Discussion: Are multiple themes a smart move?

[Enchant]

There are so many forums out there that it is almost impossible to classify them all. Each with thier own communities, content and themes. But what about those that have no one specific theme, such as that of Harry Potter for example, but what about those that have a multiple of themes...Anime and Graphics being a theme for one forum, both wonderful topics on thier own, but what about together?....Would that be considered more of a general forum or multi-theme? What makes a multi-theme different from a general forum and do they have a better chance of succeeding versus that of a single theme or general forum? Are they a smart investment of time and hard work?

[Anselm]

Good topic

I feel that many forums try mixing themes, or having several areas. I feel it is hard to build a community around several different themes and there will be separate communities developing.

There really needs a base theme for anything to work; something broad. If this is used then a community can be created.

Yes, you may get the activity, but having a single, united community is best.

[kelendria]

I find having separate themes can be a benefit, someone can hopefully at least find something they like.
I have a music & general forum, but apart from trying to make mine stand out from the rest, those that don't necessarily join in with the music discussions, play my games or post in my polls.
I know some people get kinda mad when someone, say, always posts in their off topic discussions instead of the themed part, but I say any activity is better than none!

[Gamoc]

I definetely think that it takes more work to manage an active multi-theme forum because many times there are multiple different types of members. Let me use...say...a coding and a design forum. You have the people that hang around the coding boards and those who hang around the graphics area. Therefore you need to visit both often, even if you are really only a graphics person and not much of a coding person, or vice versa.

Many multi-themes work out great, while there are those that do not. The biggest no in making a multi-theme forum is to not make part of it a shrine to another forum. One reason why I say that is because, if you want to talk about how great another forum is, just PM others and talk to them about it, or start a chat room in MSN or something. It would probably be neglected a lot because if anyone joined it would be for the other thing, not the shrine.

Other examples of bad multi-themes would probably be things like, a place for atheist to go to, with another area for those of the religious background to go. That's a horrible combination because it could start some very bad flame wars. Sure, atheists and relgious people can get along, but that kind of forum just does not work.

Although they are very good if you can manage them properly, you might want to take a second to think about what you are dong before you actually make one. Make sure that the multiple subjects are similar in some way, and that they won't cause battles between other members. The biggest thing about it is YOU NEED TO BE MATURE TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE ONE. Without that maturity, you will be overloaded and will not be able to handle it all, because you need to make things fair for everyone, and not just one group.

[th14]

I have to say that multi-themes really are the way to go for someone looking to create a forum. First I started a specific theme and got 14 members in about 3 months. Now on my Pro Evo/Gaming/Off topic forum I have 70 members in 25 days and over 1500 posts!

[HoudiniDerek]

I know that I prefer forums that tend to have one theme over several. The one exception would be those forums set up as General Talk forums...similar in nature to our own GT here, but made to be an entire forum rather than a small part of one.

Most forums are hard work on getting and retaining members. I know I search based on one idea and I prefer a forum that is hard at work on that one idea rather than dividing the time between several themes. Sometimes, yes, they go together, but most of the time they are just one forum showcasing all of the interests for the admin. While that is fine, it can sometimes limit the pool of members you get because some people see it as necessary to like ALL of the themes to join a forum.

So, while they can work, I prefer forums with one theme over several because it tends to bring in more active and more committed members.

[Enchant]

th14 said:

I have to say that multi-themes really are the way to go for someone looking to create a forum. First I started a specific theme and got 14 members in about 3 months. Now on my Pro Evo/Gaming/Off topic forum I have 70 members in 25 days and over 1500 posts!

ahh but would you consider this to be a multi-themed or a general?

but most of the time they are just one forum showcasing all of the interests for the admin.

Wouldn't that be the foundation of even bothering to build a forum?

[Smangii]

I think most, if not all forums can benefit from being "multi-themed". It reaches a much greater audience then just being focused on ONE topic, and I'm pretty sure that after a while it will surely start to become boring just discussing one thing in particular. Also, guaranteed that no forum can just remain ONE specific topic. Mots forums have a "General" board, to discuss things different from the main forum.

