[K.ing]

Oh omni, did you like know I was trying to get into forum administration? ~~

Thanks for the great thread.

[Omniscient]

I stopped focusing on keyword research years ago. I've reached critical mass.

When selecting keywords use tools like Google Trends and Google Adwords. Do searches yourself and see what come up. Analyze everything. Keyword work is time consuming and you need to be thorough. If you do it right you can come up with good terms to target. Once you have the keywords then add them correctly into your sites content.

[Blazin]

Very good points omni to building a site/forum I always wondered myself.

[Ulysses S Grant™]

This thread is very very helpful , Thank-you Omni now what do you do about other forums that have the same keywords as you do you just try to have something they don't like awards and other plugins does that draw people ? And how long did it take for your other forums like support forums ect to take off ?

[VRUMM]

It is sad many members now just create forums for leaking digital products to gain attention and new members.

---

My domain is AnonymousForums, I thought it would be nice because there is always someone looking up "Anonymous" for some reason. I know CpaElites got big very quickly and I was hoping my site could do the same... I suppose I just need better effort, resources, and advertisement.

Cpaelites used to be big, but now it is just the admins faking/hiding stats. The activity is very low, but Hawk eye makes it looks like the forum is very active. If you are a member there you will know right away.

I don't know if the niche is dying, or if the contents are just not as good anymore.

[jaiswalankur]

Thank you 0mni for this small but useful tutorial. I will follow your tips. I hope I own a very successful forum.

[ZuGgY]

Pretty helpful and keeps someone motivated.

Thank you, Omniscient.

[Xerif]

Thanks for this thread Omni! It's not often that you get this kind of advice from someone with a website that has half a million users.

[Amazing]

Oh, I have a question.

Does being a webmaster become a compulsive addiction after a certain period of time? For example, after you make 5-10 websites/forums, you'd like to try more and more niches and subjects for each and you just can't find enough space on one or two websites, so you make more and more and more websites? It seems like it'd become an easy addiction.

I feel like it is.

My most successful site wouldn't even be considered successful by most standards but it feeling successful to me was an awesome feeling and made me want to continue creating sites... whether they failed or not. The most fun part about it for me is trying to create something that looks awesome... something that people compliment you on and of course learning.

I started toying with web development when I was like 13 because I played games online and I wanted to know how their forum worked. The site I was on most used IPB 2.3.6 which was my favorite forum software of all. I created an Invision Free forum and just started playing around with things until I learned how to use it well, then moved onto something else. That's the best way to learn. Running a successful site like HF would be amazing but the coolest part about web development in my opinion is learning everything, even though that may sound boring to everyone else. 😖

[VRUMM]

I feel like it is.

My most successful site wouldn't even be considered successful by most standards but it feeling successful to me was an awesome feeling and made me want to continue creating sites... whether they failed or not. The most fun part about it for me is trying to create something that looks awesome... something that people compliment you on and of course learning.

I started toying with web development when I was like 13 because I played games online and I wanted to know how their forum worked. The site I was on most used IPB 2.3.6 which was my favorite forum software of all. I created an Invision Free forum and just started playing around with things until I learned how to use it well, then moved onto something else. That's the best way to learn. Running a successful site like HF would be amazing but the coolest part about web development in my opinion is learning everything, even though that may sound boring to everyone else. 😖

I succeeded with my first forum. Although it was nothing big, I found the right niche and got the right content, but I was a terrible webmaster and got the site hacked several times.

[Fire]

Because I get asked fairly often how I got HF so big or I'm asked for advice on how to start a forum. I wrote up the most point blank steps I could think of.

1. Find a topic you can discuss everyday that you're passionate about and knowledgeable.
2. Make sure the niche has potential to grow. Review any existing sites in the space only to observe their size.
3. Begin creating the most unique site you can.
4. Officially launch site and promote it where you're allowed and is appropriate. DO NOT ADVERTISE ON COMPETING SITES...that almost never works an usually pisses people off. Look for places where a potential member might be.
5. Work on SEO. This means find and then targeting your keywords, optimizing your html code and images, and making sure you have quality in-bound links.
6. Be patient and steadfast. It can take a lot of time to feel successful and in the end your project will very likely fail anyways. If so then go back to step 1 and try again.

HF for example was probably my 50th forum..maybe more actually. I had at one point over 200 websites. No exaggeration. I had my hands in everything. The chance of success was increased because I had so many projects. Most projects fail. That's just how it is. So my approach was simple. Work work work and put my fingers into as many pies as possible.

I gained a ton of experience over the years in just about every aspect of being a webmaster and often the master part of that word is ignored and not properly appreciated. I am a webMASTER. There is almost nothing I can't do myself or deal with. So my personal approach was to just keep working, gaining knowledge, and growing. At the moment HF is my most successful project but that's the result of me being a successful webmaster.

The road to success is not a quick 5 step process. It's a cross country highway that you're jogging. If you work hard and stick with it eventually you'll find you've made it.

