How Many Boards Should I Have On My Forum?

[Da Bearfan]

I think my site has a good amount of boards. The theme is a sim league, where people create football players and I sim the games between the teams that people are on. The boards with only one post are the ones that don't need to have many, and the one that says it has 0 posts is because of people who were moved.

[applegonebad]

I put boards on my proboards occording to the topic of the board. If you can put all ur topics in 3 boards, thats fine. If you can fit everything in 30 boards, thats still fine.

[myke]

applegonebad said:

I put boards on my proboards occording to the topic of the board. If you can put all ur topics in 3 boards, thats fine. If you can fit everything in 30 boards, thats still fine.

M

Maybe for an established forum, but I seriously do not reccomend having 30 boards for a forum just starting off, for thereasons mentioned in the initial post of this thread.

[Frosty225]

With my forums I dont have many main boards prolly a few and some Sub-Boards. Simply becuase it doesnt clutter up the forum. and even though its an RPg forum, I normally have two or more sub-boards in a forum.

[webmaren]

For a couple of days I had been looking for an RP forum to join, and the way that I evaluate if I want to join them is to scroll down the page and check that thread counts. Well, unfortunately, all of the ones I went to had at least 5 empty boards and some had over 20 empty. It makes me turn away pretty fast.

And about the scroll time, a good thing for RP boards to do, since they have many categries, but usually only 3 or 4 boards in each one, they should use that category convoluter from SoCal, which puts the boards horizontal inside their categories. It makes the pages quite a bit shorter to scroll through.

Or if you really have a problem, you could possibly make all your boards hidden and just have a crazy header jump thing, but I've never seen it done and it would probably screw things up.

[leah]

Well, it's good to start off small, but that can be a bit hard when roleplaying. I've had that experience...when you put in too many, it's hard to fill in. When you don't put in enough, the plot can't carry on because the number of boards (the guidelines such as less than 10 boards) don't cover the amount of space the plot covers.

In RPG forums, you have to utilize the sub-board feature a lot more. But honestly, if you're creating an all-out RPG with a whole world...it's a miracle if you can fit it in under 15 or 20, it's rather hard. You have to use the sub-board feature A LOT MORE.

[universedaily]

Interesting discussion. I learned this the hard way myself. My new board is compacted down to 8 forums plus heaps of sub-forums. I'm still merging them and trying to get the appearance right. Popularity is the chief decider.

When I first started I had a handful of forums and added new ones as I worked out which were the most popular. Until I had too many and had to start merging them. I still have too many I think, but I'm working on it.

[zodiac7]

I saw on this site that had over 50 boards. None of them were hardly active, and they only posted one post in the 10 that were active. Not many people want to join forums that look, 1st, empty, 2nd, messy. Consider it.

[+[»Aurora«]+]

katqueen said:

Well, it's good to start off small, but that can be a bit hard when role playing. I've had that experience...when you put in too many, it's hard to fill in. When you don't put in enough, the plot can't carry on because the number of boards (the guidelines such as less than 10 boards) don't cover the amount of space the plot covers.

In ROG forums, you have to utilize the sub-board feature a lot more. But honestly, if you're creating an all-out ROG with a whole world...it's a miracle if you can fit it in under 15 or 20, it's rather hard. You have to use the sub-board feature A LOT MORE.

*sigh* I agree. For role playing forums, it is Really really hard to keep the number down. On my forum, I am starting out small so keep full, and adding as more interests come in. However, I use the sub-board feature now so it still is a world, but the whole forum isn't empty. Actually, with most forums I think it is hard to keep it to a small number, but that is where sub-boards come in handy. It all depends on what your new members are interested in. I would just leave the option of them suggesting boards so I know they will be active, and at the same time expanding the world for a role play. It is really hard to decide "too many boards?" or "not enough?" Either way, boards with a ton of 0s look somewhat unattractive when you are looking to join. Filling in those 0s with ones is better than nothing, I suppose.

[BluAngel]

In my case, I have started a board, and have quite a few categories/boards already. This is because we are moving over from another Message board host, and are already established there, so I have set it up quite similar. In some, I made suboards, something I couldn't do on the old message hosts, that I can do here. I'm hoping that my members will come and find that many things are still the same, but that some changes have happened, and I believe will be for the better. For instance, we have some people that love to write poetry. Instead of having to scroll through pages of posts to find one's by the person you like, I now have created sub-boards for each member that has contributed poetry in the pasts, and all their poetry will be there, and easier to access. This to me is good use of the sub-boards.

