Nokia’s most successful motto was “connecting people” in the early 2000s, which remained the same even when the company left the smartphone market ten years later. The strength of this statement lies in the fact that people desire personal connections with brands and each other.
In the online world, a business can stay connected with its target audience more easily just by building a stunning website.
Generally, there are plenty of ways to communicate with your customers online. Creating an online community is certainly one of them.
In this article, we’re exploring all the unique ways you can connect with your customers and build a space where people can communicate with your business and each other.
- Forums: a Brief History and Their Challenges
- How Hard Is It to Create a Forum?
- What Are the Benefits of Building Your Own Online Community?
- Most Popular Forum Communities Online
- Online Community Challenges and Drawbacks
- Web Hosting Services
Forums: a Brief History and Their Challenges
Online discussion forums have experienced a resurgence in recent years, capturing the imagination of businesses across industries.
What was once a niche platform for discussion has evolved into a vibrant ecosystem for community building. This resurgence is driven by a growing awareness of forums’ unique advantages in fostering engagement, trust, and brand loyalty.
The power of referral is indisputable. That’s the main reason brand or fan communities exist in the wild – if a product or service attracts users’ attention, they’ll talk about it. But first, people must find the right platform to do so.
phpBB is a popular forum software, a fork of which is available on WordPress as a plugin too!
However, forums as a platform have been experiencing a massive drop in recent years due to the rising popularity of social media groups like Facebook groups and online communities such as Reddit, where people can share media and experiences.
The images, data, and other files created in those forums are sometimes enormous. Older forums sometimes store hundreds of gigabytes in their web servers. So, a question we almost always ask ourselves is: “Where to store all that data?”
This is especially true regarding older forums with thousands of members and loads of uploaded data, images, files, etc. The answer to that question lies in the reliable web hosting provider. As a business owner, marketer, or web hosting administrator, you understand the significance of a secure, high-performance online presence.
That’s where HostPapa comes in – offering affordable web hosting solutions and pairing them with features you’ll explore and fully take advantage of. From shared hosting to VPS plans, there are options for everyone. Plus, they’re scalable to accommodate the sudden popularity of your website!
How Hard Is It to Create a Forum?
Creating a forum for your business may seem daunting at first glance, but in reality, it’s a manageable task, especially with the right guidance.
Whether you’re a tech-savvy entrepreneur or just dipping your toes into the digital realm, understanding the process can make all the difference. Generally speaking, you need a platform, a domain name, and a reliable web hosting service to store all the website files.
To find the right domain name, it’s important to keep it short, memorable, and easy to read. These are some of the best recommendations for domain registration. With that in mind, you can hop on our domains page and check if your idea is available for purchase. Buying a domain name from the same place as your web host saves time and money in the long run.
Let’s explore how challenging it really is to create a forum.
1. Choosing the Right Platform
One of the initial decisions you’ll face is selecting the platform on which to build your forum. Fortunately, a wide array of forum software options are available, ranging from free, open-source solutions to paid, feature-rich platforms. Popular choices include:
- phpBB
- vBulletin
- XenForo
- MyBB
- WordPress
Of course, we mention WordPress because of the multiple plugins available. And we’ll see some of those in our article, too. The difficulty level for creating a forum largely depends on your familiarity with the chosen platform.
The Softaculous software, present in all HostPapa shared hosting plans, offers an easy way to install some of these platforms from the comfort of your dashboard!
Options like vBulletin, for instance, have their own easy-to-use installers, so even if you’re not going to use the Softaculous one-click installer, getting these platforms up and running on your account feels like a breeze.
2. Getting a Reliable Web Host
At this stage, picking up a web hosting provider seems like a smart choice because a reliable and fast web host will impact performance.
Forums with thousands of visitors and users from around the world will massively benefit from a company that offers data centres in different countries and has support for enterprise-grade CDNs.
Luckily, HostPapa has you covered, even if your primary purpose is building a fairly demanding website, such as an online community forum.
3. Setting Up Your Forum
Once you’ve chosen a platform, the next step is setting up your forum. This typically involves tasks like installing the software, configuring basic settings, and customizing the forum’s appearance.
