Monday, July 10, 2006

Cool things to add to your website: Discussion Forums

If you have a website and you're selling stuff through it, you might want to add a Discussion Forum so your customers and potential customers can interact with you and others.


A discussion forum is something like the tagboard on this blog but much more advanced. You can have sub-forums and topics within those forums. Depending on how much leeway you'd like to give others, you may allow them to post new topics, run polls, etc. For an example of a really sophisticated forum, check out the Playwrights' Forum, owned by Stageplays.com

A search for "forum" or "discussion forum" should give you some good options. I use the free phpbb forum from mfbb. It's an open source software and you can either host it on your own site or use the free sitehosting from mfbb if you'd like to make a test forum first.

I suggest you use the free hosted option and test the site with the help of a few friends before you host it on your own site and make it "live". You'll get a feel of administration and learn to set up membership options, posting privileges, etc.

Happy discussing,

Deepak

9 comments:

  1. Anonymous11:10 am

    I have a website http://www.ba55manfive.com What could I add to my site to make some extra money, If you have some advice please email me at thehive_5@live.com

    Im also the co-writer of a novel http://thelivermoresite.com both need money making avenues-

    I need advice and direction

    Thank You
    John and Emily

    ReplyDelete
  2. I would also like to know some cools things I can add to my website which is a local online guide to the Tri Cities in Tennessee/Virginia.
    http://www.tricitiesguide.com

    Sean B. Halliday
    sean@tricitiesguide.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous10:59 pm

    I like the idea do a Discussion Forum, I have added one to my site, but its not instant. You have encouraged me to investigate further!

    Thanks, and nice site!

    DoctorCRoberts

    ReplyDelete
  4. I would like to know some cool things I can add to my website which is a Entertainment site for everyone to visit. www.zedex.universal.edu.au

    Trav J Ando
    travodeawsome@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous4:35 pm

    Who knows where to download XRumer 5.0 Palladium?
    Help, please. All recommend this program to effectively advertise on the Internet, this is the best program!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous6:27 pm

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous7:25 pm

    Hi,

    Thanks i have thought of adding a discussion forum to my site and i will be adding it very soon what else can i add to my website http://www.bargainhuntonline.com

    ReplyDelete
  8. It's a good idea to add a discussion forum in your website. People tend to discuss their interests and opinions in a certain forum. That's why you should add one in your website.

    dentist website

    ReplyDelete
  9. Do you have any advice you could give me for my site? I'm trying to improve my visability but I'm not sure how to do it. Any help would be awesome

    http://www.thingsonmywishlist.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete

Hi,

Please keep your comment focused on technology. Comments of a political nature will be deleted.

Thanks,
Deepak