Question to huge vbulletins

[MLBCenter]

How did you guys get members by the thousands to sign up for your forums? I'm just curious as to the strategies and things you did to get more users to post at your forums.

See my site is mlbcenter.com and our forums have 711 members since our opening in early june. This is pretty good, but I'm just wondering if there's any advertising opportunities or things I can do to get more members as by just opening a site and doing nothing will not get members.

ps- Yes my site is on google.

[Zachery]

provide your members with content that makes them want to come back, and an active community

[MLBCenter]

provide your members with content that makes them want to come back, and an active community

Well our content is fine and we have a lot of things going for us like interviews with some baseball producers and what not, but I find it hard getting members(especially older and more mature) to visit my site since spamming is such an issue today.

[Zachery]

id suggest gettin some moderators to help clear up spamming

[LanciaStratos]

How did you guys get members by the thousands to sign up for your forums?

I waited about 3 years.

Seriously, it does take time. Unless you're getting millions and millions of people visiting your site before you open your forums, it's going to be a while before your community grows. Word of mouth is the best advertising, and also where you'll get the most quality members. Take a look at Sitepoint's Promotion section for more ideas. Good luck!

[MLBCenter]

Thanks.

[sabret00the]

handly little thread this, thanks to all who contributed

[mcahill]

The most important thing...

is to be the best at what you are doing. Readers are fickle and read many sites. By being the "go to" resource in your particular niche, you'll become a monster site. That means a lot of work for you and for your moderators. Be the site in your genre where people expect to find the best. Update frequently.

Have a clear and coherent moderation policy and stick to it. Personally, my site is moderated under the "praise in public, punish in private" theory.

And never let anyone's ego become bigger than the site.

[Shellee Hale]

I would love some suggestions and help

I am trying me best with my new bulletin board - not expecting too much too quickly but would love any input you all may have. <<link removed>>

Shellee

[Wayne Luke]

I am trying me best with my new bulletin board - not expecting too much too quickly but would love any input you all may have. <<link removed>>

Shellee

My first suggestion to run a successful and valid vBulletin based site would be to make sure that you are listed as a license customer. To do this, please go here:

http://members.vbulletin.com/membersupport_priorit y.php

...and enter your email address in one of the boxes. You will also have to select the specific forums that you wish to have access at. You'll need to have your customer number and password to access the page.

Once you've done this, please post in the appropriate support forum for your version.

[Shellee Hale]

Confused

Are you saying I have done something incorrectly? I don't quite understand what you are telling me as I am a valid license holder.

Shellee

[Wayne Luke]

You were not marked as such and I could not find your URL in the customer database. Everything is fine now though.