an attentive audience

Forums and message board build community by giving members a chance to voice opinions and ask questions.

We suggest each board member spend 15 minutes a week adding to the forums on your site. Your community members are more likely to jump in if they see you enjoying the “pool” already.

Listen to what your community says, both directly and indirectly. Don’t just pay attention to member’ words (i.e. comments and message board posts), also keep an eye on the highest-rated and most-viewed content.

Everything reveals something about what your members want. Also, have a message board in the community where people can talk about the community. This will be a great place to see what people are thinking and to test out your ideas. Measure your community’s traffic and statistics from the beginning, so you can judge your progress as you go.

CAI’s Best Practices Report – Energy Efficiency

Check this link on the Importance of Forums

When considering monitoring for forums, its a good idea to always have at least one place in your website where members can speak plainly and voice complaints. Forums can be set for registered users only, so that the public cannot see the discourse when viewing your site.

“Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall.”
– Confucius

Without such a place, your website may be collaborative, but it cannot be an open place where differing view can be voiced and debated. Insure your forums are protected by a login and allow members to speak freely.