

Ask HN: How do you get a user forum off the ground? - thewordpainter

A forum can be key to user retention and connection (helping establish that family-like community). Anybody have experience building one from the ground up?<p>How do you kickstart the conversation? How do you keep it going?<p>If done properly, I think it can be just like game mechanics, where it may not be the core competency, but it can have a world of impact.
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tst_
[http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ev2zb/i_run_thathighco...](http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ev2zb/i_run_thathighcom_and_it_pays_my_rent_in_san/c1b6ql9)

Shortly, fake it until you make it

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veb
Or, simply have the content. Then start conversations about said content.
Seriously, it's easy.

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thewordpainter
@tst_ - i hear ya. thanks for sharing the link.

@veb - yeah, at this point we've begun topics and are just hoping that the
conversation will build around us...then we can let it grow from there.

we actually started a VIP listserv for some of our most active members to
start the chatter. we were hoping to transition them over to the forum once it
was set up.

