Tricks and Tips of Making Thread Topics

[Enchant]

Many times I will get asked, "What kinda of threads should I make?". This is a common question with both new and more experience members alike. It can be difficult at times to keep a member interested in a forum, when you do not know what to post. As an admin or staff member, it is your duty to keep a board updated and active with interesting topics.

In this thread, I am hoping to establish a discussion on the tips and tricks of creating a topic. I hope that, what is posted below will not only be informative and helpful, but will encourage you to share your thoughts and experiences as well.

One of the best tools for inspiration, is to watch the news, listen to the radio, or even read the newspaper. It is amazing how useful these forms of media can be. Not only will you find controversial topics to discuss, which can almost always ensure a active thread, but it can inspire your imagination to come up with your own topics.

Anouther tip, when starting a topic, always promote participation within your post. For example, Dont post an article and say "What you think?".....Instead make it about thier thoughts not just about the article . Try something like, "Imagine being put in this situation,....What choice would you have made? Would it be something you would feel good about? If not, how would you have done it differently?"Make your questions be part of the article not as an addition.

Some times the best topics are inspired from the simplest of things. Look at something that is in front of you and then play a game of word association. Then ask questions of each word do. For example, I am looking at a clock. I associate it with time. My question is, Why is it that when we are watching a clock , time seems to go slower? Yet, when you are not watching it, it seems to fly by?

Anouther common question is, "I want to start a RPG, but I do not know what to make it about, can you help?" With and RPG, the easiest way is to take a moment in time and take out a small piece of reality to it. For example, my daughter's cat is looking at herself in the mirror. The reality is the mirror is hard, she isn't going anywhere. But what if she was able to pass through it...where would it lead? Or anouther scenerio is, what if her reflection moved and responded on her own? Sometimes you just have to think outside the box....

These are just a couple tips and tricks that I myself use. Now I can't tell you all my tricks, but I can open the board so that others can share a couple of thiers as well. I hope that you all join in and post some of your tricks and experiences. Enjoy.

[Husaman]

Thanks for the tips Enchanted Element!

Here are some other topics which can be fun and help you make your Forum Active. You can start a topic with something that you are doing and you know most others do usually.Like one very successful topic at most forums is 'What are you listening to?'Everyone would want to put in what they are listening to.Like that there can be many other things like What TV Serials do you watch? or What games do you play with friends in free time?
The idea is get other people involved in your topic.Encourage them to have their own input in threads by involving them...

I hope this would help some what.

-Husaman

[Enchant]

husaman said:

Thanks for the tips Enchanted Element!

Here are some other topics which can be fun and help you make your Forum Active. You can start a topic with something that you are doing and you know most others do usually.Like one very successful topic at most forums is 'What are you listening to?'Everyone would want to put in what they are listening to.Like that there can be many other things like What TV Serials do you watch? or What games do you play with friends in free time?
The idea is get other people involved in your topic.Encourage them to have their own input in threads by involving them...

I hope this would help some what.

-Husaman

Thank you...I hope it helps someone...and you had a few good tips as well. I agree it is best to get the members involved...I think it is good to have some of those simple questions that are just fun to answer.

[rosebud]

It'd be a good idea to go on more then one message board just to view their topics. What ones are popular? What ones aren't? What ones worked? What topics didn't? It'd be a good idea to make your topics original. If you created a topic made from another board, I wouldn't call that plagiarizing. It can be common to come up with the same topic as another. However, it's still a good idea to make your topics original from other boards. A topic like "what are you listening to" is very popular and topics that can include everyone is helpful, but I do encourage admins to come up with there own.

[cecim2007]

My advice is to always pay attention to the current news in a variety of subjects. When doing so, formulate your own opinions about what you think about the issues. Your interest in the topic can help keep the thread going as well as initiate further discussion.

Once you've developed your stance on particular topics, begin to formulate a small list of good questions about the subject. Especially put yourself in the shoes of a poster when you are creating these threads. If you, as a poster, show interest in a particular topic, then other people will.

I hope that helps.

[Gamoc]

Okay, I have a couple of tips on this sort of thing.

My first one is to look around the web for some interesting things. Things such as a change in a popular websites design, or a really funny or interesting website that you want to show to everyone. It really can spark up discussions within your forum. I remember making a thread about pokemon crater and now I know more people who play it now because the joined the site.

My second one would have to be is watch TV, like just about everyone else said. But I am adding something to it. Don't just start threads about news on TV, start threads on funny thing you saw on TV, or things on TV that you just like. I have started many threads on television shows I like. Don't just leave it to television, take it to plays and movies also.

