How create a forum for his community? Even today, it remains an effective tool for uniting a community, building customer loyalty and centralizing exchanges. Private forum, free forum, discussion forum… Find out here how to create a forum step by step.
Why create a forum?
Creating a forum allows you to unite a community around your site, product or service, and to offer a space for free and organized discussion, independent of social networks. For a business, it is a powerful tool for retaining customers, providing assistance and centralizing the content exchanged, which improves visibility on the internet.
Forum software, whether open source or paid, offers various features: community modules, user management, notifications and integration on your sites, all at low cost. With the right tools, a forum becomes a lively, engaging and secure community platform, strengthening both customer satisfaction and your business's presence online.
How to create a forum easily?
Are you wondering how to create a forum easily and quickly? Here are the different steps to follow that will help you design a discussion platform that reflects your image and that of the users you are targeting.
1# Choose the right tool to create your forum
The first step in creating a forum is to choose the right development tool. It is important to design a community platform that suits you and meets the needs of your community or customers.
Even though there are many tools for creating a forum, the best strategy to implement is to call on a freelance developer on Codeur.com, specialized in forum creation. But it is entirely possible to opt for existing software. Here is a selection:
phpBB
phpBB has existed since 2001. Already at that time, it was among the most renowned forum creation software. Free, multilingual and complete, it allows you to personalize your forum, but also to create surveys and announcements.
bbPress
If your site was created with WordPress, the forum plugin bbPress is the best alternative for you. If you have already installed a WordPress plugin, setting it up will be simple. Otherwise, follow our tutorial to learn how to install a WordPress plugin.
To consult: Integrate a WordPress plugin
vBulletin
Published by a Californian company, vBulletin is paid software for creating comprehensive community forums. Prices remain affordable, starting at around a dozen euros per month for the Cloud version, while the self-hosted version costs a little over €150.
Aimed primarily at businesses, vBulletin offers many features to enrich the user experience: creation of surveys, blog modules, advanced customer and user management, as well as plugins to monetize content.
Forumactive
If you want to create a forum without having to install it on your hosting, consider online solutions. Forumactive is one of them and allows you to easily create your forum while personalizing it.
2. Install the solution to create a forum
If you choose online software to create a free or paid forum, installation generally boils down to filling out a form: forum name, theme, parameters and desired features.
If, on the contrary, you want to install it on your own accommodationyou will need to copy the files to the hosting, create the database and configure the necessary modules. Most platforms then offer a clear form to finalize user settings and community management.
If this step seems complex to you, you can call on a freelance web developer who will install and configure your forum.
3. Organize the forum
Once your forum is created, you will probably want to create several chat rooms. These can correspond to particular themes, or user typologies.
If you're not sure which rooms to create, start with the ones you already have discussions to create. Later you can add other rooms and move the discussions there.
4. Format your forum
Your forum must reflect the image of your community and/or your site. It is therefore important to take the time to make it reflect your image: formatting, colors, logo. Everything that will make this forum your forum.
Read also: 10 trends to follow when creating your logo
To make your task easier, most software and forum platforms, whether online or to be installed, offer a wide choice of ready-to-use templates or graphic themes. Just select the one you like, customize the colors, logo and modules, and your community forum is almost ready to welcome your users.
5. Set user rights
Managing a community forum requires clear organization, hence the importance of defining user rights from the start. Each channel or category will need moderators responsible for removing inappropriate posts and maintaining order. Make sure your moderators have the necessary time, as moderation can be very time-consuming.
Also think about user permissions: will they be able to publish without an account, access certain modules or consult certain discussions? Once these questions are clarified, create and assign the appropriate roles to ensure a smooth and secure experience for all your users.
6. Define rules for using the forum
An important thing and sometimes forgotten is to define the rules of use of the forum, generally we ask users to be respectful and caring, but also not to advertise. Since this is your forum, it is up to you to clearly define these community rules. 
7. Create the first forum topics
To encourage users to participate, it is essential to launch the first discussion topics. These initial discussions will allow the forum to become more dynamic and be better referenced on search engines. Here are some tips for defining these first topics:
- Identify the main areas of interest of your community or your customers;
- Propose open-ended questions that spark discussion and the exchange of ideas;
- Share guides or tutorials related to your products, services or forum themes;
- Create interactive topics, such as surveys or challenges, to encourage participation;
- Include recurring or permanent topics that will serve as a reference and enrich the content base.
8. Launch and promote your forum
Once your community forum is ready, it is crucial to notify your users and encourage them to participate from the start. Here is a shortened and fluid version of your list:
Remember that moderation must be active from the first post to maintain a safe and welcoming environment. A well-orchestrated launch helps your forum quickly come to life and become a dynamic and attractive community platform.
How to create a free forum with Google?
It is possible to create a free Google forum using tools like Google Groups, which allow you to create a discussion space accessible to your users at no cost. This solution is ideal for a private or public forum, with user management, moderation and notifications features. Google Groups also offers the benefit of integration with your existing Google accounts and the ability to centralize exchanges at zero cost.
Is it possible to create a free forum?
As mentioned earlier on this page, it is entirely possible to create a free forum. Several open source software and online platforms allow this such as ProBoards, Forumotion or phpBB. These solutions are particularly useful for testing your community or launching an exchange space without incurring any costs.
When to create a private forum?
For businesses or groups wanting a secure space, creating a private forum is the ideal solution. A private forum allows access to be limited to authorized customers or users, guaranteeing the confidentiality of exchanges. Modern software offers features like rights management, automatic moderation, and built-in support, making it easy to create a safe community space tailored to your needs.
Which tool should you choose to create your forum?
As you will have understood, several solutions exist for creating a forum. The best solution depends on your context: do you already have a site? What resources are available to you (financial and human)?
If you have a WordPress site for example, the bbPress plugin can be an easy and quick solution to integrate using a freelance WordPress developer who can assist you in its implementation.
Need help creating or customizing your forum? Find a freelance developer available on Codeur.com.