Help please!

[limebrook1]

I have started a phpBB forum on my site, and would really appreciate some help.

1. Apparently I am not using the latest version - could someone explain to me slowly how to upload the update please?

2. Is there any way that I can insert google ads into the forum layout? If there is, instructions or guidance would be useful, e.g. where in the html coding I would post the google code.

3. Any tips on getting people to join in and get things started? People seem to be a bit shy!

Thanks for any help!

Cheers
Trish

http://www.limebrook.com

[VodaHost]

You will need to get someone who knows how to edit php templates to add the google ads to your forum..But I wuld not worry about that for at least 6 months. Get some traffic first.

[racefan20]

Trish,

Go to phpbb.com and download the latest version, which is 2.0.19. Unzip it to a folder you can easily find, and in there you'll find very simple instructions for updating your forum to the new version.

I think ***** is on the right track saying to hold off on the Google ads for a little bit, but when you want to add them, go to Modifications at phpbb.com and search the database using Google as your keyword. It's a fairly simple edit, but always make sure you make backups of all files you're going to edit.

As far as getting traffic, I'm sure others can make better suggestions than I can, but there is a simple MOD at the same site that makes your forum easier for search engine bots to index.

You should have my email address from my entry on your website, feel free to contact me if you're stuck and I'll do what I can to help you.

[limebrook1]

Thanks Racefan! May well need to take you up on that!

I am getting a lot of people viewing the forum, but no one taking the plunge and actually posting anything there! I'm thinking that it may be an idea to set myself up as a number of different users and post a number of questions etc. to get the thing started. Just wondered if anyone else had 'cheated' in this way?

[racefan20]

I'm sure you're not the first to try that and won't be the last. LOL Another good way to go is to post a few polls and invite not only a vote, but ask people to explain why they voted the way they did. They'll get used to the posting process a little that way. It'll take some time to build a solid base of people, but you'll get there.