Too many general discussion forums?

Whats your thoughts on so many general discussion forums today on the internet? Do you run one yourself, and how do you attract members when there are so many of them too choose from?

 

I'm guessing it's probably another phase people are going through thinking they can have a piece of success that all the others have, etc.

 

Yea, but there are so many of them.. they have alot of competition and I never see any original ones anymore.

 

I don't think there's such thing as "Original Content" these days, but that's another discussion all together...

 

I don't see a problem with them, to be honest. If someone wants to make a general discussion forum, all the power to them. Whatever makes them happy, y'know? My forum has a lot of general boards as well, but that's because I don't want the site to be *specifically* Role Play. It's the focus, but definitely not the only aspect to it. The more the better I say. And each admin runs things differently. Each site will have its own flavor based on the users and how the site is run.

 

Yea I agree with you. Nobody is saying they don't have the right to have one.. just the subject of this thread is how do they deal with so much competition and keep their forum different from other ones.

 

I guess people think general discussion forums are the easiest to run, and learn how to run forums through that. I ran one before, but it was hard to maintain, so we ended up merging it with my community. I know http://www.brandonsheley.org/]Brandon Sheley[/url] runs
http://general-forums.com/

He merged a few forums with his, to make it larger.

 

Yea I have been to that one before, is it active? If anyone wants to be a part of an active general discussion forum, its best to join the older ones as they have been around for a while and usually are most active.

 

I run a general forum that's just how I roll.
I think each to there own I don't do it because everyone else does it and I'm not bothered about competition I do it because I enjoy it and it's a hobby I don't feel like I'm in competiton with anyone.
Sure there are bigger and better forums out there but so what I could say the same about any niche.

 

Good reasoning, couldn't agree more.

 

Well, in accordance with what I posted... they deal with it by running the site with their own flavor <_< seems like a reasonable way to handle it I'd say. Just make it distinct by having your own style of admining.

 

Yea I agree, just spice it up and set it a part from others. Thats what I do

 

It does seem to be a sort of roller costar. One year there's no general discussion forums, next year there's loads, and the next year there's next to nothing. I myself run a general discussion community. We haven't come out with too many ideas to attract members... our first contest didn't go over too well, but really we do have unique forum section names and things like that, although I do feel we could be doing better...like Ash said though, nothing is really unique anymore so it's really hard to come out with anything truly unique. I'm grateful for the activity we do have, so that's the main thing.

 

You are not just trying hard enough, there is many things you can do to get your forum going. Its never too late.

 

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. So far we are getting rid of some troublesome mods, so that's a start.

 

You can create a thread in Planning & Brainstorming and we can discuss ideas there
Back on topic.

 

Will do.