User Forum's

[jumbaleo]

hi

I am starting a new business and wanted to run a user forum alongside the businesses website.

As you may have already guessed, i really have no idea about user forum's so the question really is:

What are the best User Forum's to use for functionality?

What do they cost?

Is there anything to be aware of??

Thanks in advance

jim

 

[mikey601]

http://www.vbulletin.com/

 

[jumbaleo]

http://www.vbulletin.com/

Ha ha,

Have already been looking at VBulletin, was wondering if there was anything else available, and anything else I may need to take into account in running a forum?

Cheers

jim

 

[spangley_special]

well jim, you'll have to worry about people like me spaming it

but seriously bots will cause you nightmares if you let them

 

[pringle]

The main thing about a forum bud is actually getting it started with enough posts that people actually create a account. So have multiple accounts and talk to yourself posting replies and stuff to get it started!

 

[jumbaleo]

The main thing about a forum bud is actually getting it started with enough posts that people actually create a account. So have multiple accounts and talk to yourself posting replies and stuff to get it started!

I've heard about that, apparently it helps with the overall Google site ranking when you have loads of activity on a user forum which is linked directly to your website.

Thats part of the reason why I wanted to use one, as well as having an easy outlet for user queries i.e. instead of responding to loads of tech support emails etc, using it to answer possible questions in advance and the like.

jim

 

[OddJob]

If you don't know how to use the forum I'd suggest that you ask a mate who does know to be an Admin for it so that they can lock it down enough. I'm sure you could persuade someone who wants to feel like they have a position of power.

You'd need to only let signed up members post otherwise you will get spammed and thusly make more work for yourself as well as other limits for possible locked parts of the forum where only you can post or certain suppliers/teams so that it can't be seen by others etc. They are pretty straight forward, have a play with setting it up before making it live to the world. They aren't that hard when you get your head around it and know what you're doing.

 

[e-whore]

we use phpBB version 3 has an image verification on sign up to try and combat spam. checkout our forum on http://fade2gray.com

 

[pringle]

There is also invision powerboard which is popular choice like the other ones mentioned. There is a free one or i don't know if it one of charge or mothly/yearly for a paying one which obviously would have more features.

P.S if you scroll to the bottom of pgi forums you get this http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/4773/vbullteinzy7.jpg

might help in your decision

 

[FirebirD]

vB is the better of the many types of forums, but the most expensive.
invision powerboard is Okay, and PHPBB is the worst (in my opinion) most forums have the ability to have image verification now anyway, i'd personally buy vB for a forum, its fairly difficult to get used to at first, but once you get used to it, its a breeze, so its best to get someone experienced to be an admin and set it all up, so you can just swoop in and do the finer details, and then once you have more members, get some moderators also