How to start a forum in 7 steps

1. Pick a niche. Narrow topics grow faster than general ones.
2. Choose software or a hosted service. See our comparison.
3. Get a domain and hosting.
4. Set up categories. Start with 3 to 6 and add more later.
5. Write rules. Keep them short and enforce them fairly.
6. Seed content. Post 20 to 30 useful threads before you invite people.
7. Promote it. Share in related communities and email lists, and answer questions where your audience already gathers.