Information current as of October 2009

(words to be hyperlinked are in plum and the links are in parentheses next to those words – all yellow highlighted text to be deleted before going live online)

Forums/Message Boards

(Franji, when you lay this out online, put the following in a sidebar)

At a glance…

  • A forum/message board is an online discussion website.
  • Users create discussions (threads) and talk to other users who’ve entered the conversation.
  • They can function as an entire website or as a section of a website.
  • Forums/message boards exist for almost every subject.

What is it?

Forums (also called “message boards”) are the modern, more elaborate Internet equivalent of the cork bulletin boards used to hold and display physical information in public places. Just as a crowd gathers in front of a message board in a hallway, Internet users crowd to a message board online, create notices, and respond to the notices listed. Forums now exist across the Internet as a way for people with similar interests to discuss those interests, ask questions, provide answers to others’ questions, and share current news. Be aware that forums are not usually held in real time, so discussions may be drawn out.

Usefulness

Organization. Forums provide a place to start conversations and have other users respond, creating a chronological record of the conversation and a starting place from which other conversations, or “threads,” can be spawned. Forums provide detailed records of ideas, words, and individuals involved in sharing information.

Collaboration. Employees and volunteers can use a forum as a private place to tackle problems and brainstorm new ideas. It’s an easy way to hold a discussion or meeting if it’s not possible to meet up in a physical place.

Feedback. Supporters can hold discussions amongst themselves regarding your organization or program. You can use their opinions to inform your own and recognize where you are excelling and where your work needs improvement.

Usefulness

The usefulness of having your own forum depends on your needs.

Before the rise of social networks, forums were one of the leading ways to connect with others who shared similar interests. Social networkinglink to glossary incorporated many of the features inherent in forums into its own infrastructure. For example, Facebooklink to glossary/link to fb.doc provides each user the ability to create their own groups (which are essentially forums) and administer them. As social media sites grow more robust, they make stand-alone forums no longer a destination but a small piece in a larger puzzle.

However, stand-alone forums remain a viable option for organizations seeking to create a meeting space outside of a social network. Users won’t have to sign up for a social networking account and they can create a membership that will only work on a specific message board––yours.

Notables

The following is a list of some popular message board providers. These options are software, which means that you would host your message board on your own web technology. There are many other options available on the Internet besides these, depending on what kind of message board you are looking for.

Simple Machines Forum()

Simple Machines Forum is free software that lets users set up their own online communities. It supports advanced permission and user management, robust security features, and website integration support. Social features include user signatures, polls, and a shared calendar.

phpBB ()

phpBB is free software that lets you establish your own message board. It offers advanced security features, total layout customization, user profiles, private messaging, and email notifications.

InvisionFree ()

InvisionFree is free forum software that features layout customization, attachment capabilities, security features, and a private message system.

MyBB ()

MyBB features security options, customized permission levels, enhanced moderation features, and standard features of other message board software. A merge system lets you import your message board created with other companies and transform it into a MyBB forum.

Best Practices

  • Check your message board frequently to monitor new conversations.
  • Read other forums to grasp common problems and how they are handled.
  • Use the same rules of communication you would use for social networking.
  • Make your posts relevant and informative.
  • Post or link to quality content.
  • Maintain a respectful, collaborative tone.
  • Set requirements for registering to use the forum.
  • Prevent botslink to glossary from signing up on your forum by registering members manually.
  • Create a code of conduct for users to follow. If the rules are clearly posted (i.e. subject matter that is not allowed) and enforced, users will respond and behave accordingly.
  • Ask a few key employees or volunteers to act as moderators so they can stay on top of problems.

Time Requirements

The amount of time maintaining a message board depends on how busy it is. If you have a low number of members, duties will likely be minimal. If your message board is fairly active, you will need to spend more time monitoring activity, solving problems (moderating) and helping people with technical issues.

In addition to maintaining a message board, you will need a technical-minded employee to sort out the implementation of the message board on your website.

There are services that let users create and host forums in the same place. However, depending on what your organization wants to use a message board for, it might be easier to join popular social media sites and ask your supporters to join your networks on those sites. Message board and group features are often available on these sites. Creating a discussion place of your own only takes a few minutes.

Please see the Forums/Message Boards tutoriallink to tutorial for detailed information on how to use this social media tool.