When it comes to making a new forum

[Speaks]

What are the categories every forum could use? Should categories be specific? Or broad?

 

[Excommunicado]

An off-topic category goes without saying. It provides a place for people who may not be familiar with the niche to participate in the forum.

 

[Ravenfreak]

A off topic section is a must for any forum that is based around a specific niche. It can be difficult to get active members if your niche is very specific and your forum doesn't have a off topic section.

 

[Speaks]

I decided to make a general chat forum instead of a specific niche cause they come and go I’ll be all about something for a little while then want to move on to something else. I don’t like that about myself but it is what it is. Hopefully in time people will forgive me for making so many forums

 

[Eric]

The off-topic section is something every forum owner should make provision for because irrespective of the niche that particular forum is about, it should give other members a general section where they can easily discuss about anything. This will also bring activities and traffic to the community.

 

[Debashis]

Categories that every forum could use include general discussion, introductions, news and updates, support and feedback, off-topic, and maybe a few more specific ones depending on the forum's niche. Categories can be a mix of specific and broad, ensuring easy navigation while accommodating diverse topics of discussion.

 

[Monster Masterpiece]

A off topic section is a must for any forum that is based around a specific niche. It can be difficult to get active members if your niche is very specific and your forum doesn't have a off topic section.

It depends if this forum is a support forum of a company means users of a company website join there to express their technical problems using the platform or more intended for technical terms, or a normal forum. As a small example, I do not think there is off topic section on stack overflow.

 

[Nomad]

Your niche determines your categories. On my mental health forum, I was using more than 15 categories. I had categories related to demography, diseases, etc. On my investment forum, I have just 5 categories. I like to limit categories. If I can use a single category for multiple topics, I will always do that.

 

[Sevik]

Yes, a general discussion board is necessary. All work and no play is not good.

It's also important to have a feedback board as well.

 

[Angela]

I have no experience with creating and running a forum, but I have been a member on a couple of forums. I believe the categories on every forum is based on the niche of the forum. Not all forums use the same categories but the forum on the same niche have more or less the same category. For example, in all general discussion forums you will see more or less the same categories

 

[Sanjeev]

I don't own a forum, but I am on many forums now, and most of them have a specific niche and a general/miscellaneous category where members can discuss things that are not related to the categories, and they are filled with lots of threads.

 

[Monster Masterpiece]

I don't own a forum, but I am on many forums now, and most of them have a specific niche and a general/miscellaneous category where members can discuss things that are not related to the categories, and they are filled with lots of threads.

The concept remains the same being a staff member on a forum or being administrator even without create forums you will get knowledge how admin panel works but if you still as member then you cannot discover until hired as staff member.

 

[Ginger]

It should have sections like General chat, sports, Money Making etc and Miscellaneous too

 

[Teegold]

I think it should also have a cryptocurrency section too, a lot of people are diving into the crypto world these days.

 

[eLdavis]

It depends on the niche the forum is based on. Though having a general discussion section would do a lot of good for the forum as well.

 

[Monster Masterpiece]

It should have sections like General chat, sports, Money Making etc and Miscellaneous too

The forums have same structure generally, what differs is users engaged and number of subjects per day. But it could have only one section like all of sections about sports or all sections are about general chat it is feasible too.

 

[Ginger]

These sections are quite popular and almost everyone can comment and post threads in these sections so it makes things easier for the website to get the required content

 

[eLdavis]

That's true but in some cases some persons tend to misuse this and start posting irrelevant topics.

 

[King Belieal]

Every forum should have a general section where issues that are bothering to everyone can be talked about and enjoyed. Not everyone is a webmaster or financial expert.

 

[eLdavis]

Every forum should have a general section where issues that are bothering to everyone can be talked about and enjoyed. Not everyone is a webmaster or financial expert.

Indeed, the general section is a great place where everyone can easily express themselves without being worried of not posting in the right section or if it's related to money or business and the likes.