How to get a site popular?

[Blake]

Hi, my site GFX Cafe is getting less and less people on per day and sign up almost never. How can I change this?

 

[Durandal]

Analyse when the trend started happening, and look at cause and effect. What changed about the forum? How long has it been around?, etc.

 

[Blake]

Well I noticed in the summer allot of members are on since there is no school but I need a way to get more people on during the school year and a way to attract them to the site.

 

[Durandal]

Well I noticed in the summer allot of members are on since there is no school but I need a way to get more people on during the school year and a way to attract them to the site.

Then you probably have to look to target a more adult demographic, or find content that requires much of a less sign-in time (a.k.a. users can browse content easily, on-demand, without investing as much time as they used to when they had more time).

 

[Jazzy]

I'm not into graphics and therefore I would have no interest in joining your site. I just think the biggest problem is when you create a site dedicated to just one topic. Like me, people are either into graphics or they're not. You should advertise your site on as many forums that offer you free advertising. Maybe you might want to think about adding more forum topics for people who aren't into graphics.

 

[Blake]

I'm not into graphics and therefore I would have no interest in joining your site. I just think the biggest problem is when you create a site dedicated to just one topic. Like me, people are either into graphics or they're not. You should advertise your site on as many forums that offer you free advertising. Maybe you might want to think about adding more forum topics for people who aren't into graphics.

Heres the problem I had, when making the forum I was considering a non topic site like Off Topix but there are so many of those i would get no members.

~Blake~

 

[Nebulous's iconNebulous]

When running a resource forum (something that provides a service like making graphics), don't expect to get active posters. People will come there to get what they need and go. Also your product (the graphics) need to be visually appealing to generate any interest in your site. If you do good work, you will start to get word-of-mouth referrals and gain a good reputation.

 

[Jazzy]

Heres the problem I had, when making the forum I was considering a non topic site like Off Topix but there are so many of those i would get no members.

~Blake~

It's true that there are a lot of General Discussion forums out there. You have to make yours unique like Off Topix is and keep members interested in coming back. It's truly heavy advertising and word of mouth that brings in the new members. I'm definately not saying your forum isn't a good one, I'm just saying there is nothing of interest for non-graphic people to do there. You could try splitting the forum and make it half graphic only and the other half a non topic specific area. Don't get me wrong, I would love to learn and know more about graphics but I'm not about to become a member that cannot post because I really have no knowledge to add.

 

[Blake]

So your saying at a glance it gives off the impression that its for advance graphic makers only?

 

[Jazzy]

So your saying at a glance it gives off the impression that its for advance graphic makers only?

Yes and even above your signature it say for all things graphic. Again, all things graphic would not interest a non-graphic member. Btw, your avatar is creeping me out!

 

[Blake]

So I have to rethink the way i advertise and it was for the Halloween thing.

 

[Jazzy]

So I have to rethink the way i advertise and it was for the Halloween thing.

I'm just giving suggestions and by no means am I an expert. The word Cafe, however, in your forum name makes me think of a real cafe. In a real cafe, people sit down and shoot the bull with one another. A cafe is a place to relax and enjoy small talk. If you could only incorporate the cafe part into the graphic part, I think you'd have a win-win situation. Haloween has come and gone.

 

[Blake]

I'm just giving suggestions and by no means am I an expert. The word Cafe, however, in your forum name makes me think of a real cafe. In a real cafe, people sit down and shoot the bull with one another. A cafe is a place to relax and enjoy small talk. If you could only incorporate the cafe part into the graphic part, I think you'd have a win-win situation. Haloween has come and gone.

Exactly what I was thinking people come relax and tak about GFX.... and Yeah I know but I like it.

 

[Jazzy]

Okay, you win and I'm out of suggestions. I wish you good luck with your forum!

 

[Durandal]

It's true that there are a lot of General Discussion forums out there. You have to make yours unique like Off Topix is and keep members interested in coming back. It's truly heavy advertising and word of mouth that brings in the new members. I'm definately not saying your forum isn't a good one, I'm just saying there is nothing of interest for non-graphic people to do there. You could try splitting the forum and make it half graphic only and the other half a non topic specific area. Don't get me wrong, I would love to learn and know more about graphics but I'm not about to become a member that cannot post because I really have no knowledge to add.

Yeah, there are a lot of general discussion fora out there, and actually I had never heard of Off Topix until someone referred it to me, and not to offend, but I don't think it sticks out in particular than others.



Okay marketing quiz!



How did Durandal arrive to Off Topix?



A.) He was given a vision by Saint Nebulous of Off Topixland to join

B.) Word-of-mouth

C.) He really lives underground in a bunker where he is being forced to conduct social-networking intel.

D.) Jazzy hired him.



If you said B, you're right! Word-of-mouth marketing, whether for a profitable entity or not is the highest ROI earning form of marketing in existence. If you want to pimp up your user numbers, then I'd suggest pursuing options along that method. Word of mouth is powerful, and there is no better way to enhance your word of mouth marketing than using social networking sites like Twitter (Nebulous's doing it), and Facebook, and whatever else you can find out there. Make a fan page for your forum. For your status and tweets - make sure people know you are the proprietor of GFX. Find partner sites that have relevance, and find companies that produce customers that would have a consumption synergy with your 'product'. Go to the AMD-ATi website and find a way to establish a presence there, go to nVidia and do the same.



Advertise and make yourself known where other people aren't - Guerilla Marketing, buddy. It helps to advertise transparently, if people don't think it is an ad, but yet leads them to your site, then voila, mission accomplished. You could do this by putting out some youtube videos - if it's a graphics community get some of your members to put together an animation to put on GFX's youtube channel (that you're going to run and create upon reading this). Feature a weekly video newsletter discussing updates and news relevant to the community. If you're really ambitious - find a modding team for a hot game out now, and work the visuals for a game mod and make it an advertainment venture.



Got it? Give it a shot.



I spent $70.000,00 on this knowledge, lol.

 

[Ashley]

It took quite some time for me to get my site even going! Just create new content, keep promoting or whatever it is your doing, or even consider this as an opportunity for a revamp of some sort.