Many forum platforms offer user-friendly installation wizards (just like WordPress) that streamline the process. However, if you’re new to this, you may need step-by-step instructions or seek assistance in the forum developer’s… forums!
4. Design and Customization
Customizing your forum to align with your brand and preferences can be as simple or as complex as you desire.
You can often choose from pre-designed themes or invest time in creating a unique look. Themes on forum platforms can be more limiting than, for instance, a WordPress-based website, although there is a way to modify the CSS files and reach the desired result.
The difficulty here depends on your design skills and the level of personalization you aim to achieve.
5. Technical Maintenance and Updates
To ensure smooth forum operation, you’ll need to perform technical maintenance tasks and keep the forum software up to date. This involves regular backups, software updates, and security measures.
Additional security measures can be taken via your web hosting provider. Security solutions, such as Protection Power, can rescue your website during critical situations
Basic maintenance tasks can be manageable but essential to keep your forum secure and functional.
6. Growing and Engaging Your Community
Building a thriving forum community is an ongoing effort that demands time and dedication.
Engaging with users, encouraging discussions, and promoting your forum can be as challenging as you make it, depending on your community-building strategies.
What Are the Benefits of Building Your Own Online Community?
For businesses, the benefits of establishing a forum are as profound as they’re versatile. Let’s delve into the advantages that make forums indispensable tools for today’s businesses:
Creating a Loyal Community
Imagine having an online platform where your customers can share opinions and discuss your business.
Building a loyal community around your brand can be a formidable challenge. However, forums offer a unique solution. Forums foster a sense of belonging by providing a platform for like-minded individuals to gather and share their experiences.
Users become not just customers, but advocates, as they feel heard and valued. This loyalty often translates into increased customer retention and advocacy – priceless assets for any business.
Gathering Customer Feedback
Forums are treasure troves of customer insights. They serve as invaluable feedback channels where customers openly share their opinions, suggestions, and concerns.
This direct line of communication empowers businesses to understand their audience’s needs and preferences better. With this knowledge, you can make informed decisions, refine your products or services, and continually evolve to meet customer expectations.
Increasing Brand Visibility
In a world where competition for attention is fierce, forums offer a unique advantage. Every post, thread, or interaction on your forum contributes to your brand’s online visibility.
As users engage with your forum, they generate content that can rank in search engines, attracting potential customers. The more vibrant your forum community, the more your brand becomes more prominent in your niche or industry.
Enhancing Customer Support and Engagement
Customer support is a critical aspect of any business, and forums excel in this regard. They provide a platform for customers to seek assistance, ask questions, and receive prompt responses from their team or fellow community members.
The beauty of forums is that solutions often remain accessible to future users facing similar issues, creating a valuable knowledge base. This streamlines support and promotes self-help, reducing the strain on your customer service team.
Showcasing Success Stories
Real-world success stories and case studies are powerful testimonials of the impact of business forums. These narratives highlight how forums have facilitated customer success, enhanced brand reputation, and driven growth.
By sharing these stories, you can inspire others to explore the potential of forums for their businesses, providing tangible examples of the positive outcomes that can be achieved.
Most Popular Forum Communities Online
By now, you might be wondering, what are the most popular types of online communities out there? Which should I follow?
The answer to the second question lies in your interests. For the first question, we suggest taking a look at some online forum communities that may be of interest to you:
Facebook Groups (1.8 Billion Users Monthly)
What sets Facebook Groups apart is its incredible diversity. According to Facebook statistics, 1.8 billion use Facebook Groups every month, making it the most popular forum-like experience there is. It’s a place where you can find a group for just about any interest, hobby, or cause you can imagine.
The best thing is that you may already have an account on this community platform, allowing you to find exciting experiences and connect with people in these online communities.
The lack of customization options on Facebook Groups makes it difficult for online communities to be unique.
Reddit (400 Million Users Monthly)
With a staggering user base exceeding 400 million per month, Reddit reigns as one of the internet’s most influential and diverse communities. It’s a digital melting pot where individuals from across the globe gather to discuss virtually every conceivable topic.
From niche hobbies to global news and everything in between, Reddit offers a platform for vibrant discussions and exchanging ideas. Subreddits, dedicated communities within Reddit, cater to specialized interests, making it a treasure trove for anyone seeking to engage with like-minded individuals or explore new subjects.
