Launching a new fansite can be a daunting process – there are lots of considerations to make before going ahead with an idea that is filled with good intentions.
A couple of weeks ago I launched a new fansite – WeFlashForward.com; a forum (message board) for ABC’s new series FlashForward. I have quite a bit of experience with forums as well as being interested in the topic matter, so I’m confident that the site will be successful.
What do I mean by “successful”?
Basically, I hope that WeFlashForward:
- adds value to those looking for a fun and interactive place to discuss and share the television show FlashForward.
- I want the site to be a leading community destination for the show, so obviously….
- I want people to join the site and help the site grow in content and authority.
- I also hope that any ads I place on the site cover the cost of the domain name, software and hosting charges. The vBulletin software, in particular, isn’t cheap, so hopefully I can get as close as possible recouping that outlay before I have to renew the script in 12 months time (I purchased a leased license).
On reflection, I believe that these ‘wants’, if you will, are resonable and attainable. Bottom line however, is the fact that I enjoy creating online communities for areas where I have a genuine interest.
I’ll probably come back to this list and update my hopes for the site, once the it has matured a bit.
Here are a few of the considerations I made before creating the site:
- Time - did I have the time to commit to another fansite? The answer is yes, but only because I now have the experience to be more efficient with the time I spend online. There’s also the fact that many of my fansite’s are becoming self-sufficient, in that I am not needed to constantly drive content.
- Targets - I touched on this above; my main target is to build an informative, fun and interactive community for fans of FlashForward. I certainly have the enthusiasm to do just that!
- Help - creating a site like this requires help in moderating and adding content. One of the first things I did was put out a ‘staff team vacancy’ on some of my other site’s. Within a couple of days I had three volunteers to help out in this area, and I couldn’t be happier and more grateful. Content will come from myself, the staff team and, of course, members – once we grow.
- Growth and Promotion – one of the most difficult things to do is grow a new site. There are many methods that people use, including spamming other sites. For me that’s not an option – it’s tacky and goes against my principles as a fansite owner. Instead I’ve found that good content goes a LONG way. It may seem obvious, but it’s true. Along with persistence and knowing your niche. I’m also lucky because I have other well ‘ranked’ fansites and forums within a similar nice, so I will be cross-promoting and gaining good backlinks that way – all of which will hopefully help Google and other search engines to pick up WeFlashForward more quickly than they might other have. Further down the line I will look at various other promotion methods, such as videos and contests, but at this stage it’s all about the content.
Over the coming weeks I’ll be sharing my experience of launching WeFlashForward, as well as any tips and insight that I gain in the process!
