Should I add a forum to my Wordpress blog?

dconklin

dconklin

New member
I was thinking of maybe adding a forum to my Wordpress blog but more or less just for some discussion on local things. The blog is for sharing local businesses and events so I am not sure if it will just add to the loading time without serving a real purpose. I am still pretty new to Wordpress so I am really just playing around with ideas, it is not an idea that I have put a lot of thought into yet without opinions of others.

Is a forum on a Wordpress a big hit or do you think that it would help add to my site? I am not set on the idea yet so if you have any opinions of it being a bad idea, please do share. Also if you recommend it, can you recommend how the best way to do this would be please? I think there was a plugin or something that I came across which is what gave me the idea to add a forum originally.
 
I think it is a good idea you add a forum to your site, but of course it depends a lot of users you have in your site, because most people will only use your site to search for information and do not write post's and etc..
 
While iit is good too have a forum in your blog, It wouuld be best to havee a separate database like using mybb softrware. This way you get to haav securitty on each site unlikee haaving just one. Maybe ccreating a subbdoomain like forums.blo.com.
 
I have a suggestion for you. Try installing the bbPress plugin for Wordpress. When I looked at it a couple of years back, it was a barebone forum. Now it has developed a lot and it has nearly all the features of a dedicated forum software. The advantage of using bbPress with Wordpress is that bbPress is made by the same people who made Wordpress. So you get seamless integration. Single login, of course.

So how good is bbPress?

I will be honest. I have just re-discovered bbPress and I am still trying it out. So far so good. btw don't confuse bbPress with BuddyPress. BuddyPress is the social network plugin for Wordpress. Yes, that's right. BuddyPress creates a social network on your Wordpress installation.
 
Victor Leigh said:
I have a suggestion for you. Try installing the bbPress plugin for Wordpress. When I looked at it a couple of years back, it was a barebone forum. Now it has developed a lot and it has nearly all the features of a dedicated forum software. The advantage of using bbPress with Wordpress is that bbPress is made by the same people who made Wordpress. So you get seamless integration. Single login, of course.

So how good is bbPress?

I will be honest. I have just re-discovered bbPress and I am still trying it out. So far so good. btw don't confuse bbPress with BuddyPress. BuddyPress is the social network plugin for Wordpress. Yes, that's right. BuddyPress creates a social network on your Wordpress installation.
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BBPress is a good little forum, if you are looking for something simple and streamlined! :)
 
Victor Leigh said:
I have a suggestion for you. Try installing the bbPress plugin for Wordpress. When I looked at it a couple of years back, it was a barebone forum. Now it has developed a lot and it has nearly all the features of a dedicated forum software. The advantage of using bbPress with Wordpress is that bbPress is made by the same people who made Wordpress. So you get seamless integration. Single login, of course.

So how good is bbPress?

I will be honest. I have just re-discovered bbPress and I am still trying it out. So far so good. btw don't confuse bbPress with BuddyPress. BuddyPress is the social network plugin for Wordpress. Yes, that's right. BuddyPress creates a social network on your Wordpress installation.
Click to expand...

I will have to look into bbPress plugin. I was just playing around with the idea so that people could possibly discuss places they would like highlighted on the blog since it is all about local businesses. I am not sure that the forum will see a lot of traffic, but that is ok.

How is BuddyPress, have you tried it? It sounds kind of neat but I don't know anything about it. Just trying to create a great experience for my readers!
 
fermlour said:
I think it is a good idea you add a forum to your site, but of course it depends a lot of users you have in your site, because most people will only use your site to search for information and do not write post's and etc..
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I have a feeling that the forum wouldn't see a lot of traffic, but I just want it for an easy interaction for readers. If somebody would like to suggest a local business to highlight on the blog or something like that. It would just be an added feature and I wouldn't really worry much about the numbers of people posting. Just hoping that people would share something they would like us to blog about! If a forum would cost a lot to run then I probably won't go for it, but if I can do something free or cheap as an added feature then it would be cool.
 
Are you getting a enough traffic to your site to warrant it? If you are barely even getting any comments on your blog posts, you will likely not get much participation in a forum either.
 
Ohio beat me to it. The only reasons why I am considering forums for my blogs will be due to so many comments that I need a more orderly way to read them and I believe that the regulars will want to talk to each other on a regular basis, in addition to commenting on the posts. Other than that, it's just something to say that you have.
 
Victor Leigh said:
I have a suggestion for you. Try installing the bbPress plugin for Wordpress. When I looked at it a couple of years back, it was a barebone forum. Now it has developed a lot and it has nearly all the features of a dedicated forum software. The advantage of using bbPress with Wordpress is that bbPress is made by the same people who made Wordpress. So you get seamless integration. Single login, of course.

So how good is bbPress?

I will be honest. I have just re-discovered bbPress and I am still trying it out. So far so good. btw don't confuse bbPress with BuddyPress. BuddyPress is the social network plugin for Wordpress. Yes, that's right. BuddyPress creates a social network on your Wordpress installation.
Click to expand...

Can you confirm if bbPress uses your blog theme as well? :)
 
It would be nice to have a forum even if you don't think it might not be needed much, just as an exercise. You should check how it can contribute to your website just to double check on if it's something you should really keep.
 
Through personal experience, blogs with forums don't generally succeed. Unless you're more specific, such as a huge-online gaming community, then sometimes forums can work, but even the big-ones don't lift-off very well.
 
For a blog I think it is better to work using the comments from readers. A forum would be helpful if you were running a big online business and do have time to help everyone out. Forums will be used as an avenue to get quick answers from other users who might have had the same issues. Nevetherless, it is also a fun way of promoting your blog you can also try it.
 
It depends on the topics that you plan to write about. Forums are good if you're looking for a serious round of discussion, may be forum would be a better choice . Anyhow if you can manage properly, having forum would enhance the visitor engegament in the site
 
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