A common addition many bloggers add to their blog in hopes to create more than just a blog is creating a forum to go along with the blog. A forum is seen as a step above the normal way we communicate on blogs, as it creates a much more personal environment for anyone to communicate and interact with each other.
Now that’s very admirable of anyone to want to take the community on their blog a step further, but just because you actually have a forum doesn’t mean it has to do anything for you. If you don’t take the necessary precautions, and don’t know the challenges that you will face with a forum, then I guarantee adding a forum will hurt you.
Yes, HURT you
I feel that adding a forum before your blog can handle it can actually hurt you. Not only will it take up a lot of your time, but it can make you lose focus on your blog, create much disappointment if/when it fails, and more.
I’m not saying that all forums will fail on a blog – hell, I know plenty of blogs with fantastic forums. It’s just as a small time blogger myself, I an totally understand and even relate to other people when they say they want a forum on their blog.
In order to help some of these people think over more about adding a forum to their blog, I have created a list of 20 questions you may want to ask yourself before actually doing this.
- How can I manage a community on my blog AND forum?
- When I open the forum, what will make people want to join and participate in it?
- How can I make my blog and forum work with each other for the best of my community?
- Can I set realistic goals for keeping a forum and blog updated consistently?
- Is it even worth trying to compete in the niche I’m in considering there are tons of forums out there about this topic?
- How can I convert forum posters to blog commentators, and vice-versa?
- Do I see this forum lasting for a long period of time?
- Is there someone who can run the forum with me?
- Why do I really want a forum? Just for the sake of having it, or because I truly think it will help my blog?
- How serious are you about the forum? Would you be willing to pay for a high quality forum software like vBulletin, or IPB if your forum grows?
- You understand forums are even harder to monetize than blogs, and income will be little to none?
- How can I market a blog AND a forum?
- Should the forum design match the blog design?
- What is the competition in my niche like?
- How do I deal with members who create problems on my forum?
- Can my hosting account handle a forum and a blog that are both always growing?
- Am I willing to go the extra steps to make my forum seem populated, like creating multiple accounts and posting?
- What kind of legal issues do I need to worry about, since people are more free to say whatever they want?
- Do I create a forum that is directly related to topics covered on my blog, or create a different kind of community with only traces of the same information as my blog?
- Like how you should reply to all comments on your blog, should you reply to all forum topics?
Have you ever thought of adding a forum to your blog? Do these questions help you making that decision? Let me know in the comments. Thanks guys.
This was a guest post by Alex Fraiser, a 15 year old blogger who co-owns Blogussion and has recently started his personal blog, Asnio, as well as taking on freelance projects on Kolakube. A few weeks ago Alex was interviewed here on Teenius, and you can see that post here.
Thanks for posting this Simon! Hope your readers enjoy it.
Alex | Blogussion.com’s last blog post..Blog Optimization Series: Social Media Optimization (3/3)
Thanks for coming over here and posting it, Alex
Hope to some more guest posts from you 
Hey it is a nice post Alex. I appreciate it.
I just created one forum for my blog and now, I came to know that I have been wasting my time !
Cheers !
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The post sure rocks Alex!
I have seen many blogs like retireat21 integrate forums, and they seem to be doing well.
This post is one that people must really refer to.
Yeah, the R21 forums are pretty great. Michael is setting one up for his other blog, Income Diary too. It’s going to be huge.
Alex | Blogussion.com’s last blog post..Some Sites Every Blogger Should Have Bookmarked
Awesome post Alex, great to have you here.
I do have something to add though, if that’s OK. When you’re asking the questions about getting users and so on, I think it’s important to make sure you have a large reader and commentor base before you open the forum – otherwise it’ll just look empty and that doesn’t help anyone.
At an old blog I used to visit, the guy was getting 60-70 comments on every post, usually the higher end of that. One day he launched a forum on his blog and disabled comments, asking people to go to the forum instead to have their say. He instantly made a very successful forum, not sure how it’s going now though as I haven’t checked back in ages. I’ll try and dig up the URL
Definitely man, if you barely get any comments on your blog – how many posts do you think your forum will actually get?
Alex | Blogussion.com’s last blog post..Some Sites Every Blogger Should Have Bookmarked
Precisely. And, like I mentioned in my previous comment, if you have a blog with few comments and now a forum with little to no posts, not only is that wasting you time and money, it’s also making your blog look really empty, which isn’t a good look to have as even less people will join in!
I think if a blog has enough traffic it would be enough, or atleast it would attain something like eligiblity to maintain a forum
But you have to remember that just because you get traffic going to your blog, it doesn’t mean those people will comment on your blog, or even join a forum.
Alex | Blogussion.com’s last blog post..Some Sites Every Blogger Should Have Bookmarked
Like Alex said, it’s not really to do with the amount of traffic you’re getting… more to do with the quality of traffic you’re getting. If no one is commenting on a blog, they’re very unlikely to then sign up and start posting on a forum!
Well this really has got to be very hard.. Unless your traffic maybe is insane, then this one isnt an option.. I mean even john chow doesnt have a forum..
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I discussed why John Chow might not have a forum at my blog in a really old post. Why do you think he doesn’t have a forum? Would love to hear your opinion.
Alex | Blogussion.com’s last blog post..Some Sites Every Blogger Should Have Bookmarked
I think before adding a forum , the blogger should also take into consideration the activity of readers. There are a number of readers who do not like to comment.
Exactly, and as I said to Kiran just because you get traffic to your blog doesn’t mean you will get comments or forum posts. You have to know how to convert those visits into comments, and even forum sign-ups.
Alex | Blogussion.com’s last blog post..Some Sites Every Blogger Should Have Bookmarked
Yeah, agreed with Priscus, not all readers like to comment.
And totally agree on one of your points Alex, that is forum is way hard then blogs in management.
By the way, that was an awesome list of questions. Great Post !
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Thanks Enk, glad you enjoyed the post!
Alex | Blogussion.com’s last blog post..Some Sites Every Blogger Should Have Bookmarked
I think forums can eventually turn into a good thing but there’s so much work when it comes to forums. I personally don’t want any, at least on my blog.
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They can turn into a great thing, but it’s hard to make it a great thing since you also have a blog to manage.
Interesting post. I have thinking of adding a forum on my blogriffic blog but after asking my self few question you have mentioned here and well the answer i got wasn’t very good ones and so I have decided to pass for now
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Haha, that’s cool Salwa. Glad these questions helped you out!
Good Stuff Simon, don’t think i’ll add a forum anytime soon. Just as you said, concentrate on the blog and not lose focus.
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Yeah. Plus your blog is quite young, so I think it’d do more harm than good to add a forum at this early stage.
BTW, this post wasn’t written by me… it was a guest post by Alex
Once you have grown your blog out, a forum is always possible. But, it’s always up to you in the end.