Advertising a forum offline.

[Sasan]

I am launching a new forum within the next few weeks. It is concentrated on a niche of sorts. I could try my luck at advertising online but the way I have thought it out, the forum would be more successful if I advertised offline.

Has anyone tried offline advertising for a forum? Did it work, what did you do? Would you do it again?

[Jan]

That might be kinda hard, as those not so internet savvy, have a hard time trying to visualise what a forum is. I know I have tried explaining it to people over the years and those that aren't connected to the internet look at me real strange. Those who are connected, but aren't into forums, look at me like I am just strange. Well maybe I am, but....:P

[writespeak]

Has anyone tried offline advertising for a forum?

Not personally, and I don't remember seeing it done either. But websites are advertised offline. That is, they're included in print and TV ads, so offline advertising might work.

Jan has an interesting point that it's difficult to explain online forums to those who don't know what they are. But I've tried explaining websites to people who have never seen one, and that's difficult too. :eek:

I think it might work if (a) your forum has content other than forum posts to attract people, and (b) it's about a topic that people already read specific publications about. For example, if it's about a sport, people who are interested in that sport read magazines and newsletters about it. Statistically speaking, most people who read those magazines are connected online.

This example isn't of a forum, but it's close, and print advertising was very successful. I used to go to a private health clinic to get ultrasound and acupuncture treatment for an injury. The clinic was just local, in my city. But their website offered a lot of information about alternative health and the opportunity to ask questions for a low membership fee. The clinic owner told me that he didn't bother with working on getting hits via search engines. He advertised in print magazines, and he got a lot of members that way.

His advertising strategy worked because there are a lot of publications about alternative health. But I doubt it would work with, for example, a forum about squirrels. ;)

Lois

[writespeak]

I just came across this article: Google Print Plan Advances (http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=40239). An excerpt:

"There's a long tail of advertisers that they have a relationship with who could benefit from print advertising, but they don't have agencies, don't have ad departments, don't have creative," he said. "This is a way to help them get exposure through the print media, which otherwise they would not have."

If Google thinks that print advertising for websites is a good idea, that's something to consider. :)

Lois

[Scott]

I would agree with Lois that it will depend a lot on the type of forum you have. Imagine trying to explain something like Gaia to someone who has never used the net before. Or even FU.

You might not get a huge return, but if you do go for it, let us know how it goes :)

...a forum about squirrels. ;)

While I fear for Dennis' sanity, it appears there are already a few (http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&rls=GAPB%2CGAPB%3A2005-09%2CGAPB%3Aen&q=squirrel+forum&btnG=Search&meta=) out there. :eek2:

[B33R]

I would presume it's the same as any offline advertising for online businesses. If it is well targeted and aimed at the right markets there's no reason why it wouldn't be effective.

It all depends on your target audience really. If they're likely to read a magazine and know what a forum is then it would work.

If they not likely to know what a forum is you could set up a "website" with a few articles with the main feature being the forum. They may not have used a forum (or even know what one is) but when they visit your website with articles and find a forum there too where they can chat to people like themselves/same hobbies/same problems/whatever they'll most likely use it.

Targeted correctly, anything can succeed! (even a squirrel forum :stickout:)

So Sasan, what's your forum about?

[vito]

The key is how well you market it. Provided you can actually get them to the site and forum, you're off and running.

Last year I set up a small forum just for my wife to stay better in touch with her side of the family. And believe me, my inlaws are as newbie as they come when it comes to 'puters. The massive challenge was getting them to the site.

Once there, it was a piece of cake. Before you knew it, they were posting, PMing, uploading attachments, adding avatars, (over)using smilies, etc. They were outa control. They took to it like a squirrel to a gaylord of oversized walnuts. :food:

Vito

[Aussie Bob]

. . . Those who are connected, but aren't into forums, look at me like I am just strange.
Shall I join the dots for you Jan? :whistle: :stickout:

Family gatherings are the worst. There's all those aunts and uncles who have no clue what the internet is, and then I'm trying to explain web hosting to them. Not a snowflake's chance in hell. :iunno:

[John D]

Haha Bob I have a hard time explaining what websites are to people, nevermind hosting ;)

I'm planning on opening a poker site for Ireland sometime in the near future so I'm really interested to see what comes up here.

[Goober]

I was also considering offline advertising for my site. Still pondering what to do, what to spend, and at the moment Im even having doubts that this site will be successful, but Im still putting time into it every few days when I have some free time.


Here's my thought, I was going to get business cards made up with my URL, some graphics and a sentence or two describing my site.. Maybe something along the lines of "Were you can find answers to any Home Repair question you can come up with" or "Help were you need it most"... and placing these business cards on windshields at the local Home Depot, or.. maybe not the local Home Depot because I couldn't imagine been band from THAT store :P

[Aussie Bob]

Haha Bob I have a hard time explaining what websites are to people, nevermind hosting ;)
I really need to take a foldout chart with me, to help explain how it all works. :D

[TheDPQ]

I guess it would depend on where you are trying to market yourself.

Most of my user are in highschool or college. Young people are pretty savvy. Some schools allow for student posts on a bulletin board. Thinking of finding out the rules for this and maybe try promoting some banners. Maybe some lame message board, 'not taking summer classes, still want to learn web design? Visit www.yaxay.com' :D

I'm thinking...small...cheap...free.

Someone wanted to do a sticker design once. It might not be the best advertising method, but i guess it could be a conversation striker.

[UKJosh]

Jan, your not strange, your just defferent :)

[sandrodz]

I'm doing offline advertising in a form of ads and T-shirt etc. But it's not very succesful, it needs huge budget and is very time consuming!

You'd better do some banner advertising, I find it to be much better in a sense of hit/sign up conversion...

[Willdex]

FlunkMe.COM - Student Community
How long did it take you to get the first 10 members?

[Nathaniel McInnes]

Hi. We are about to start online advertising. Here is a blown up banner.
What do you think

http://forums.dmediashop.net/images/Logoadvert1_medium.jpg

Thanks,
Nathaniel