forum for students at our university, and we're having a little trouble getting members Our target audience is mainly students at our univeristy in addition to alumni, and possibly faculty, but mostly current students. We've done quite a few things to get the word out such as: 1.) chalking the address on the sidewalk all around the university 2.) chalking the address on classroom blackboards 3.) hanging up flyers (flyers aren't allowed from non student organizations on campus, but we're hanging them up anyway, and they last a few hours before they're removed) 4.) word of mouth anyone have any other tips for promoting our site? thanks!

10-10-2006, 05:14	#2 (permalink)
Alexanda European Champions 2008 Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Amsterdam Posts: 2,271	posters (great ones, not the usual crap) in bars where students drink off the uni campus __________________ whats facebook?

10-10-2006, 13:37	#6 (permalink)
Alexanda European Champions 2008 Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Amsterdam Posts: 2,271	to be fair it looks awful, the colors aren't nice __________________ whats facebook?

10-10-2006, 15:33	#11 (permalink)
datahound Spare Parts Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Bracknell Forest Posts: 4,532	Too red, its a colour of warning and alarm, scary. Its like the blood bath at the beginning of blade. Can you get any of the cheerleaders to donate topless pics or do a web cam or something. (go on you were all thinking it!) My advice, pack it in, get out more, meet girls, drink beer, get laid.. (Google have already blown their budget for this year) __________________ poochmedia \| Computer Spare Parts \| Computer & Telephone Disposals

10-10-2006, 16:13	#12 (permalink)
paulanthony mingin dawg baitch Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Belfast Posts: 1,028	Create fake users, generate interesting debate to encourage participation Content, content content, for the search engines Offer things for user contribution - e.g. a reward for a discussion spanning ten replies or more. You need to think about the sheep effect - if there's no posts no one will post.. You have too may categories too - better to have a few with a lot of posts in them to start with - u can always add more later..Looks like a more active forum then. __________________ Web design Ireland

10-10-2006, 12:18	#4 (permalink)
Narate Royalty™ Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Manchester (UK) Posts: 3,207	I hung up posters every month for abit before I got bored. We did some flyers last month but an admin women was 'highly offended' because it mentioned spurting your creative juices.

10-10-2006, 13:06	#5 (permalink)
cmac Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 13	checking my stats, it seems as if i'm getting lots of visitors but very few registrations and even less contribution. is there something I should do to spice up the site?

10-10-2006, 14:01	#7 (permalink)
cmac Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 13	those are the colors of the university, and they are god awful, but i guess i could consider changing them.

10-10-2006, 14:23	#8 (permalink)
pgo i'm done, son Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 12,262	Yes, but http://www.texastech.edu/ is nicer. You've over-using the red.

10-10-2006, 14:47	#10 (permalink)
Limbo On yer bike... Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 4,951	Post decent and interesting information every day - make you headings title and links spiderable and relevant - promote your site via search engines. Link to student events, get links from students events. Link to student bars, coffe shops, popular hangouts, shops etc. Give away free links as oftetn as you can - But make those links natural and useful - users like news, funnies and RELEVANT pages. Screw off screen adverts - make viral ones that bounce around the uni mailboxes that are localised and relate to the users. Dont' use your domain like a pimp - making promises it can't keep Invent users who cause controversy (hush hush we've all done it) Develop you content develop you content Develop your content... And definitely change the colour - it's awful.

10-10-2006, 16:35	#13 (permalink)
mx fucksocks™ Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: in the boosh Posts: 1,578	Go out the union on the big student nights. Go round taking photos of all the drunken revelry(ers). post them on your site. Advertise that their there. You might need to the permission of the union but the main night at our union did it every week and drove loads of people to the nights site, who then send the links to their friends etc etc. Just a thought! __________________

10-10-2006, 17:12	#14 (permalink)
cmac Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 13	thanks for the input. all great ideas, and i'll use them all. i agree with the red being ugly. i just used a previously created ipb skin.

10-10-2006, 18:09	#16 (permalink)
mx fucksocks™ Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: in the boosh Posts: 1,578	it's mean do a localised viral campaign. something directly targeted at the uni's own students __________________

25-10-2006, 13:52	#17 (permalink)
jamiecarruthers Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: London, UK Posts: 12	students love.... free stuff! find some freebies to give out to members when they sign up or post above a certain figure

25-10-2006, 15:47	#18 (permalink)
mgpwr with a hint of lemon Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Hull Posts: 476	get some cheap ass posters around your uni

15-01-2007, 18:03	#19 (permalink)
jasonb Sceneparty.com Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Glasgow, Scotland, UK Posts: 44	maybe myspace might be a good idea?

16-01-2007, 02:27	#20 (permalink)
neka meow Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: plymouth, uk. Posts: 188	viral it. create some contreversial (cant spell ) topics and people will pass the link around.

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