Fan Forums on ProBoards - How do you run yours?

[bai]

I run one and a half fan forums and have gotten about 16 members since I officially opened about a week ago! This has been through promoting the site via Twitter and Instagram, where most of the fans for the band, Chloe x Halle, seem to reside. Currently I post photos of the girls, promote them in their endeavors, and retweet plus talk to other fans. I'm not going to lie - there isn't much activity on the site with those 16 members yet, so I'm looking for tips on how to grow it and do better though. But it's very new and I'm still working out the kinks. 

There are a few fan forum owners on here that I admire, and I would tag them if I didn't feel it inappropriate so I created this post as a discussion for everyone to come in and talk.

Some questions to get this going:

1. When and why did you create your fansite? What is the goal of your fan site?
2. Do you have any friends or fellow fans helping you run your site? If so, how did you go about teaming up?
3. Do you have outside fan accounts on social media to promote your site?
4. Since fan/stan accounts on social media are a thing, how does your forum measure up with site activity?
5. What are some things you've had a hard time with when it came to establishing your fan site?

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My answers

1. The band I created the site for is very underrated and deserves a lot of promotion and help with spreading the word. When I saw there was a lot more interest in them than I thought, I felt it appropriate to establish a website solely based on news, updates, and more. I've seen quite a few fan sites do that and thought I'd give my hand at it.

2. At present? Yes and no. Yes because I reached out to people to be team members and staff (not advisable, I know) but they aren't very active so really it's just me spreading the word and posting by myself. 

3. Yes, as I mentioned above I use Twitter and Instagram with YouTube and Tumblr in the works soon. But it's just me so a lot of the time it's hard to keep up with all the news on the band. A fan account I know for a different celebrity is run by two people, with other having whole teams associated with one account or "fan brand", and that is one of my goals.

4. Right now? I mean, the site is in its infancy, and considering how "spread out" the band's fans are on social media, I'd say it's doing better than expected, all things considered. But it doesn't measure up to the constant stream of activity on social media.

5. For me I had a hard time coming up with site branding and design. Before the one I currently have up, it was a good design and ahead of its time...if this was 2008. So I went back to the drawing bored (and used a different computer) to re-brand. Another "hard time" experience is forum activity, but like I said, the grand opening was only about a week to two weeks ago. Some of my members ARE having a hard time navigating the site though. I intend to alleviate this with the Forum Tour plugin.

[Mandoli]

Jul 20, 2018 15:24:07 GMT -8 bai said:

1. When and why did you create your fansite? What is the goal of your fan site?
2. Do you have any friends or fellow fans helping you run your site? If so, how did you go about teaming up?
3. Do you have outside fan accounts on social media to promote your site?
4. Since fan/stan accounts on social media are a thing, how does your forum measure up with site activity?
5. What are some things you've had a hard time with when it came to establishing your fan site?

I created the forum because there was a lot of spam on a board I used to frequent (the board has been deleted from the GSN site altogether). My goal, at the time, was to connect game show fans by truthful conversation. Then when the GSN site decided to stop operation on their site's forum, I decided to run something like a "shelter" - giving people an option to talk about game shows without having to jump around from board to board.

Originally, I was the only staff member. Then, when people found my forum, I had to "hire" others. One of the staff members and I merged forums for a little bit - but when people complained that they couldn't find what they were looking for, we stopped the merge. He's still a staff member. (Good thinking on my part.) All of the staff are from the old GSN board. One person on the staff team died a few years ago, so I decided that it was best to place her under the group "Honorary Members". The account is still there.

For social media, I have a Twitter page. I also have a Facebook and Tumblr on top of that. I don't use Tumblr unless I have something long I want to post without making a post on the forum. (Like, reviews and other things that I want to share with others.) I haven't seen another game show-related forum on social media, which is something that I find surprising. I've seen blogs with social media pages, but there aren't other blogs that use Twitter or anything like that.

The major problem when it comes to running my site is the fact that habitual problem children like to try to register. I've had to approve accounts on numerous occasions. When PB had that issue with that spam e-mail domain, I decided to approve actual accounts. It was the same thing with trolls. If someone came in who decided to be a troublemaker, I decided to ban the first account and deny other accounts access. It was painfully obvious when the same person tried to make dozens of accounts.

You should see my ban list. It's full of accounts that tell the staff that they're awful.

[bai]

Mandoli Thanks for replying and giving some wonderful info on your site! It's interesting to me that you've had problems with trolls. I wouldn't have thought a Game Show fan forum would have to suffer from things like that. Were they part of a troll group or something? I know some people do that.

