Before you optimize your phpBB board for Google
When doing SEO (Search Engine Optimization), many people take it from the wrong end. They first work on the optimization and after they start to receive new traffic from these sources, they try to do something with their board to make the users stay.
Take-off checklist
Having new users come to your board through search engines is useless if you're board isn't attractive enough for them to stay. Community sites like board based on phpBB are based on returning users which actively participate in the community. Having new users come to your board through search engines is useless if you're board isn't attractive enough for them to stay. Community sites like board based on phpBB are based on returning users which actively participate in the community.
Here's a small checklist of things that you should check before you start putting money and effort into gaining new incoming users:
- easy to find registration page (possibly emphasized somewhere in your design for anonymous guests)
- clear stating of what your board is about
- and last but not least some content already present on your board, which will catch the user's attention
User registration (getting them to stay)
Once a user registers, it's mostly up to him. Your task is to lead him to the "Register me" button and make him not leave before he does that. There are a few important things that influence the user's decision, let's talk about some of them:
In order to start searching for the register button, the user must have a motivation. This is most easily done by simply explaining its benefits and the goal and content of your board. Take these as a good example of a quick and simple explanation of the reasons for which a user should register him or herself.
The first step for every user after he decides to stay is actually to find the registration page. Take a look at the default prosilver design: it's a great example of how to demotivate users from registering. It seems as if we intentionally make the registration link almost hidden not to attract to many users. In many of the freely available styles, you will find this link similar, as most styles are only recoloring of prosilver. I would certainly recommend a custom graphics designer at least for this small job.
And the third most common showstopper is user e-mail activation. Though this feature was a guaranteed spam stopper, many users hang on the Inactive users list and never come back. With the new CAPTCHA plug-in interface in phpBB 3.0.6, it's not neccessary to have this feature enabled and it makes the board more attractive as users do not have to wait for the activation e-mail but can log in and participate immediately.
Board content (what really matters)
The cheapest and most efficient way (in means of conversions) is to have users recommend your board to other people. Friends trust each other and usually follow their recommendations. The result for you is a tight knit community of communicating participants.
In order to achieve this, your board has to be interesting and provide some profit (usually non-material) to your members. This could be exchange of experience and information, acquiring of new contacts, communication, games or anything else which attracts people on-line. Think about yourself and try to come up with activites that you found pleasant on the internet in the past and which you users could like. Try to make a broad survey (way broader than asking your younger brother) or find inspiration on other successful boards.
Create an environment in which users can easily express themselves and which is easy to navigate. Use all possible means of communication with users. Start a newsletter, create periodical contests, reward users etc.
You will have a hard time creating a unique place for users to visit if you choose a topic that is already used for many other forums on the internet. Believe me, creating another coding, warez, cars (in the general sense) board will simply not work. Be sure to analyze the existing market before you launch your board's promotion.