Roger Lund
New member
Personally I think the layout is fine. In fact some of the subjects are what made me create a account and check it out.
Contests are great, but you need people to manage them and sponsors to donate money or prizes. I think prizes would be the way to go.
Perhaps doing what others have done and offer a service layer aka, hosted images, or buy / sell , that has a cost. I think that the art showing should have a cost.
Perhaps what is needed is local group integration. AKA, start some local groups in person and have them use the forum to show results , host conversations. Same could be said for the competitions, or art showing. I think that allowing twitter , google plus, etc as a valid login method would be nice. as well as allowing your new forum posts to post to twitter, facebook etc.
Perhaps allowing hosted images and contest winners a public purchase option, for others to buy the print. This would be nice. Maybe the forum and the owner of the picture could split the profits.
Work with gear vendors to have members to gear reviews. Write articles. Tie these to a Face book and google plus account for publicity. Work with the same gear vendors to spread the forums name through advertising campaigns, etc.
Reach out to Local camera shops and offer to host a sub forum for them. Invite them to participate in the contents, the art events, the vendor interaction etc that your developing from the above.
As with anything, it takes time, money, and most cases both to grow something in to something more.
Perhaps having some key forum members be a help through the process. Use something like google hangouts with web cams would help you have everyone on the same page.
Hope my two cents help. Random thoughts.
Contests are great, but you need people to manage them and sponsors to donate money or prizes. I think prizes would be the way to go.
Perhaps doing what others have done and offer a service layer aka, hosted images, or buy / sell , that has a cost. I think that the art showing should have a cost.
Perhaps what is needed is local group integration. AKA, start some local groups in person and have them use the forum to show results , host conversations. Same could be said for the competitions, or art showing. I think that allowing twitter , google plus, etc as a valid login method would be nice. as well as allowing your new forum posts to post to twitter, facebook etc.
Perhaps allowing hosted images and contest winners a public purchase option, for others to buy the print. This would be nice. Maybe the forum and the owner of the picture could split the profits.
Work with gear vendors to have members to gear reviews. Write articles. Tie these to a Face book and google plus account for publicity. Work with the same gear vendors to spread the forums name through advertising campaigns, etc.
Reach out to Local camera shops and offer to host a sub forum for them. Invite them to participate in the contents, the art events, the vendor interaction etc that your developing from the above.
As with anything, it takes time, money, and most cases both to grow something in to something more.
Perhaps having some key forum members be a help through the process. Use something like google hangouts with web cams would help you have everyone on the same page.
Hope my two cents help. Random thoughts.