promoting your site/forum

[mjatas]

what is the best way to promote your site/forum and get more users to join and post messages?

[mjatas]

Originally Posted by caradvisor what is the best way to promote your site/forum and get more users to join and post messages?

my site is www.caradvisor.tk

[Jaggannath]

Are these both your accounts mjatas?? If so, post #22 seems interesting, as does Part 6 of this.

As to the question in post 1, the best way is via word of mouth... make a good forum, put some good articles on there, and invite people like us to review. If we like it, then we pass the word on to our friends when they're having issues that relate to the forum, and via this mechanism your site will become well known

[rspassey]

You can add your URL to Google.

[mjatas]

Originally Posted by Jaggannath Are these both your accounts mjatas?? If so, post #22 seems interesting, as does Part 6 of this. As to the question in post 1, the best way is via word of mouth... make a good forum, put some good articles on there, and invite people like us to review. If we like it, then we pass the word on to our friends when they're having issues that relate to the forum, and via this mechanism your site will become well known

I told some people on various forums about the forum and people said not enough content and users.

[Jaggannath]

Yup... it does lack content, I went and there was nothing to keep me there

[mjatas]

Originally Posted by Jaggannath Yup... it does lack content, I went and there was nothing to keep me there

yes, but we mainly answer your questions and troubleshooting problems all about cars. If you have a problem with your car, ask us and we will tell you the solution and how to fix it.

Plus we are adding content all the time, but it's just 2 guys working on the forum and it's hard for us to update all the time.

[Stuey]

Well I clicked the link and I got a "Cannot Find Server" error and a Cannot Be Displayed error. I don't know how to answer your question but this is how I found PCMech...

I was building myself a system for the first time and found a few links after doing a search. I bookmarked PCMech and a few months later way after I built my system, I was cleaning out my bookmarks. I browsed PCMech and read a few posts. I was new to forums and then I was in one of my voluntary insomnia phases and saw a few threads that I wanted to answer. I answer posts here and there, start threads every now and then, and I check out the daily tips almost every day, even though there is lag between when they are emailed out (which I am not signed up for) and when they are posted online. Since I joined the forums, I've recommended the site to many other people for various reasons.

To find your site, it will either have to be suggested and linked to on a different site of similar theme, or be found via a search engine.

[Jaggannath]

Originally Posted by mjatas yes, but we mainly answer your questions and troubleshooting problems all about cars. If you have a problem with your car, ask us and we will tell you the solution and how to fix it. Plus we are adding content all the time, but it's just 2 guys working on the forum and it's hard for us to update all the time.

I realise that, nature of the beast, but I'm not going to join a site that doesn't actually interest me

[mjatas]

yes but everyone owns a car so they have to get it fixed sometime or another. Now if you wish to save money the hard earned money you make just ask a question on our forum and then we answer and tell you how to fix and troubleshoot it. And in the future we will have tutorials as well. Video and e-books.

[rspassey]

I guess it is a lot like PcMech - just I dont feel nearly as confortable opening up the hood of my car as I do opening up my computer case or registry or what ever - we each have our own areas of expertise and skill and our own likes and dislikes - so sure lots of people interested in cars might go to your site for help.

[Stuey]

Originally Posted by mjatas yes but everyone owns a car so they have to get it fixed sometime or another. Now if you wish to save money the hard earned money you make just ask a question on our forum and then we answer and tell you how to fix and troubleshoot it. And in the future we will have tutorials as well. Video and e-books.

Everyone loves saving money, but fixing one's own car is not the same as configuring your own PC. Fixing a lot of parts on a car requires specialized equipment that many of us don't care to acquire. Besides that, there's the reliability aspect. Few people are going to trust an established site or advise from a small collection of individuals without sufficient repuation.

Sure some parts of a car can be troubleshooted without looking at it, but it's my impression that this is not generally true. Plus there's the prospect of something going wrong. With a computer, if you hook up a wire the wrong way, it's easily fixed or if damage occurs, the part is replaced without excessive costs. If I mess with my vehicle and do something wrong, I put my life on the line and create a risk towards others.

Last summer I hit a pothole and after that I heard random clanking sounds from the back of my car. Everyone said that I might have busted a shock or something. I went to my mechanic and he raised the car and it was noticeeable that I busted a rear stabilizer bar. For all the time I spend examining my car, I couldn't identify the break myself. Since I couldn't fit under the car as was, the only thing I could think of is jacking up the car a bit to fit under it and observe this. I don't have a high quality jack. I have an emergency jack that fits in the trunk so I can replace a flat w/ a donut. Besides that, I would NEVER feel comfortable laying under a slightly elevated car. So even if I had the equipment, I still would have had to go to a mechanic.

