If you''re running an online community, you know how satisfying,
fun and exciting it can be, especially if you''re in charge of a
popular site where people come to discuss their favorite hobbies,
movies, music and news. But you also know that there''s a flip side
to being the gatekeeper of a discussion board. Difficult users,
legal constraints, spammers, and technical issues can turn the
excitement of running an online community into total chaos. With
the right guidance, however, running forums can be a pleasure.
Patrick O''Keefe has spent years developing and managing online
communities. Now, he shows you how to make the right decisions
about every aspect of your site. Managing Online Forums is the
first comprehensive book to cover everything you need to know to
launch and run a community forum, including:
conceptualizing the community and launching it - attracting
people to the community - choosing a name and domain name - picking
the right software - deciding on user options like avatars and
private messaging - setting guidelines and dealing with violators -
ensuring that posts stay on topic - settling online disputes among
users - involving your users and keeping the site interesting
Unique, lively, and timely, Managing Online Forums is the one
book that shows you how to create a safe and entertaining community
that users will return to again and again.
"O''Keefe provides an impressively insightful, comprehensive,
and cogent blueprint for building a loyal and responsive community
online."
--Ryan Leslie, Founder, NextSelection Lifestyle Group, recording
artist, producer, and online video pioneer.
"Patrick is one of the true leaders in online communitybuilding,
and his knowledge isn''t just theoretical, it is based on "in the
trenches" experience--and those experiences will prove invaluable
as you look to leverage community in your endeavors."
--Jeremy Wright, CEO, b5media, and author, Blog Marketing
Online forums make up the very foundation of the social web.
Unfortunately, there are few resources for the growing number of
people who work behind the scenes to make them successful. In this
comprehensive book, Patrick O''Keefe brings his real world
experiences to bear in the form of strategies, tactics and ideas
that fill a knowledge gap that has begged to be filled for too
long.
-- Lee LeFever, Common Craft
Patrick O''Keefe is the founder and owner of the iFroggy
Network (ifroggy.com), an internet network featuring content,
community and e-commerce sites. He also manages 7 communities,
including SportsForums.net, KarateForums.com, phpBBHacks.com,
CommunityAdmins.com and PhotoshopForums.com, . He blogs about
community management at ManagingCommunities.com and has written
articles and editorials for several websites, including
YanksBlog.com and BadBoyBlog.com. He lives in Harbinger, NC