MyBB Community Forums

Care to share?

You really want my opinion?

Don't.

People think merging databases makes your forum more active. Uhh, no.

I think it should only be done if one forum/company buys out another active forum/company to bring both user bases under the same brand

What about if you're trying to revive a dead forum? Or how about if for example your forum has 50,000 posts and you merge a forum with 5,000 posts?

If a forum is dead what is the point? Merging in dead posts just artificially inflates your post count. It will barely add any relevant or engaging material if the forum died by itself anyway

(2013-02-10, 12:05 PM)Tom K. Wrote: [ -> ]If a forum is dead what is the point? Merging in dead posts just artificially inflates your post count. It will barely add any relevant or engaging material if the forum died by itself anyway

Depending on the content I guess.

People merge far too often expecting positive results. It's something I've never really been a fan of. If you're merging an active community within the same niche as yours into your forum then I understand completely. If you aren't and you're doing it for the post count increase, then you're most likely wasting money.

(2013-02-10, 07:42 PM)Xanth Wrote: [ -> ]

(2013-02-10, 12:05 PM)Tom K. Wrote: [ -> ]If a forum is dead what is the point? Merging in dead posts just artificially inflates your post count. It will barely add any relevant or engaging material if the forum died by itself anyway

Depending on the content I guess.

People merge far too often expecting positive results. It's something I've never really been a fan of. If you're merging an active community within the same niche as yours into your forum then I understand completely. If you aren't and you're doing it for the post count increase, then you're most likely wasting money.

Isn't it psychological that big post counts look active to the unwary visitor?

it depends on the content. the site is based on searchable and stable information (i.e. tech support, vehicles, DIY stuff, programming, etc) then sure,merge even a dead forum because it will get indexed sooner or later and people will search for info pertaining to their problem.

However, if it is gaming related or chit-chat and other things that are not "fact based" AND "stable" (i.e. long lived content) then there is no real point.

^ Agreed.

If you buy out another active forum in the same niche and then merge I think it is fine. However if you add other inactive forum databases and non related stuff just for the sake of posts then I think it is a bad choice.