Question
I don't mind admitting it either. I could use your advice.
I paid for my website at the beginning of August. My goals at that time were only vaguely defined. They've become clearer as the weeks have passed. I am more interested in my blogs and community forum than in the website itself.
Now, here is why I feel stupid. I thought the only way to have a message forum was to have a paid web host. I did not know until today that you could have a message forum through a free forum host. I've never belonged to a forum that didn't have it's own domain. If I had known that before, I would have tried that first.
At this point, I am only about 6 weeks into this thing. I have a lot of time invested, but I don't have a following or any significant traffic. My plan in the beginning was to let the 2 years play out and if I don't get significant traffic or forum participation by then, cancel the website/community forum and just do my blogs and google group.
According to my stats, my blogs are getting double and triple the traffic of my forums anyway. I thought the community forum would be nice, because it allows for more active participation and the topics are more easily laid out for viewing.
Should I consider canceling the web hosting now? Are free forum hosting places reliable? Is a forum really that important, since I have blogs and a Google Group?
I won't do anything without thinking it through carefully, but I'd really like some perspective on this, if you can spare a thought or two.
Answer
Can't help you on this one. My hands are full with 5 websites and 5 blogs. Never had a desire to do a forum. To be honest I don't see any advantage to having a forum but never gave it any thought. Hope someone comes by with a answer.
Mike
Answer
To be honest I don't see any advantage to having a forum but never gave it any thought.
No offense Mike, but you gave me a laugh with that one. Can you see the irony?
5 websites and 5 blogs? Yes, your hands are full.
Do all of your blogs have a very narrow specific focus? Are you getting much back and forth participation? I've seen some blogs that seem to enough comments that it's almost like a forum - except that people can't start their own posts of course.
Answer
If you like your domain name, you can always keep it and host your blog there. Blogspot (if that's who you use) lets you publish to your domain. That way, you might drive more traffic to the domain.
I've had a domain for a few years, and really like the name, so I'll probably always keep it. I used it to host info on my son's wedding last April. Now I have a blog there, too, but it's just personal junk, and I've forgotten to post anything for a long time
I just like having my own domain for email, etc., and it's cheap, so why not?
Answer
I'm not particularly attached to my domain name. It wasn't even my first choice. Offhand, I forget what I had chosen, but it was taken. So was almost everything else I'd thought of along similar lines. The frustrating thing was that these domains weren't even being used - they were just taken for the purpose of selling them to someone who needed to have that particular domain, some with ridiculous asking prices.
I paid $166 and some change for 2 years of web hosting with Bluehost, so I'm not real anxious to keep it unless I need to, which is what I'm not so sure of right now. I don't like the pressure I feel to drag people off the main highway (the many established Christian forums) to my little dusty towpath, simply because I've sunk money into it.
I liked setting up the forum and working with it. I may try one of the free forum hosts to see if I like it before making a decision to close down my website/forum with Bluehost.
Answer
Well, as down as I was before, I got a major uplift when someone from another forum made some very positive comments on my website. Plus, I've learned to use my site stats a bit better to track repeat visitors - I have more than I'd thought.
So, I've decided to continue with my website - and the community forum. 6 weeks is probably way too soon to have gotten discouraged.
Anyway, I've since learned a bit about these free forum hosts. I'll be starting a fresh topic about that right now.