But... would it be considered immediately "general" if the forum beings to stray away from their main topic... no, I wouldn't say so. The base of the forum (and the majority of what the members registered for) will always remain what it originally started out as. Yes, new areas might come into the picture, but I think the "main focus" is what your forum should be classified as.

[HoudiniDerek]

enchant said:

but most of the time they are just one forum showcasing all of the interests for the admin.

Wouldn't that be the foundation of even bothering to build a forum?

I agree that the admin needs to have a vested interest in the forum, but I still think that one theme is preferable over ALL of their interests crammed together in one forum. If it is a general forum like yours Enchant around one genre, then I see that as acceptable.

If it mixes things from anime to poetry to nuclear physics just because the admin likes it, I think that most potential members would feel obligated to like every aspect in order to join.

[th14]

ahh but would you consider this to be a multi-themed or a general?

To be honest gaming and pro evo are the same thing, but the fact that you can on my board people are talking about anythingn from Saw IV to the new Ipod, it is multi themed.

[Gamoc]

smangii said:

I think most, if not all forums can benefit from being "multi-themed". It reaches a much greater audience then just being focused on ONE topic, and I'm pretty sure that after a while it will surely start to become boring just discussing one thing in particular. Also, guaranteed that no forum can just remain ONE specific topic. Mots forums have a "General" board, to discuss things different from the main forum.

But... would it be considered immediately "general" if the forum beings to stray away from their main topic... no, I wouldn't say so. The base of the forum (and the majority of what the members registered for) will always remain what it originally started out as. Yes, new areas might come into the picture, but I think the "main focus" is what your forum should be classified as.

Well, yes. Many forums do have the general board to keep things from getting boring. True, but the we are meaning besides the general board. I would not say that the general board makes a forum multi-themed because on a general basis it is just one board with a couple of sub boards, whereas most of the forum topics have a category devoted to them, and not just one board. General Board is like an essential part to any forums survival.

[kelendria]

Exactly, General & Off Topics are common because it gives you somewhere else to have a discussion besides the main theme.
But putting two themes together isn't a bad thing or very hard for that matter.
My forum was based on a singing group, now it's turned into a general AND music forum. (I add more boards with more activity)
Yes the same theme has broadened since it was about music anyway but you can incorporate something of a similar theme or completely different, it depends what you can handle.
Get good staff to help you out & update with good topics, it doesn't have to be difficult

[HoudiniDerek]

kelendria said:

Exactly, General & Off Topics are common because it gives you somewhere else to have a discussion besides the main theme.
But putting two themes together isn't a bad thing or very hard for that matter.
My forum was based on a singing group, now it's turned into a general AND music forum. (I add more boards with more activity)
Yes the same theme has broadened since it was about music anyway but you can incorporate something of a similar theme or completely different, it depends what you can handle.
Get good staff to help you out & update with good topics, it doesn't have to be difficult

I agree that some themes can be used together and it makes perfect sense. Basing your forum on a singing group could naturally expand into a general forum that has a heavy music emphasis. I don't see that as bad where you started narrow and then expanded to fit the interest of yourself and members.

I was going with the idea that a multi-themed forum is problematic to start because it seems that there is too much clutter and confusion. If you start broad, people might think they have to agree and like all segments of the forum or that it is "just another GT."

So, while I agree that they can work, I think it best to grow to something like that on the advice of the members.

[kelendria]

Thank you. Not everybody who joined particularly liked the singing group so were trying to find somewhere else to post, lost interest & left.
Sometimes posting in a General Forum or Off Topic could break the ice.
So yes expanding the forum (especially as the group eventually disbanded so finding up to date news was difficult) seemed like the perfect idea.
Not saying that once you change it or have a multi theme it will instantly draw members, but with everything else, the theme, colour, activity, all contribute to a successful or unsuccessful forum.

[Weasley Twin]

I always find that if you create a forum, its always best to give the fans/members a multuple choice. Your main focus could still be the artists/actor/actress/musicion etc however, even the biggest of fans will proberply find talking about them, would put them off.

Providing off topic discussions helps balance the forum, and it also helps the members keep interest in the forum.