What has been your favorite thing about your site?

[Mandoli]

Jul 21, 2018 11:01:00 GMT -8 bai said:

Mandoli Thanks for replying and giving some wonderful info on your site! It's interesting to me that you've had problems with trolls. I wouldn't have thought a Game Show fan forum would have to suffer from things like that. Were they part of a troll group or something? I know some people do that.

What has been your favorite thing about your site?

The deceased staff member had a blog that she kept going for a few years. She mentioned the forum (and I think linked to it) in one entry, and the trolls immediately came. One had actually pestered others before coming over and pretty much gave death threats and whatnot towards others. In actuality, he was hiding behind his computer. I haven't heard from him in a while, which is scary... I don't want to think of what he'll do next, if anything.

Favorite thing? The knowledgeable members. For every person who has no clue as to what's going on, there's two who know their stuff and don't post just for ha-has. I can't have a full forum of people who know a lot, but the people who are there are fantastic. To be honest, I'd rather have a conversation with them, instead of the people who like to spew things out for no reason.

[bai]

Mandoli So they decided to pounce on your site? How awful! Do they still come from that site at all or was the blog post eventually taken down? It kind of sounds like they are from certain websites I've had the displeasure of hearing about...Hm..

Do you guys have deeper discussions on your forum? I'd love to do that with my fan forum, but that might be a ways off unless I take the first step with reviews and such. Conversations (real ones, not small chitchat) are always so nice when you get them, and it's even better when it's about a topic you really like or love! Another question coming your way! Do you ever hold contests or anything? I'm trying to brainstorm a few for my site right now. Something to entice people to join and have fun!

[Mandoli]

Jul 22, 2018 11:42:02 GMT -8 bai said:

Mandoli So they decided to pounce on your site? How awful! Do they still come from that site at all or was the blog post eventually taken down? It kind of sounds like they are from certain websites I've had the displeasure of hearing about...Hm..

Do you guys have deeper discussions on your forum? I'd love to do that with my fan forum, but that might be a ways off unless I take the first step with reviews and such. Conversations (real ones, not small chitchat) are always so nice when you get them, and it's even better when it's about a topic you really like or love! Another question coming your way! Do you ever hold contests or anything? I'm trying to brainstorm a few for my site right now. Something to entice people to join and have fun!

I don't know if the blog entry is up. Someone said to us about a few months ago that the blog she was running had gotten lost through the internet, but I personally don't know if that's true. I haven't looked around on that, and I don't intend on doing so in the near future. She didn't have anyone else working on the blog, so when she died... So did the blog, unfortunately.

As for "deeper discussions", it depends on the term. Most of the threads I have on the actual topic are "all-purpose" threads. It's going to differ from forum to forum, obviously. Each show is supposed to have its own thread, but people like to make new topics for things that can be lumped into any of the actual threads. One of the more recent discussions that we had was about Richard Dawson and Match Game; more specifically, him leaving and everyone's opinion on what the best scenario would be. Threads like those, which branch off from the AP ones, work well.

Again, it's all going to depend on what your members prefer.

(Also, the thread linked is just an example. It's not an advertisement.)

[stevecureboi]

bai Here's my take on running a fan forum & what works for me.

My forum is a fan forum for The Cure

1. When and why did you create your fansite? What is the goal of your fan site?
In 2012. It was a “lifeboat” for members of a previous forum that closed down.
The goal is to share thoughts, opinions, collections, information & news about The Cure, it’s members’ & past members’ solo work/ other projects & to create an online community that’s a safe & pleasant place to be.
2. Do you have any friends or fellow fans helping you run your site? If so, how did you go about teaming up?
Some of the mods I already knew & we do look for members who are genuinely interactive & who contribute to the general conversation(s) & topics. It also helps to have staff in different time zones as it is a very international forum.
3. Do you have outside fan accounts on social media to promote your site?
Not “fan” accounts, but we do have our own twitter & farcebook accounts that are synched so that if we tweet a link to a forum thread it automatically goes in the farcebook feed too (& vice versa).
We also have google alerts set up, so if there is any breaking or interesting news on the band appears, we can get on it pretty quickly.
4. Since fan/stan accounts on social media are a thing, how does your forum measure up with site activity?
Couldn’t really say tbh. Not overly interested either. From what I see, most of the social media activity from fan accounts are pointless quotes, lyrics or a photo with the name of the band member being the only text. Seriously, if you post a picture of Robert Smith, you don’t really need to say who it is do you? (I don’t have the faintest idea what a stan account is though).
5. What are some things you've had a hard time with when it came to establishing your fan site?
Establishing something new is almost always going to be a bit tough, but after over a decade of forum experience you get to learn a few things. We have a set logo which gives us an instant identity that we use on social media & once you have established that, it becomes a whole lot easier as you become more recognisable over several platforms. Think the Mcdonald’s golden arches. Instantly recognisable & global.