My third one would have to be interesting things that happened in you life. If something good happened to you, start a thread on it in your forum. It should spark a little conversation because people might be happy for you. But be sure to not take it to where you are gloating about it. That could drive your members away from it.

Be sure to ask them things about the stuff you start threads on. Like what enchant said.

[Paper Box]

Making thread topics, is that the case? Well there's a lot to discuss on that. For instance knowing the right kind of topics to make, and making them active. Then there's knowing what kind to make.
I think the easy way to find out what thread topics to make are relative to what your forum is made of: IE: I have a cell phone forum, so I'm going to make threads on certain kinds of cell phones, or on service providers that sort of thing. There's many ways to makes threads, and then theres many ways to destory them. Making a the first post of a thread long is a very bad thing to do, becuase the members will lose the meaning in the first paragraph in.
The easiest way to know how to make a thread is to research your forum's topic, and then ask intriguing questions about it. Or explain something in a easy to read manner, and then ask for discussion on that certain topic you just created.

[Robyn]

I run a computer club type board, and so far I have made many threads about Bill Gates, mac or windows ect. But soon I'll be making a off topic board and then I'll be adding more threads.

I find that posting about things that are related to your board make it more popular. Asking about which alien in your sig looks better in a sci fic forum is way better to get replies then asking if throwing fire at someone is cool at a forum about horses and farms.

Be sure to also make contests once in a while, such as one where whoever can say post up to 300 times first will get a custom title or will get three more stars ect. It doesn't have to be money. Stuff like a bolder name, a colored name, their forum's url in the menu bar, a thread of their choice stikied or put as an announcement, them becoming a mod for a day, there are all sorts of great prizes that can make you not have to spend a penny.

[Tortured Pixel]

I have used alot of the ideas in here, thanks ya'll. I actually have a tip of my own. I don't just post topics for the purpose of getting peoples replies. We have some boards for reading, like a recipie catagorey, a jokes board (nothing but jokes n funny stories), and an area where we do quizes and post our results. It's easy to find forum quizes, share jokes, and swap recipies. Not always much of a "conversation" but it does give something to the members they can use, be it a good laugh or something new for dinner.

I've attached my board to a website. I add fun stuff to the website, games, stories the members write, and links to good parenting sites ect. My board is for MOMs and about parenting.

I also made a catagory where members can have their own board to use as a blog, or to showcase their photos, poems, artwork, whatever they want. Thats gives members another reason to stop by and post!

[Simply Lex]

Topic like" What have you encounter today?" Pleasant or
unpleasant.....

[Enchant]

simplylex said:

Topic like" What have you encounter today?" Pleasant or
unpleasant.....

Thanks for joining the discussion, but in the future, please make sure that you are making a discussion and not a comment...please use a min. of 3 to four sentences. Thank you

[Simply Lex]

enchant said:

Thanks for joining the discussion, but in the future, please make sure that you are making a discussion and not a comment...please use a min. of 3 to four sentences. Thank you

Sorry to say that, I'm not making a comment here, instead providing TIPS as your thread stated. Clear that I'm joining in the discussion as not commenting.

Moreover, I try to keep short for clear and direct understanding,
and not writing grandmother story in order to understand
what I'm trying to revert.

And I thought I've wrote more than 3-4 sentences by now.

no obligation intended. Thanks.

[Enchant]

simplylex said:

enchant said:

Thanks for joining the discussion, but in the future, please make sure that you are making a discussion and not a comment...please use a min. of 3 to four sentences. Thank you

Sorry to say that, I'm not making a comment here, instead providing TIPS as your thread stated. Clear that I'm joining in the discussion as not commenting.

Moreover, I try to keep short for clear and direct understanding,
and not writing grandmother story in order to understand
what I'm trying to revert.

no obligation intended. Thanks.

Your posts should be at least 4 sentences long. Anything less shows that not enough thought was taken in the post, and is most likely not productive towards the conversation.

If you can't follow this rule, which was posted in the rules..then you shouldn't even bother posting...you are not the exception to the rule!

[Simply Lex]

If my 1 sentence is not viewed as productive due to
quantitative reason, then be it. I shall not provide my
views further.

Exception? nobody is asking for exception here....yes, maybe
i should not bother to contribute further, since i do not know
how to write essay and stories.
Thanks for your reminder.

[Weasley Twin]

Hmm a good Question Enchant. A good way of making thread topics and keep members active is include things like 'Your Faviourate Television Shows' thus members, can post their top faviourates. Or you could open debates on certain subjects, like we have here. For example if you have a forum dedicated to a certain actor/actress, you could open a debate up regarding say what their next role should be, or something like that, just to keep interest.

Sometimes I find it hard to start new Threads and to keep members entertained, hopefully with some more tips from members I might get a few ideas of my own.