{"id":99718,"date":"2020-02-12T11:14:44","date_gmt":"2020-02-12T17:14:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/?post_type=resource&p=99718"},"modified":"2022-02-08T09:10:11","modified_gmt":"2022-02-08T15:10:11","slug":"wordpress-forums-and-discussion-boards","status":"publish","type":"resource","link":"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/case-studies\/resources\/wordpress-forums-and-discussion-boards\/","title":{"rendered":"Create a Community With a WordPress Forum"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Social media offers many benefits<\/a> when it comes to marketing products and building a following. However, there can be downsides to a social media-only approach. That strategy can make it more difficult to provide certain kinds of opportunities for your website\u2019s users. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, there are ways to encourage discussion and engagement right on your website. For example, you can create an online forum. Building a space where your website\u2019s users or customers can gather and share information can have many benefits for your business. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we\u2019ll take a look at what you can gain by adding a forum to your website. Then we\u2019ll review several plugins that can help you get started with a WordPress forum. Let\u2019s dive right in! <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

The Benefits of Adding a Forum to Your WordPress Site<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest benefits of adding a forum to your WordPress website is the impact it can have on your Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Whenever a new forum is created, its content can be indexed and added to search results. Plus, since users are contributing in their own words, search engines may begin to recognize new keywords that are related to your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Setting up a forum for your business can also be an effective way to handle support inquiries. Not only can you use your forum to manage a large number of questions, but it can also offer an opportunity for customers to help each other<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One example worth checking out is the Harley Davidson owner\u2019s forum<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On this forum, only owners of a Harley motorcycle can participate in certain discussions. This accomplishes two things. It brings people together who can potentially help each other with repairs or recommendations, and it ensures that forum users are less likely to get bombarded with off-topic discussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WordPress Forum Plugin Options<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to WordPress forum plugins, there are quite a few free ones to choose from. You\u2019ll want to review each plugin\u2019s features and styling options, in order to pick the tool that best suits your needs. To get you started, here are five of the best forum plugins that are available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. bbPress<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019ve ever visited the WordPress support forums<\/a>, then you\u2019re familiar with bbPress<\/a>. This is a simple yet highly-functional forum plugin. You can create discussion threads in an interface that\u2019s just like the post and page editing screens you\u2019re used to with WordPress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a free plugin that\u2019s developed and maintained by many of the top WordPress developers. It comes with many useful features, such as forum searching and subscription options. You can also add bbPress to your site\u2019s sidebar through a dedicated widget. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Discussion Board<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Discussion Board<\/a> from Plugin Republic is designed to work with any theme. You can customize your forum’s colors and styles in the WordPress Customizer. Additionally, this plugin has a simple one-click installation process, so you can have your discussion board up and running quickly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your forum\u2019s users can log in and post via a simple front-end form. They\u2019ll also be able to view each discussion on an individual page, and respond there as well. This plugin even gives you control over who can post and view the forum\u2019s content. If you want a little more out of this free tool, you can upgrade to the pro version for $49 per year<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. BuddyPress<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re looking for a forum option that\u2019s more like a social network, BuddyPress<\/a> is a great pick. Developed in cooperation with WordPress\u2019 developers, BuddyPress takes the simple discussion forum a few steps further. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Users will be able to create profiles, send private messages, and communicate in a forum. Plus, the interface appears visually similar to the social networks they\u2019re likely already using.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BuddyPress is a free plugin that integrates well with almost any theme. You can also pair it with bbPress if you want to offer both a social network-like environment and a traditional discussion forum. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. DW Question & Answer<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The DW Question & Answer<\/a> plugin enables the creation of question-and-answer style forums. If you\u2019re familiar with the popular website Quora<\/a>, that will give you a good idea of what you can create with this plugin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the features you\u2019ll get include a voting system, email notification options, and search functionality. The developers have also created many add-ons that offer enhanced features. While the fully-functioning plugin is free, you can explore its add-ons starting at $69 per year<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. wpForo Forum<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Finally, wpForo Forum<\/a> is another free discussion board plugin. It\u2019s particularly useful if you\u2019re looking for a lightweight solution to building a place for community interaction on your website. You can create a fully-functioning and modern-looking discussion board, without bogging down your site\u2019s speed<\/a>. 
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, this plugin comes with a drag-and-drop forum design tool, a variety of layouts, badging tools, and more. You can also make use of its built-in SEO functions, as well as forum site map and search engine ping options. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which WordPress Forum Plugin Is Best for You?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Now that we\u2019ve looked at five of the more popular forum plugins, let\u2019s compare them to see which one might be the best fit for your needs. First we\u2019ll focus on bbPress and BuddyPress, which are arguably the two biggest options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These plugins are developed and maintained by a similar team of programmers, who have high-level experience with WordPress development. This means that these tools are easy to integrate with your website, and work with nearly any theme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They can also be easily used together, in order to create a fully-featured online community. BuddyPress is more like a social network with lots of features and add-ons, while bbPress is designed to be a simple yet effective online discussion board. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to provide a place to comfortably network and share, similar to Facebook, then BuddyPress is the better choice. However, if you want to keep your support forum separate from the rest of your website, that\u2019s where bbPress can help you out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similar to bbPress, Discussion Board provides a more traditional forum experience. If you want some extra features, but you\u2019re not looking to set up a full social network, wpForo Forum includes some helpful on-screen analytics and profile settings: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As for the DW Question & Answer plugin, it offers a unique twist on the forum concept. You might have noticed how often sites like Quora show up at the top of Google searches. That makes this plugin a great option if you want to improve SEO and create some interactivity in your forum. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ultimately, you\u2019ll have to decide whether you need a traditional discussion forum, a social network, or something in-between. Whatever you\u2019re looking for, these five plugins offer a wide variety of options and plenty of free features to get your forum started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Build Your Forum with WP Engine <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Rome may not have been built in a day, but with the right developer resources<\/a> you can have your own colossal discussion forum up and running in no time. You can use forums to provide engagement, community, and networking opportunities for your users, and boost your SEO in the process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here at WP Engine, we believe that developer communities and collaboration are an important part of creating innovative websites<\/a>. Check out our website hosting plans<\/a> today, and let us help you build something amazing! <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Social media offers many benefits when it comes to marketing products and building a following. However, there can be downsides to a social media-only approach. That strategy can make it more difficult to provide certain kinds of opportunities for your website\u2019s users.  Fortunately, there are ways to encourage discussion and engagement right on your website.…<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":177,"featured_media":0,"template":"","resource-topic":[904],"resource-role":[903],"resource-type":[916],"class_list":["post-99718","resource","type-resource","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nMaking WordPress Forums & Discussion Boards | WP Engine\u00ae<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"WordPress forums provide user-generated content for your site. 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