How to Create a Forum

Co-authored by Anar Kazimov

Last Updated: October 24, 2024 Tested

In the past, you needed special knowledge about web programming languages in order to create an online forum. This process has become a lot easier these days because of great new ways of creating forums for feedback without having to learn a new language. Follow these steps and get all the feedback you are looking for, and then some!

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Hosting a Forum on Your Own Domain

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Many services provide a place to host your BBS and generally offer guaranteed uptime, easy setup, domain names, and customer support. Many forum hosting providers now include a service that automates forum installation of 2 of the more popular forum software applications, SimpleMachines and phpBB (if so, follow your host's instructions to install and then skip to the login portion of the instructions below).
Consider free open-source software that's very well supported, both in terms of development and community support.

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Download an FTP client. You will need this to upload your PHP content to your host.
Set this up on your host through the control panel of your domain.
Go to example.com/forumdirectory/install.php to install and configure your forums.
6
If you are using phpBB: In your FTP client, go to config.php > Properties and set the CHMOD settings to 666.
- Follow the instructions on install.php.
- After finishing installation, go to the CHMOD settings of config.php and change them to 644 (if you are using phpBB 2).
Delete the install and contrib directories.
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Login and customize your installation.
- Go to example.com/forumdirectory/index.php.
- Login and go to the admin panel to customize your forum.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Hosting a Forum on a Sub-domain

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There are many to choose from. Simply search for "free forum host." However, hosting a forum on a domain name you own (as described above) is preferable because you control the domain, not the forum host company.

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Community Q&A

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Question

Does it cost any money to set up a forum?

Community Answer

If you want to use a normal domain like .com, then yes. If you're not willing to pay, you can go with any of several free forum hosts.

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How can I monetize an online forum?

Community Answer

Some forums have plugins which will allow you to format advertisements toward your Google AdSense account.

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Question

How can I create a simple forum on my site?

whitney wright

Community Answer

Choose a forum platform like phpBB or Discourse. Be sure that the computer(s) hosting it supports the chosen platform. Install the forum software and customize it to match your site. Set up categories and permissions, and promote the forum. Moderate discussions and maintain the forum regularly.

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Tips

If you are not very technical, you can register at a site that can automatically set up a forum for you.

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If you want to run the forum on your own computer for development reasons, testing, customizing, etc., then see how to Install WAMP.

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If you use Mozilla Firefox as your browser, then try fireftp.mozdev.org/ for your FTP add-on.

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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

Strike a balance between monetization and providing a positive user experience for your community. Be transparent about your monetization strategies and ensure that they don't detract from the overall quality of the forum.
You can also get an expired domain rather than a brand-new one. On a formerly-expired domain, your forum may already have some authority in the eyes of Google and rank higher in search engine rankings.

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Warnings

You may be exposed to harsh language, but a lot of forum software allows you to ban certain words which can help.

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All forum software is at some point vulnerable to hacks, but keeping your forum software up to date is a good way to help prevent issues.

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You will be thought less of by the web programming community if you use software as opposed to your own script.

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