I know that as we get established here, that I may end up condensing come boards still, and I know I have the option. I want the members however to have something very similiar to what they are already familiar with, to get used to it first.

Edit to add:
Just thought I'd let you all know that we finally got moved over, almost completly. My members are enjoying the features of the new board here with Proboards, and have taken to the subboards. We're able to do so much more here then the old forum where it was located. They like seeing that much of it appears the same, but the changes have been beneficial in most of the member's opinions.

[Ímþ®óvîšâ†ó®]

Another thing that just slipped my mind is, when you think about it, assembling so many boards, is almost like choosing the same amount of university units to do in a semester. If you think how long it will take to complete each one, think of how long it will take to fill up so many boards. Starting off with small quantities of boards will help you gain better control of your forum. Deny any advice people tell you if they say that, larger forums are the best, they are wrong by default, unless they're forum has been active for a very VERY long while.

So to some up what I said, think of it this way...

Consider each board you reveal on the homepage, as like a university unit to manage, not all can be managed at once There should really be up to 5 boards (no more) for a member who is actually starting up their own forum

[xxjoeymadmanxx]

I agree.....makes me feel like making a new board to try this out. Do you have any tips for getting members?

[myke]

xxjoeymadmanxx said:

I agree.....makes me feel like making a new board to try this out. Do you have any tips for getting members?

This whole board is full of tips, just look through the threads here. You can also post your new forum in the Get Opinions About Your Board board to recieve ideas, and tips on how to improve the forum so it will stand a better chance of success.

Please read the rules of a board before posting in it though.

[xxjoeymadmanxx]

myke said:

xxjoeymadmanxx said:

I agree.....makes me feel like making a new board to try this out. Do you have any tips for getting members?

This whole board is full of tips, just look through the threads here. You can also post your new forum in the Get Opinions About Your Board board to recieve ideas, and tips on how to improve the forum so it will stand a better chance of success.

Please read the rules of a board before posting in it though.

Haven't made the new board yet, I am thinking about it. Sorry didn't read the rules before =)

[Black Angel]

When I am starting out on a forum, I try not to have many categories, and boards..

I'll have 3 categories for 1 for matters pertaining to the community as a whole, 1 where members can talk about various things, and 1 for staff eyes only..

in the community related, in it witll have boards for

1. Rules: Where people can find the rules, as well as any additions to the rules, and the explanation behind it in a separate topic.. (this board is read only..)

2. Announcements and Feedback: Where i post site announcements, and changes, to the board, and where members can comment on these changes and suggest areas that they feel should be added or changed..

I would also have a sub board for other info, like how to add an avatar, or have more ubb colors for your posts.. etc.. etc..

3. Introductions, Birthdays, and other Celebrations: There would be a sub board for Birthdays, and other celebrations. In the main board, the members can post if they are new, and introducing themselve, old and re-introducing themselves as well as coming back if they were gone for a long time.. or if they are leaving.. be it, temporary or permanent..

In Birthdays, and Other Celebrations: they can announce other things.. like post count, birthdays, graduations, etc. etc.

4. Order: This is where I would post info about banned/suspended users.. I woul have their name posted, as well as what they did, the course of action taken, and the duration/expiration of their punishment.. The members would also be able to argue their case, as to why they think they should not be punished.. there would also be an area for members to resolve their conflicts with one another, instead of taking their conflict about the forum.. the regular members would not be able to see these areas.. only those who are staff, were suspended, or placed on probation... (when we warn or suspend someone, we automatically place them in a separate group called probation) anything that is said in that area, stays in that area and they are told that if they mention it outside that area, then they will be suspended. and once their conflict is resolved, the topic is locked, and then it is never to be spoken of again..

In the staff area, there would be the staff lounge, where we would handle our business..
and then the archives, where we would place old, or locked topics..

I'll add a few boards like one for entertainment, showing off your work, sex and relationships, current events, and debates, and a general board.. if i see a lot of discussions about gaming in the general area then i will add a gaming board, and so on and so forth..