Quora (300+ Million Users Monthly)
Quora, boasting over 300 million monthly users, is a dynamic forum focused on knowledge sharing and thoughtful discussion. It empowers users to pose questions on an array of subjects, inviting experts and enthusiasts to provide insightful responses.
Whether you seek expert advice, wish to share your knowledge, or simply enjoy intellectual discourse, Quora provides a vast landscape of topics to explore. Its user-driven content ensures a continuous stream of engaging and informative discussions.
WordPress With a Community Forum Plugin
We couldn’t leave this list without mentioning WordPress. WordPress, the world’s most popular content management system (CMS), serves as the solid foundation upon which countless websites are built.
Popular plugins include bbPress and wpForo and paired with other powerful plugins for WordPress, you can create a user-friendly environment for you to work on.
Online Community Challenges and Drawbacks
By now, you might have seen that launching virtual communities might be easier than you thought. Maintaining it, though, is a completely different thing.
A public forum, as is with most online community software, is prone to plenty of spam or trolls, something you need to get on top of as it can clutter your forum with irrelevant content and create a negative user experience. Here’s a candid look at what you may encounter and how to navigate these challenges effectively:
Addressing Challenges:
- Spam and trolls: As we mentioned a few lines above, one of the most common challenges in forum management is dealing with spam posts and disruptive trolls. They can clutter your forum with irrelevant content and create a negative atmosphere.
- Moderation burden: As your forum grows, the workload of moderating user-generated content can become substantial. Community managers and moderators keeping discussions civil and on-topic require vigilant oversight.
Strategies for Overcoming Challenges:
- Robust moderation tools: Invest in reliable moderation tools and recruit a team of dedicated moderators. Automated filters and user-reporting systems can help identify and remove spam quickly.
- Clear forum guidelines: Establish and communicate clear forum guidelines that outline acceptable behaviour and consequences for violations. Encourage members to report any inappropriate content.
- Active community engagement: Promote a positive community atmosphere by actively engaging with members, encouraging constructive discussions, and leading by example in your forum interactions.
Web Hosting Services
When it comes to hosting your business forum, choosing a web hosting service can significantly affect its performance and reliability.
Choosing a reliable web hosting service is crucial for the success of your forum. HostPapa’s web hosting solutions tick all the boxes and are designed with forums in mind. A few reasons include:
- An abundance of server resources: HostPapa’s hosting plans offer ample server resources to ensure your forum runs smoothly, even during peak traffic. Faster loading times and minimal downtime contribute to a better user experience.
- Enhanced security: Security is a top priority. We implement robust security measures, including SSL certificates and regular security updates, to protect your forum and user data from potential threats. Additional security features such as Protection Power and Automated Website Backup can be added separately to fortify your web server to the maximum.
- 24/7 support: We understand that technical issues can arise at any time. Our dedicated support team is available around the clock to assist you with any hosting-related concerns or inquiries.
If you’re interested in learning more about our hosting services, visit our website to find the hosting plan that suits your forum’s needs!
Conclusion
In closing, let’s revisit the pivotal insights we’ve uncovered in this article and reemphasize the profound importance of forums for businesses:
Throughout our exploration, we’ve unveiled the advantages of forums for businesses:
- Forums nurture loyal communities, where customers evolve into dedicated advocates.
- This community space is ideal for getting valuable customer feedback that can steer your business toward greater success.
- Forums magnify your brand’s visibility, using user-generated content as a beacon to draw in potential customers.
- The capacity for enhanced customer support and engagement through forums is invaluable, offering a platform for swift assistance and self-help resources.
- Success stories and case studies have illuminated the potential of forums for positive change.
Forums are more than mere platforms to connect people; they’re dynamic assets that enable businesses to create relationships, gain insights, and drive their brands forward in today’s digital age.
As you embark on this journey, rest assured that we at HostPapa, are more than willing to provide expert guidance and answers to any questions that may arise concerning forum creation and web hosting.
Looking to take the next step and create a forum? Remember, you don’t have to navigate the complex world of forums alone.
Choose your web hosting plan today
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