How did the Forums start out?

[Wannabe Walt]

I would just like to know how the WDWMagic Website and Forums started out. I have two websites, http://www.infodisney.4t.com and http://www.infodisneyland.4t.com, and forums for them, http://infodisneymb.hyperboards.com. So far, we have 2 members in the forums (myself and a friend) and the website gets some, but not many visitors. Could someone please tell me if this is how WDW Magic started, or is there something I need to do???

 

[The_CEO]

Start a banner exchange. It will increase traffic flow.

 

[Wannabe Walt]

Huh???? I know what a banner is, but how do I make one and then get them online (all for free)??????

 

[Fievel]

lol..well this website is anything but free...a bunch of us decided awhile back to help steve out by paying him $5 a month for premium membership to the forums. If it wasn't for that, these boards would be dead.

Fact is it takes money to get big like this.....

 

[wdwmagic]

Originally posted by Wannabe Walt
I would just like to know how the WDWMagic Website and Forums started out. I have two websites, http://www.infodisney.4t.com and http://www.infodisneyland.4t.com, and forums for them, http://infodisneymb.hyperboards.com. So far, we have 2 members in the forums (myself and a friend) and the website gets some, but not many visitors. Could someone please tell me if this is how WDW Magic started, or is there something I need to do???

Hi
WDWMAGIC started by offering some unique content, that wasn't found anywhere else. From there people began to visit the site regularly looking for new hard-to-find things and news. The site built up a regular visitor base, and about 3 years later, I operated a mailing list. After about a year of that, I moved onto a forum, which is the basis of what you see today. An average of around 20 members per day signed up during the early opening stages.

Looking at your forum, you seem to have pretty much duplicated the WDWMAGIC forums. While I am flattered that you like the layout here, I don't see the point in having a copy of this forum as your forum.

I also think it will be incredibly difficult to begin a forum on from day one of a website. There just wouldnt be the number of visitors to allow it to survive. In my opinion should develop some content on your main site first.

hope that helps

 

[Gregory]

Seeing how the last post was only 10 days ago, I guess its not too old...

My suggestion is that if you're not able to pay for a site, you have two options really... Thats because there are many, many sites out there that are hosted for free, and many look very much alike...

One is that you have sooooo much info that people have no choice but to come back... For an example, try here- until recently, it was on a free server.. recently it joined with Toonzone.net... anyways...

The other would be to work for an established site- instead of working on both web design and content, try working on another Disney site thats looking for writers, editors, content managers, etc...


I went through your site, and it looks pretty good! The only problem I see is that there are too many banners on one of them... If you keep adding content, a lot of people will sign up...

I've had my site up for a while, and while I have almost 10,000 hits in the last week (due to my site being mentioned on Animation-Nation), not too many people have signed up for the site actually... Its hard, but it will happen eventually, I'm sure... so, keep up the good work

 

[Maria]

Maybe if you reduce the amount of boards and change the bright blue background, people could actually spend more time on them... :animwink:

 

[BenS]

Re: Re: How did the Forums start out?

Originally posted by wdwmagic

I also think it will be incredibly difficult to begin a forum on from day one of a website. There just wouldnt be the number of visitors to allow it to survive. In my opinion should develop some content on your main site first.

I have to disagree with that. My website is just a forum, it started that way, and I have more than a few users.

 

[wdwmagic]

Re: Re: Re: How did the Forums start out?

Originally posted by BenS
I have to disagree with that. My website is just a forum, it started that way, and I have more than a few users.

You even have 4 photos on the bottom of the forum just like here too.

 

[Al]

First off....your forums are WAAAY too big! Maybe consider expanding when you have a few more members.

Secondly, like Maria said - change the colour scheme as I find it very hard to read and it looks very dull.

When I started my travel forums, basically there were an add on to my personal website - www.alex-berrisford.com . My site was not getting very many hits, and in hindsight really, it was because....who really want's to visit a personal site...and keep coming back? Sure I had a few games and stuff, but nothing special really. After a while of spreading the word about my forums, their hits the forums were recieving way eclipsed the main site. Before the forums, the hits too my site were approx 100-200 per week. 2 months after, I was receiving 1000+ per week. After a while, I closed down the main site and just put up a simple page that showed the last 5 posts in the forums, and a link to the forums. I didn't think this page to be neccessary as my stats. showed that most people logged straight onto www.alex-berrisford.com/forums . Gradually, over time the forums grew - and just recently it was the forums "1 year online", and I thought it was about time I brought a domain for them because www.alex-berrisford.com/forums isn't really associated with travel! :lol: As well as the new domain, I also completely redesigned the home page, as I think it is more attractive to new visitors who aren't familiar with the forums. The new address is www.travel-forums.net And at the moment, things are going great! And that's my story!

Good luck with your site!

 

[Maria]

Originally posted by Al
I also completely redesigned the home page, as I think it is more attractive to new visitors who aren't familiar with toe forums.

<---not familiar with toe forums.... I try to avoid any toe! :lol:

j/k Al! :animwink:

The Travel Forums have grown up a lot! Congrats! :sohappy:

 

[Al]

Originally posted by Maria
<---not familiar with toe forums.... I try to avoid any toe! :lol:

j/k Al! :animwink:

The Travel Forums have grown up a lot! Congrats! :sohappy:

I must tell you about them someday!! :lol: Thanks for pointing that out

Originally posted by Maria

The Travel Forums have grown up a lot! Congrats! :sohappy:

Thanks, i'm glad you think so! :sohappy: :sohappy:

 

[Wannabe Walt]

Okay! I'm just a little confused. Here is just some info that you all have been talking about, that goes along with my site! Last time I checked, I was getting average 18-20 visitors a week at InfoDisney's website. I just updated the forums colors, I'm gonna check to see if they are better! GOOD!!! THEY LOOK MUCH BETTER! Also, WDWMagic, there aren't 4 photos at the bottom just like here. If there are, it was an ad or somthing cause I don't have a PhotoAlbum or anything that would do that!

 

[BenS]

Re: Re: Re: Re: How did the Forums start out?

Originally posted by wdwmagic
You even have 4 photos on the bottom of the forum just like here too.

OOPS. I wanted to have a photo album on my site, and I liked the random picture idea, but I didn't want to seem like a copy of WDWMagic, so I tried to put a different number on, I thought WDWMagic had 5 at the bottom. I'll change it (tomorrow, tired now)