Quality and engaging forum content

[Shawn Gossman]

I would rather have 100 posts with several pages of content that continues to grow rather than 1,000 posts with two or three replies.

If you focus on greater quality topics with engaging content, you can create long-lasting posts that continue to grow. Every time you reply to the post, you must reply with engagement.

Reply with questions. Reply with statements you know will spark a further discussion on the subject. Reply in a way that makes everyone want to participate.

It's when we reply with one-liners that the thread starts to lose its life.

How do you feel about this topic? Is this something you try to accomplish with you forum?

 

[Dilip]

I always try to add some content when I post on my forum and others. But one thing never I do deliberately is the length. I try to write what I have to say. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

[Elseb]

You're absolutely right about adding questions etc but sometimes some threads will only bring put a bit of conversation and won't go very far. It's annoying but it does happen.

 

[Shawn Gossman]

It's annoying but it does happen.

It at least helps us learn what works and what doesn't work

 

[Dilip]

People who have run forums in the past know what exactly works and what does not. Making a forum active needs some strategy and it includes ways that are not always straight. But what works matters in the end.

 

[Shawn Gossman]

People who have run forums in the past know what exactly works and what does not. Making a forum active needs some strategy and it includes ways that are not always straight. But what works matters in the end.

I think it's important to experiment.

I tried the referral contest as an experiment. It was a bust. I'm not upset, it just didn't work.

I might try a posting contest in the future or even a referral program to earn PayPal payments. We'll see.

But I feel like we should experiment with different ways to keep the forum engaged and active and see what works and what doesn't work.

But I do agree - a strategy is really important.