What does it take to run a forum?

[temi]

Giving the number of webmaster here at this forum and two other forums I frequent who are starting their own forums, I wonder what leads people into starting a forum (I think I should ask myself that question too, I run about 2-3 forums) and what does it take to start and run a successful forum?

Also, I wonder if people actually found forums very useful or just a nosy community where you can show off your talents, products or services, I will like to hear your thoughts on this.

[rakib]

Forums are always useful, I think. Because we can share each other all the things easily.

This is actually depends on the user mentality also.

Forums are great, I find that sometimes you can learn a lot, sometimes you can piss someone off and sometimes just chitchat. And of course let's be honest: post links, links and more links ...

What it takes to run forum? I would have no idea, I can only imagine that a person would need to be motivated to be online a lot and answer lots of questions, of course being active etc. One more thing that would be required is to be patient and be able to pick the spammers.

Anyway you seem to be good at it, so tell us

..

It all looks so easy......so you try it......anic:

Whyyyyyyy.

But beside the hard work it fun and great when things start to develop.

What does it take?.......Alot of effort.

[adiwillow]

agreed.. just beware of the masses taking over...

I run/used to run a forum for a car owners group with close to 1000 members.... i loved it. Now, its got too big. There is a club commitee, a paid membership scheme, and a club in its own right with treasurers etc. I no longer have any clout or any say, and to the club the forum is just a place of resource, whereas the club has delusions of grandeur above my forum.

I'm out of it as of this month.. its not fun anymore. I'm onto a new forum and hopefully it will be just as successful without all the politics.

[temi]

Originally Posted by adiwillow

just beware of the masses taking over..

But you seem to have delegate the authority (but you retain the over all authority as its your forum, site is in your name etc) ? sounds like a board room coup and you have been ousted

In a way I actually like it when a forum takes a life of its own, I have a forum too, I am not really keep about 60% of what the forum is about (I did not start the forum, It was part of a site package I bough from someone selling out). but there are two amazing admin at the forum who are passionate about it, they have been at the forum before I bought it, I just keep providing them what they need to make the forum look good and run it and I spend most of my time at this forum as I like it more.

[adiwillow]

Originally Posted by temi

But you seem to have delegate the authority

yep you're right in a way. I had one other admin and moderators.. and then it was suggested that we implemented a paid membership scheme as i was running the forum out of my own pocket. Somehow this paid membership scheme turned into a paid 'club' with club committee which seems to have grown and grown without me. I never wanted the club but sometimes you have to give in to opinions of the members... who did want one.

I handed over the hosting last week to someone else.. and the admin rights. I'm proud that the forum is a success and that i started it.. but its time to move on. I'm not really interested anymore anyway ... I've got a new hobby and a new forum to work on

Oh and a PS.. one thing that people dont warn you about is the legal aspect. You as the site owner are responsible for anything that gets written in your forum. If you get too slack you can suddenly find yourself in a legal situation... epecially if you have traders operating within. It happened to me .. twice. Luckily it was eventually resolved with no action being taken, but the threat is there, and a simple disclaimer wont stop it.

Other than that.. go for it.. its fun.

[temi]

Originally Posted by adiwillow

Oh and a PS.. one thing that people dont warn you about is the legal aspect. You as the site owner are responsible for anything that gets written in your forum. If you get too slack you can suddenly find yourself in a legal situation... epecially if you have traders operating within. It happened to me .. twice. Luckily it was eventually resolved with no action being taken, but the threat is there, and a simple disclaimer wont stop it.

Other than that.. go for it.. its fun.

Adi,
This is a very important point, do you have a disclaimer template by any chance for other forum owners?

[PrivateInvestigator]

to be honest, the only reason i have forums on my sites is because they're good for SEO. same with blogs. IT's a good way of having people add content to the site for you.

[UK WW ex member]

As webmasters are my clients I have started forum with the target of having my potential clients in my board