Advice Needed: How to Regenerate Activity for an Inactive 150,000 Post Forum?

**kinkarso** · 07-22-2007, 09:47 PM

SportsAddicted.net has been just sitting there for quite some time, and after doing some work to it, I am now looking to actually bring back activity to match it's former glory. SportsAddicted.net used to be SportsAddicted.com. However, I've lost possession of the domain name, and had to go with the next best thing. I'm looking to start anew, and am wondering if anyone could give me some advice as to how to go about advertising, and promoting the site. SportsAddicted.net is a great resource, but people don't know that. Should I focus on SEO? Start another contest (I just finished a large one, which didn't help much)? Just trying to glean something from the pros out there

.

Thank You,
Donny

PS, I'm looking to gain active members from the outside in. Current users just aren't interested in the site anymore. Like I said, SA has gone through a lot.

**ablaye** · 07-23-2007, 01:24 PM

Try to get some paid posters to kick off the forum.
I also own two forums: a Video Games forum and a Movies forum. Both have also been slow lately and I am looking to hire forum posters.

**LeeD** · 07-23-2007, 02:17 PM

What kind of activity do you have to work with right now? Posts per day, new members per day, and so on?

**kinkarso** · 07-24-2007, 03:09 PM

I just recently merged the forums with another sports forum that I bought. The forums were offline for around 1-2 months, and activity isn't great at all. Now before I send out a bulk email to my members, I'd like to get the forum ready for the activity, so I can get the most out of the traffic. I'm just wondering what I should do. Should I get a new skin? Update the forums with new threads?

Thank you,
Donny

**john546** · 07-25-2007, 05:04 PM

Yes, that will be the best bet is to get a little activity going in there from paid posters or something and then send an email to all your existing members so that you can try and get them back on the site.

**Spizz** · 07-25-2007, 05:53 PM

You say that the forum has been down for a while? What I would make sure to do in your mass email is comment on a few memorable moments from past times on the board. Did you have any popular memes? Was a certain member ever made fun of for anything? Did you have any very large, epic posts? Whether it's a complete "do you remember this" type thing or just an off the cuff comment, drop a few in there somewhere - what you need to do here is spark off some powerful emotion in your old readers, to get them wanting more.

**imported_Joeychgo** · 07-31-2007, 03:39 PM

Do a remodel of the site first. Make it look different so as to indicate the changes. Then, send several emails over the next month or so. The first one saying you have taken over and remodeled the site. One inviting them back to the site and asking the user to give the site another look. Announce something in another email, such as a contest or new feature or something.

Paid posters are good, but you might also want to try emailing the top 10 posters who dont participate now, thanking them for their past posting and asking for their help with the site now.

**MrSir** · 08-20-2007, 05:33 PM

great ideas...i will be looking to do this for another site of mine if a couple of months.

**LeeD** · 08-21-2007, 11:08 AM

Any updates on progress?

**GeorgeB** · 08-21-2007, 01:46 PM

He recently sold the site I think.

I know it's been up for sale on here, sitepoint, and DP.

**jesterx** · 08-21-2007, 08:31 PM

i wouldnt do paid posting

just ppc, and blog, and forums all the main stuff....just until momentum gets going again.

I know that banner ads will work but if you can get them for cheap.

Come back and let us know how you go.

**ablaye** · 08-23-2007, 01:10 AM

With a 150,000 posts, I would think you would get enough traffic from search engines.
What's going on? Did all your pages get de-listed???

**jessicafolker** · 08-26-2007, 02:03 PM

you already have 150,000 posts????

**searchfordeal** · 08-29-2007, 04:21 PM

I have 2 slow forums, one is in big board, other one is just there with 200,000+ posts...both is video game site and what kind of contest will help to boosts forum activity?

**Brandon** · 08-29-2007, 04:27 PM

I think it's sold, but I would have done a little SEO work, it wouldn't take much to get decent ranking. Starting with fixing the title tag :innocent:

**LeeD** · 08-29-2007, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by searchfordeal

I have 2 slow forums, one is in big board, other one is just there with 200,000+ posts...both is video game site and what kind of contest will help to boosts forum activity?

For the video game based community, are you able to get games or game gear to review or give away?

**searchfordeal** · 08-29-2007, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee

For the video game based community, are you able to get games or game gear to review or give away?

well, I guess, I could come up with some prize..

but thing is I have another startup forum about Zune, ranked 11th on google and running Free Zune contest, it is not attract many users...

**imported_shane** · 09-10-2007, 09:27 PM

Yes.paid forum posters are also a good idea but you should first do a remodelling of the forum...