Also be aware that while HF is my current and most successful site it's not my first internet success. I'm not a one-trick pony and if I didn't have HF tomorrow it wouldn't take me long to have a couple dozen new projects. HF takes up all my time and I've become very frugal when it comes to extra projects now.

Agree with most of this post besides having multiple projects at the same time. I believe in working on a single good project instead of several semi-good ones. That's just me though.

[Moji]

Great guide Omni, thanks for the share.

200 websites at one time.. wow.

[Disease]

Agree with most of this post besides having multiple projects at the same time. I believe in working on a single good project instead of several semi-good ones. That's just me though.

Omni's point was that he played to the numbers. Practically everything in life, and business at that, can be boiled down to statistics. And statistically speaking, having a greater number of opportunities active results in a greater chance of one coming into fruition. It's clear Omni took the position of not putting all of his eggs in one basket.

Omni, you mentioned that with HF taking up as much time as it does, that this has become your sole focus. If you had the opportunity to, would you remedy that? Or are you at a point where HF takes up all of your time and you're okay with it doing so?

[Omniscient]

Omni now what do you do about other forums that have the same keywords as you do you just try to have something they don't like awards and other plugins does that draw people

I don't really spend a lot of time on other forums. I might view SERP's then check out what I'm competing against. That may help me decide if it's a weak or strong keyword for me. Like if the top 3 results are not so relevent or the sites are low quality. Then I know I can win that term by having more relevancy and better quality. In a nutshell I just gave you the secret to every SEO expert on the planet. They won't ever target solid competitive keywords like "travel". They'll go for low-hanging fruit and what's known in the industry as long-tail keywords.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_tail

My most successful site wouldn't even be considered successful by most standards but it feeling successful to me was an awesome feeling and made me want to continue creating sites... whether they failed or not. The most fun part about it for me is trying to create something that looks awesome... something that people compliment you on and of course learning.

I started toying with web development when I was like 13 because I played games online and I wanted to know how their forum worked. The site I was on most used IPB 2.3.6 which was my favorite forum software of all. I created an Invision Free forum and just started playing around with things until I learned how to use it well, then moved onto something else. That's the best way to learn. Running a successful site like HF would be amazing but the coolest part about web development in my opinion is learning everything, even though that may sound boring to everyone else.

That sounds like me 15 years ago except I wasn't 13. :) When you continue to work, strive, and learn then eventually you'll reach success. It's practically ensured.

I succeeded with my first forum. Although it was nothing big, I found the right niche and got the right content, but I was a terrible webmaster and got the site hacked several times.

It's a common tail for all webmasters. Even some completely lose their sites if they don't keep backups. Some even lose their domains...I think that's hilarious personally. Takes a real noob not to pay a $10 annual fee.

Agree with most of this post besides having multiple projects at the same time. I believe in working on a single good project instead of several semi-good ones. That's just me though.

The multiple projects is just me though. I'm too ADHD and anxious to have just one or even 3 projects. I'm even stupid enough to start HackerCraft even though I don't have the spare time. But I just love new projects.

And yes I still maintain and visit my sites. Sometimes I'll take a day to make sure they're properly working and backed up. Sometimes host updates break sites and even one might get compromised if I'm not paying attention.

Omni, you mentioned that with HF taking up as much time as it does, that this has become your sole focus. If you had the opportunity to, would you remedy that? Or are you at a point where HF takes up all of your time and you're okay with it doing so?

I would like to have the free time to explore more projects. Unfortunately every time I do the problem becomes time management. I simply just don't have the endless energy and time of a teenager.

[RDCA]

I remember reading this thread a day or two ago and reminiscing the countless number of my former friends who wanted to start forums. Originally a lot were HF copies, and then by the second time I realized all their mistakes. They were taking an over saturated idea, presenting it in a horrible manner with many empty forums, useless structures, and a plethora of rules. In addition the owner was not active on the forum but rather spreading his site like an STD where and where not he could. All those forums were bound to fail. Things surely have changed since those days lol.

Anyway, my personal tips:
1. Class over flash. Shiny and sparkly names, ranks, and other things typically come off as amateur, unprofessional, and in general, unskilled. Users shouldn't be blinded by sparkles when looking at someone's name, when the more important content is the actual post.
2. From the roots up. Realize that your forum should be based in a unique 'soil', where the content is your own, and there is a good amount of interest. Slowly add sections, features, and abilities.
3. Functionality and features over money. Many people put together these horrid upgrades which carry no benefit, and are multiple tiers. Also, don't try to implement 3 upgrades if you can't implement a nice feature for one of them which is unique.
4. Think long term. Do not implement policies, features, or other things which are created with the short term only in mind. You need to have a plan, which should include the future.

Either way there is always room to learn with this, as well as all other occupations. Running a forum isn't as easy as it is all cracked up to be. One of my friends who did have a very good and active site ended up killing it just by simply switching forum software. I'm sure some of the older members actually know of this.