Forums that are too niche

[MisterBobbyPin]

What niches are too small for forums? I think a forum that bases itself on a small show like Dan Vs or Willow is not going to stick around long. But what do you think, what niche is a little too niche?

 

[Kale]

I'll be honest and say my first forum I did and had active members was a bit niche. Maybe not TOO niche, but it was niche. It was for a game series called Harvest Moon, so yeah a bit niche. We had off topic boards for non fans of the series, obviously. I think some video games specially like indie ones are a bit too niche to make a board around.

 

[CharlesW]

I suppose it’s possible to have a niche that’s too small but I generally see the most successful communities are those with a very clear subject focus.

 

[Cory]

Essentially, any subject that doesn't have much discussion value.

 

[Ravenfreak]

I would say shipping forums, but these really aren't around anymore. There used to be a number of Teen Titans "shrine" forums I'd lurk, and they would be focused on different character pairings fans liked. I even seen forums based on only one specific character too and was part of a Raven fan forum once.

 

[Kale]

I would say shipping forums, but these really aren't around anymore. There used to be a number of Teen Titans "shrine" forums I'd lurk, and they would be focused on different character pairings fans liked. I even seen forums based on only one specific character too and was part of a Raven fan forum once.

Yes, but most of them were only sites for shipping stuff etc. Some had guestbooks which were the 'forum'.

 

[Tracy]

You can get TO niche in a forum... just like you can a business. A broader target audience, especially for certain niches that can broaden their footprint, are better and will usually provide better results. Trying to fixate on a specific item/trend is a losing proposition usually.
As an example, which would get more traffic? A forum specific to the Thompson Hakwen .50 calibre flintlock rifle (a very popular one that is still in demand even though I don't think it's still in production) and it's use for hunting, or one that dealt with black powder rifles (flintlock, cap and matchlock) used for hunting?
Or take it to cars..... a specific body style Corvette, or a site that has areas for ALL of the Corvette line?

 

[synpastel]

At least in the roleplay world, you find this to be a little bit harder with fandoms that are older or just never really grew out of their phase beyond "A movie was made about this.....never touched again" (like Twilight, in some cases Hunger Games). Some older anime fall into this 'trap' as well (like Yu Yu Hakusho) where the anime roleplay for the specific older anime is fun as hell but because the newer generation of anime fans never heard of it (or they see it by chance on a place like crunchyroll), you have to work that much harder to get these specific boards to prosper.

 

[Heatman]

Essentially, any subject that doesn't have much discussion value.

Yeah, that's it. It's going to be very easy to exhaust all possible discussion on the forum niche which would take out all the activities it can have. This marks the end of the community as there's no need for one to still be in it with nothing to discuss.