I’ve been weighing up how I might go forward with my discussion board. I quite like the Invision format and it is a free hosting site, which is why there is a banner advertisement on the top of the page. I don’t like the ad, but am prepared to live with it while I dip my toes in the water. I don’t want to pay for hosting, or software, whichever route I take if the whole thing comes to nothing. A free host allows me to try it out without risk. I’m also not over keen on having to transfer the database to another format. I’ve switched once already – but as I only had four members it was relatively painless.
However, we’ve reached ten people signed up – welcome to Hairmonster1917. About a third are actively posting. This I suspect is about average. The question is, how successful is this? I’ve been running for about three weeks. Is it too early to tell?
Given my wide range of interests, I wondered where to start. I decided eventually that current affairs was a good all rounder – not least because the general news of the day seemed to be the most popular area of discussion on the dedicated sites anyway
I’ve sort of given myself a goal – get twenty people signed up and I’ll go for a paying board. If I stick with Invision I can import the database without disrupting the board and Invision do a range of options starting at $10 per month which is affordable. So for members it should be transparent. It will still be free to members but will give me greater creative control and no advertisements. So watch this space – or, more accurately, this one:
Edited to add: In the past two days, another two signups – welcome to: AmyJellyBrain and RedBaron. Looks like I might have to think about that pay server sooner than I thought… 
However many members satisfies you is all that matters. Some are happy with 10, others want their forums to have thousands. Having approximately one-third of the members posting actively is good.
I’ve belonged to some music forums in the past where there were 100 members, and only the same dozen ever posted. So, you’re ahead of the game! :^)
There were on-topic threads, off-topic threads, “current events”, personal stories, buy-sell-trade, and the like.Visit me @ http://pimme.blog-city.com
[Longrider replies] I think as far as numbers are concerned, it could do with enough to allow it to develop a life of its own. At the moment, there’s too much of me. Although those people who are posting are starting to push it in their own direction, which is good. Also, at the moment, all members broadly agree on the issues being discussed. A little dissent would be interesting.