This is a decent forum format, not the traditional Vbulletin style I am used to but I like its clean design. What really matters for the future is how easy it is to run, modify and monitor from the admin/mod side. I have a Vbulletin forum with over a million posts and over 30,000 members. I have kinda let it die off.....but at its peak, it was one of the largest RC (radio controlled car/truck) forums on the web and it was a HANDFUL to manage. 7 years ago, a baby boy entered the picture and I had to walk away from it....it is pretty dead, activity wise now. But it still offers a ton of RC info to anyone who wants to read all about it.
It is a LOT of work to run an active forum and even more work to make it a happy, friendly place for all to learn from. Kudos to the admins and mods here. If this takes off like it should, you will be putting in some serious time to make it all happen.
Thanks for the efforts so far and keep up the good work. It will constantly evolve and change! Something I would suggest as a next step would be to offer members a way to become a "Supporter". Call that what you will. Annual membership with some nice added features for the user. I did this on my forum and it was very successful. It paid for all my hosting and then some once the members started rolling in.
The site has different Supporter levels (basic, bronze, silver, gold, platinum, platinum plus, etc). You could do calibers (.177, .22, .25, .30 etc...or some other gun related theme). They started at $10 a year and went up to $50+ a year. Basic guys got one free, small decal in the mail, Platinum guys got a handful of various sized decals from our web site and our web site sponsors.
Don't think that people won't pay good money to be a part of it all. You never know who that member is....to many, $50 or more for their favorite web site is nothing to them. You'll be surprised...I sure was! At one time, I was giving away $400 up to $1000+ RC trucks, tool boxes, accessories, upgrades etc monthly to random members. in various contests etc. Once I paid for my hosting, I spent the rest on stuff to give to the members. It really turned out to be a home run. I never did it to make money, so that's why I always gave it all back. The amount of money coming in from memberships and ad revenue after a few years was truly amazing.
Here are some ideas that work for me on my forum. Maybe it will spark some ideas for you guys?
Supporter benefits:
- ability to upload pics to your server (not have to be remotely hosted) in the new post or reply window. easier to add pics.
- more inbox storage
- a gallery where the user could upload pictures and it was linked under their profile
- reduced advertisement exposure
- access to a "supporters only" forum
- ability to participate in Supporter only giveaways
- Special % off discounts from manufacturers
- membership level showed near their profile icon...showing what level of Supporter they are (recognition is huge)
- access to special buy/sell/trade forums
- supporters ability to have their own blog within the site
- heck...we even did Secret Santa events in the Supporter group around Christmas time where Supporters bought each other gifts!
- and that's all I can remember off the top of my head LOL
Again all the best to you guys and sorry for the extended rant. Just trying to share some experience with a big forum, which I am certain you are about to have on your hands!