Internet forums have become the modern bulletin boards. They serve as centralized locations where people from anywhere in the world can have online discussions about several topics. The popularity of internet forums continues to grow as more people feel the need to seek online communities with like-minded members. For instance, if you’re an online casino enthusiast, you’d be sure to find the link to True Blue casino login in gambling-related forums.
While these forums are fun and educative, there are membership rules, guidelines, and conditions involved. However, these laws do little to deter the public from swarming into forum sites every day. Part of the reason for this popularity is that many believe forums have more educational value than regular social networks like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. In a forum post, the main focus is usually on the topic, whereas, for a post in a regular social network, the focus is on the user profile. The most common topics discussed in forums are related to the following niches:
- Entrepreneurship
- Computer Programming
- Gaming
- Careers
- Food
- Music
- Beauty
- Motivation
Most Popular Online Forums
1. Reddit (430 million monthly users)
This is popularly referred to as the front page of the internet as it is one of the world’s most famous forums. It is a website for discussions and rating of web content. In this forum you can discuss links like https://writememyessay.com/buy-rhetorical-analysis-essay/ and how to choose the best college essay writing services. In 2003, Steve Huffman, Aaron Swartz, and Alexis Ohanian decided to create Reddit and set its headquarters in San Francisco, California, USA. Little did they know that they were creating a platform so powerful that its posts would influence stock market prices. The site is divided into parts known as subreddits, each with its unique area of interest. In a bid to prioritize content quality, Reddit has an up-vote system where registered users can either vote up or down according to their opinion of a topic. Usually, posts with the most up-votes will appear at the top of a category or on the front page.
2. Quora (300 million monthly users)
With over 300 million monthly active users, it is safe to say that Quora has a place among the top 10 most helpful forums on the internet. It is simply a Q&A site where users are free to ask any question and answers would be provided by other users. The platform also gives its users the privilege to personalize their homepages to feature what they wish to know more about by following topics, people, questions, and boards. Also, it allows collaboration: a user can edit questions and suggest edits to other users’ answers. Responses on Quora are also subject to the up-vote treatment where users are allowed to vote on answers they think are the best.
3. Craigslist Forum (55 million monthly users)
Founded in 1995 by Craig Newmark, the platform has evolved from a local community electronic newsletter into a global network, reaching more than 570 cities in 70 countries. The website’s main function is hosting classified ads that cover almost every category you can think of, but its forum section enables users to discuss a variety of topics. It allows guest users for those who simply want to browse through the numerous categories on it, however, if you wish to participate in a discussion, you must register. Craigslist forum registration only requires a valid e-mail address.
4. GameSpot (58+ million annual page views)
As the name implies, Game Spot is spot on when it comes to providing news, reviews, previews, and other information on video games. It was created and launched by Pete Seeger, Vince Brody, and Jon Epstein on the 1st of May, 1996. The site has changed hands in terms of ownership over the years. Its current ownership is tied to Red Ventures after it was sold by its previous owner, CBS Interactive. Besides the information produced by the staff, the website allows its user to share their own reviews, blogs, and posts on its forum. You can find information about any game genre on GameSpot including gambling games with online slots.
5. IGN Boards (1.3 million registered members)
If you’re a gaming enthusiast, there’s a likelihood you’ve come across this board. The IGN is one of the world’s largest gaming websites – providing reviews and ratings for all things gaming. The website was founded 25 years ago by Jonathan Simpson. It has lists of games for every single genre, where they are rated on a scale of 1-10 and discussed thoroughly. Despite most of its users being gamers or video game enthusiasts, IGN Boards has recently created more variety in its content by gearing it towards movies and TV shows.
6. Stack Overflow (10 million registered members)
Stack Overflow is another popular niche-based forum on the internet. Its content is suited for computer programmers. On the site, students and professionals can ask questions and also offer solutions to problems about programming. Stack Overflow is a free community and is accessible to both registered and guest users. Ever since its launch 25 years ago, Stack Overflow users have asked over 16 million questions on topics such as JavaScript, Java, C++, and Python. The users of Stack Overflow can earn badges or reputation points based on the quality of answers given and the number of up-votes these answers get.
7. Something Awful (150,000 paid members)
Don’t judge this website by its name. It’s anything but awful. Something Awful is a website that is solely committed to comedy. It houses diverse web content from blog entries, forums, photo-shop content, and humorous media reviews to jabs on politics and pop culture. The website was founded by Richard Kyanka on November 16, 1999. Originally a personal site, Something Awful has grown into a big influence in the internet culture. In 2018, SA was placed 89th by Gizmodo on their list of “100 Websites That Shaped the Internet as We Know It.” It costs about $10 to become a member or Goon as SA users like to be called. Despite the one-time fee, Something Awful still has over 150,000 members.
8. Gaia Online (26 million registered members)
This platform was founded in 2003 by Derek Liu. Its success can be attributed to its efforts to promote socialization among users through various community activities. These activities range from online games to manga forum discussions. Gaia Online revolves around creating a virtual world for its users by enabling them to create and customize their avatars.
9. Nexopia (394,000 registered members)
Nexopia is an online forum targeted at children and teenagers. The platform was founded in 2003 by Timo Edwards in Canada. Timo was 18 years old at the time and he aimed to provide a community where teenagers could discuss coming of age experiences and seek help on homework or other projects. The website is home to numerous threads on topics relating to teens and the community continues to grow in numbers.
10. 4chan (20 million unique monthly visitors)
4chan is a forum where anyone can share posts and comments. It was founded on October 17, 2003, by Christopher Poole, and although the main focus of the platform is Japanese Culture, there are a plethora of topics that are available for discussion on the forum. What makes 4chan so unique is its anonymity, as users don’t need an account to participate and there are no restrictions on the kind of content posted.
Conclusion
These forums, with their unique areas of interest, are avenues for individuals to engage in discussions. The best part is you can find answers to difficult questions within minutes or hours. People argue that search engines do a better job of this. Perhaps, in some cases, they do. However, there’s a lot of emotional and educational value associated with community discussions. Also, many forum owners are already taking steps to streamline their content, especially for mobile phones. It’s safe to say that the future of forums appears bright.
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