What I'm trying to convey is that your site (which I still cannot access) will not draw similar numbers of visitors as PCMech does. Even if your site becomes well respected and trustworthy, there are many who will not so easily tamper with ther vehicle. If you include other aspects such as installation of random audio components, or a DIY car computer or GPS system, you'll draw more attention but you would have to compete with similar sites that already exist.

[rspassey]

I want to say that by far there is NOTHING wrong with starting your own site and working away at it hoping it takes off and gain popularity - that is great if you want to put in the effort - I do it with my site - yet, like I said, and like others have said, repairing your own car is nothing that lots of us would like to do. I am sure there are many people out there with suffiecient tools and experience yet have a little trouble now and then and want a second opinion and would go to your forums and site. Like lots of us here - some are certified and have 10+ years experience on computers and still come here and ask questions and give advice/help - forums are a great concept - just the way you gear the available information has to be for those who have the tools needed to repair their own car.. or you could give estimates like if part x is broken you should only have to pay 300 - 400$ for the repair so people know they are getting ripped off if the are charged 800$.

[RevCLB]

Originally Posted by ryan124712 I want to say that by far there is NOTHING wrong with starting your own site and working away at it hoping it takes off and gain popularity - that is great if you want to put in the effort - I do it with my site - yet, like I said, and like others have said, repairing your own car is nothing that lots of us would like to do. I am sure there are many people out there with suffiecient tools and experience yet have a little trouble now and then and want a second opinion and would go to your forums and site. Like lots of us here - some are certified and have 10+ years experience on computers and still come here and ask questions and give advice/help - forums are a great concept - just the way you gear the available information has to be for those who have the tools needed to repair their own car.. or you could give estimates like if part x is broken you should only have to pay 300 - 400$ for the repair so people know they are getting ripped off if the are charged 800$.

ryan124712, What is you site? I would like to check it out even if I don't understand it. RevCLB

[rspassey]

Originally Posted by RevCLB ryan124712, What is you site? I would like to check it out even if I don't understand it. RevCLB

My site (which I am currently writing instructional stickies and tutorials) is www.securepc.vze.com

I have applied to Google, Yahoo, and many other search engines to try and get my sites popularity up - but it is still needs lots of work.

Caradvisor - you should unlock your forums to non members - I went to look at a forum topic and was prompted to login in and was not directed to the thread itself - if I can't see a little overview of the site and be a lurker for a long time, then I don't really want to sign up.

[glc]

mjatas/caradvisor: We would prefer that you do not have multiple usernames in these forums. I would be happy to "merge" the 2 accounts into one, please let me know which of your 2 usernames you wish to keep.

[RevCLB]

Originally Posted by ryan124712 My site (which I am currently writing instructional stickies and tutorials) is www.securepc.vze.com I have applied to Google, Yahoo, and many other search engines to try and get my sites popularity up - but it is still needs lots of work. Caradvisor - you should unlock your forums to non members - I went to look at a forum topic and was prompted to login in and was not directed to the thread itself - if I can't see a little overview of the site and be a lurker for a long time, then I don't really want to sign up.

Hey ryan124712, Just visited your site & it is amazing. Added it to my bookmarks so I can go & cruise it often. How did you get so smart so young?
But my grandkids are all way smarter than me. Thanks for all your help & not judging me for being old & acomputer dummy. I am really proud of you. RevCLB

[rspassey]

Originally Posted by RevCLB Hey ryan124712, Just visited your site & it is amazing. Added it to my bookmarks so I can go & cruise it often. How did you get so smart so young? But my grandkids are all way smarter than me. Thanks for all your help & not judging me for being old & acomputer dummy. I am really proud of you. RevCLB

Thanks RevCLB.. It makes me feel really good when my hard work is appreciated. My parents usually critize me for spending so much time around a computer, and they are unaware of what I actually am learning and doing. I guess computers are just something I have an inclination toward - I haven't been as dedicated as I am to learning more and more about computers as I have to anything else; and I hope this pays off for me in the long run. I really appreciate it. I also feel that by helping and assisting others in the best way I can I am learning and enforcing what I know even more - the teacher learning through teaching.


Have you submitted your site to google and or other search engines yet?

[glc]

No response? I'm merging caradvisor into mjatas.