Scratch

Hi Scratchers!

This is a page full of tips for your websites! So many of you have fantastic ideas for sites, I'd like to see them catch on; here are a bunch of things to help you in those pursuits! I'm the owner of Storynetwork.org, an active, prospering forum and I've visited multiple sites as well and I'd like to share with you some tips and tricks that make your site more appealing and accessible!

Some of these are specifically for forums, keep in mind.

What is here: Help with...
1. Layout
2. Logo and Slogan
3. Accessibility and publicity
4. General
5. Rules
6. Domain Name
7. Sections/pages
MORE COMING!

LAYOUT

-Have an easy to read font
-Use light colors for backgrounds - it's much more inviting for new members
-Try to have everything as easy to see and organized as possible.
-Have an Announcements section at the top as well as community activities
-Make it very easy for people to register by editing a welcome message or enlarging where you can go to join.

LOGO/SOLGAN

-Create a logo using a paint program (Such as MS paint, Photoshop, coral etc.) or have someone else design it. A logo is very important as a symbol for your site!
-Make your logo easy to see and well made
-Create Icons and pictures for you to put in signatures or as buttons
-Have a slogan or a catch phrase, about the website.

ACCESSIBILITY AND PUBLICITY

-Add your site to crawlers (Search engines) such as Google, Yahoo, Bing, and others you can find. -Note- they do not immediately get added. Be patient.
-In forums, add your site logo with a link in your signature, or get a SigBar (see my sig)
-Create a site Email address.
-Another site so your submission is easy to LOTS of crawlers, use this web tool!
-Advertise in off topic sections in large communities (i.e. deviantart, scratch) or in other communities that have similar tastes to what your website does (Art+Writing)
-Website advertising communities (trafficroundup and others) are hard to use and don't work very well unless you're actually trying to have a corporation.
-Don't just advertise in ONE PLACE!
-Ask your friends if they know online communities you may be able to advertise on.

GENERAL

-Keep it active and continue to update, even if nobody is on
-Base your site around something so it doesn't become a chat forum/site.
-For contests ALWAYS have a very long time for people to enter.
-Be inviting and kind to new members but don't glomp on to them.
-Don't get a moderator as soon as possible; wait until you have at least 30 members.
-If you have a good idea NEVER let it crash and burn! Stay online!
-A community is only okay to leave if you have another admin, some moderators and active members. AND if the admin and mods are also active.
-Only leave your site if nobody else cares.
-Make new, fun things to do that will appeal to the different audiences you have.
-COPY AND PASTE your stuff into Microsoft word (or some program) to spell check before posting an announcement or important message.

RULES

-The rules of your forum ARE important
-Some basic ones - have rules against spamming, inappropriate things (be specific!), Language (is it okay or not?!), No abusing ___ (if you have PM or a chat room, this is a great rule), false reports/flagging, Illegal stuff.
-Be as specific as possible
-Add penalties and what these different violations can resort to. (Ban, mute etc.)
-Might I suggest asking Usatt1337 (scratch user) about writing rules. He has for some of my sites and they are fantastic!

DOMAIN NAME/URL

-Your site adress IS infact important.
-If your website is prospering and getting bigger and/or catching on, think about buying a domain name (mysite.com), being able to have .com or .org at the end instead of mysite.freeforums.org...or what ever your URL is.
-Normally buying a domain name is $5-20, think about it, but only if your serious about your site.
-Never advertise as 'yoursite.com' if your real site adress is 'yoursite.webs.com' or whatever it actually is.

PAGES AND SECTIONS

-These are some good pages and sections to have on your site/forum
-Announcements section (for updates and things you should know about the site)
-Introduce yourself (Where new members can show their stuff)
-Offtopic (it's fun)
-Help desk/Questions and Comments (So you can ask for help)
-An Archive section (A thing that only admins/mods can see for old annoucements or big things on your website)
-Advertise your ___ here! (it's a good inscentive for people, but totally optional.)

If you have any more tips or questions about things, please post! 

Good luck with your sites!

Last edited by J0j2 (2010-07-15 15:34:08)