Additional stuff.
I’m lucky to have a good bunch of people on the staff who continually drive ideas for things to keep people on the boards longer & draw in new members.
We also make a point of covering every The Cure concert live & members volunteer to send updates & photos from the shows as they happen. In doing those live reports, we are able to bring the show to people who aren’t able to make it themselves & some of those threads are epic. In addition to that, we arrange pre show meet ups so those “virtual” friendships become real life ones. I have personally met hundreds of our members over the years & it’s one of the biggest buzzes ever. Some have even come & stayed at my place on holidays.
It’s also very gratifying to get good feedback on the forum from so many people.
We’re also fortunate enough to be in contact with some of the band & band’s entourage who occasionally refer other fans to our boards. We also spread the word on their projects to the wider The Cure community online.
In addition to The Cure activity, which is obviously the main theme, we recognise that fans also share other interests. So we have a bustling general chat board where stuff like books, recipes, pets, gardening tips, a dedicated pizza thread (don’t ask) all get discussed. We learn a heck of a lot about each other & become closer friends as a result.
We also play fantasy premier league football against another forum I moderate for & another band’s farcebook group. That makes for some healthy outside competition.
I think, in essence, if you focus too much on the object of the fandom you can become a bit too restricted. Especially if that object takes time off for a year or so.
I find it best to make the members the focus & then, even in the quiet times, there is still active discussion about other stuff.

As i say, this is what works for us. What works for other fan forums may be different.

[Mandoli]

Jul 24, 2018 5:21:34 GMT -8 stevecureboi said:

3. Do you have outside fan accounts on social media to promote your site?
Not “fan” accounts, but we do have our own twitter & farcebook accounts that are synched so that if we tweet a link to a forum thread it automatically goes in the farcebook feed too (& vice versa).
We also have google alerts set up, so if there is any breaking or interesting news on the band appears, we can get on it pretty quickly.

I used to have something like this going with my forum's Twitter, but the avenue that we were using to sync shut down a few years ago. What are you using, and does it cost anything?

[stevecureboi]

Jul 24, 2018 6:39:56 GMT -8 Mandoli said:

Jul 24, 2018 5:21:34 GMT -8 stevecureboi said:

3. Do you have outside fan accounts on social media to promote your site?
Not “fan” accounts, but we do have our own twitter & farcebook accounts that are synched so that if we tweet a link to a forum thread it automatically goes in the farcebook feed too (& vice versa).
We also have google alerts set up, so if there is any breaking or interesting news on the band appears, we can get on it pretty quickly.

I used to have something like this going with my forum's Twitter, but the avenue that we were using to sync shut down a few years ago. What are you using, and does it cost anything?

I was using tweetdeck, but they appear to have killed of the syncing.
The twitter app on the phone still syncs from twitter to farcebook though, but you need to allow it access to the FB app I think (settings & privacy>account>connected apps).
There's more here help.twitter.com/en/managing-your-account/help-with-twitter-for-facebook
I think farcebook syncs the other way around though, so if you're comfortable with that rat's nest (My other crew do all the FB stuff. I can't stand it) that could work for you.
Try a few test posts. You can always delete them if it doesn't work.

[Mandoli]

Jul 24, 2018 7:35:26 GMT -8 stevecureboi said:

I was using tweetdeck, but they appear to have killed of the syncing.

I wasn't using Tweetdeck. I was using a defunct program that I can't remember the name of, which is really sad. Honestly, I'm not sure if I can go back through the Twitter account I had been syncing to, because I decided to post a lot of tweets under that handle.

[Retread]

Jul 24, 2018 5:21:34 GMT -8 stevecureboi said:

In addition to The Cure activity, which is obviously the main theme, we recognise that fans also share other interests. So we have a bustling general chat board where stuff like books, recipes, pets, gardening tips, a dedicated pizza thread (don’t ask) all get discussed. We learn a heck of a lot about each other & become closer friends as a result.

Did somebody say . . . crumpets?

[bai]

Mandoli I've seen a few forums set up like that - the thread per topic thing. I thought about running another forum I had conceptualized like that because it seems a lot tidier. A few people I know call them "appreciation" threads. Was the forum you and your members came from set up that way?

stevecureboi Thanks for stopping by and replying! "Stan" accounts are fan accounts, but "stan" is slang for stalker (or super) fan. If I recall correctly, the term was created by Eminem. Your post gave me some perspective on what I "expect" from my site (and, therefore, myself) - it's going to take a while to really build a lasting community. The people I made the site for are not hugely successful which means it might be an even slower build than for a globally established figure or group. But I'm fine with that! 

Personally for me, I use my site's Twitter, Instagram (and now YouTube) accounts to connect with fellow fans in a more intimate way. I might need to reign that back in order to appear a bit more "professional" in a sense, but today went surprisingly well. While I might not have gained any new members on the forum today, live-posting about a concert Chloe x Halle performed it this evening really upped my follow count! Now to turn those followers into posting, consistently active members on the fan forum? I'm not certain...

What I AM certain of is needing to build a team of like-minded fans. I have posted a team member application on the site, as well as approaching fans privately through social media to ask if they would be interested in joining the "team". I haven't had much - if any - luck with that though, despite actually having "team members". So it's just me and I'm sure it shows. 

Thanks again for posting. I can really learn a lot from you!

[stevecureboi]

Jul 25, 2018 20:05:31 GMT -8 Retread said:

Did somebody say . . . crumpets?

Haha. Yep. That's me. Crumpet boy. One of my old moderators named me that as I do make my own

Jul 25, 2018 20:52:59 GMT -8 bai said:

stevecureboi Thanks for stopping by and replying! "Stan" accounts are fan accounts, but "stan" is slang for stalker (or super) fan. If I recall correctly, the term was created by Eminem. Your post gave me some perspective on what I "expect" from my site (and, therefore, myself) - it's going to take a while to really build a lasting community. The people I made the site for are not hugely successful which means it might be an even slower build than for a globally established figure or group. But I'm fine with that! 

Personally for me, I use my site's Twitter, Instagram (and now YouTube) accounts to connect with fellow fans in a more intimate way. I might need to reign that back in order to appear a bit more "professional" in a sense, but today went surprisingly well. While I might not have gained any new members on the forum today, live-posting about a concert Chloe x Halle performed it this evening really upped my follow count! Now to turn those followers into posting, consistently active members on the fan forum? I'm not certain...

What I AM certain of is needing to build a team of like-minded fans. I have posted a team member application on the site, as well as approaching fans privately through social media to ask if they would be interested in joining the "team". I haven't had much - if any - luck with that though, despite actually having "team members". So it's just me and I'm sure it shows. 

Thanks again for posting. I can really learn a lot from you!

I think patience is important. I'm not sure, but I assume there aren't many fan forums for Chloe x Halle, so you're already in a pretty good position to acquire members.
Good to hear the live show coverage had a positive impact & I'm sure you'll convert those followers into members.
Top tip. If you are going to cover the shows in the future, make sure to advertise that fact on your social media feeds ahead of time with a link to the thread(s) on the forum.
If possible, see if members (or followers) can send photos & things from the venue. A couple of handy tools I use are whatsapp where I have a live reporting group. There is a mobile & desktop version & the desktop version makes it dead easy to post images into threads, especially if you have the simple image upload plugin installed for your forum.
Also, if you have twitter followers, periscope is a pretty good streaming video app & you can easily embed a twitter post containing a periscope feed into a thread. We have a member who videos every The Cure show she gets to & they are always great to watch on the night. But even snippets of video are better than nothing.
I believe that farcebook has a live video option too which is also easily embedded into threads.
Have a look at the link I put in my first post & see the live 2016 boards. You'll get a better idea of how crazy it can be (in a good way). We even formed a forum "air band" on that tour called Airlock (an old The Cure tune) complete with "air roadies". 
Also worth giving any support acts (or headliners) some attention too. You could snag quite a few members that way & don't forget. Hash tags are your friend
Good luck.

[bai]

Thank you for all those tips, stevecureboi! I appreciate it a ton!

[Mandoli]

Jul 25, 2018 20:52:59 GMT -8 bai said:

Mandoli I've seen a few forums set up like that - the thread per topic thing. I thought about running another forum I had conceptualized like that because it seems a lot tidier. A few people I know call them "appreciation" threads. Was the forum you and your members came from set up that way?

Sort of, but not really. There was (thankfully) some attempt to get that together, but people liked to ask questions about the same things. It was like they were beating a dead horse. The AP threads were my idea. I knew that if all discussion about one show was kept to its own thread, nobody would have a problem with it. I still have to merge threads together, just because there doesn't have to be so many on any single topic.