{"id":4389,"date":"2023-11-14T15:13:50","date_gmt":"2023-11-14T15:13:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wildapricotlive.local\/?p=4389"},"modified":"2025-05-12T05:29:36","modified_gmt":"2025-05-12T05:29:36","slug":"how-to-make-a-forum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/blog\/how-to-make-a-forum","title":{"rendered":"How to Make a Forum on Your Nonprofit Website: 13 Steps + Best Software"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it comes to building a year-round community for members near and far, you can\u2019t go wrong with an online forum! Here\u2019s how to make a forum on your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/blog\/membership-website-examples\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">membership website<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, plus our top 5 software recommendations to make the process a breeze.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>What Is a Community Forum?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A community forum is an online platform where a group of like-minded people can share their ideas, ask questions and exchange information. Internet discussion forums are one of the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/medium.com\/@techynilesh\/the-fascinating-evolution-of-social-media-from-internet-forums-to-the-mobile-era-66da0657657d\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">earliest forms of social media<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and can be traced back to the 1970s and 1980s.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Typically, forums are web pages (or full websites!) where discussion topics are broken down into threads that users can comment on.For nonprofits, online forums are often incorporated into members-only sections of their website. In fact, many <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/blog\/best-nonprofit-website-builder\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">nonprofit website builders<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> come with plugins specifically for forums.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Learning how to make a forum for your nonprofit isn\u2019t as hard as you might think\u2014and there\u2019s tons of benefit to including one on your website!<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Benefits of an Online Discussion Forum<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Setting up an online forum for your nonprofit can help you:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Create an active online member community. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Where a<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/blog\/directory-website-builder\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">directory website<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or page makes a fantastic list of your members, an online forum gives members a place to engage. Plus, the structure makes it easy to jump in and out of conversation at members\u2019 own paces.<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Establish a space for knowledge sharing. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chats can fly by quickly, but forums organize topics by threads, and are specifically structured for exchanging knowledge and ideas. Simply having a resource thread can help members find what they need without having to hunt through chat logs.<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Drive engagement on your <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/blog\/best-nonprofit-websites\"><b>nonprofit website<\/b><\/a><b>. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There\u2019s nothing worse than building a beautiful website only to see your clicks run dry! An online discussion forum will keep people coming back to your site again and again.<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Keep the discussion going year-round. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your organization pops up during events and then goes quiet, it\u2019s easy for members to forget to engage. A forum isn\u2019t time locked, and gives members a way to connect with one another throughout the year.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>How to Make a Forum on Your Nonprofit Website<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ready to get into the details? Here\u2019s how to make a forum on your website in 13 steps!<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>1. Set your goals<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Like we said, there are many benefits to forum sites! Taking time to clearly lay out your goals will make it easier for you to take the steps to meet them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, if you want to:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Foster community<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, then you might want to link your forum to your member directory.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Create a resource hub<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, then it\u2019s worth it to organize a specific resource section.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Amplify your brand<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, then you\u2019ll want a highly customizable forum website builder.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Drive participation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, then you\u2019ll need active moderators.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Every forum is unique! If you can envision what makes yours special, it\u2019ll be easier to bring your vision to life.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>2. Choose a forum software or plugin<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re looking into how to make a forum website without becoming a computer whiz, then you\u2019ll want to find intuitive software to work with! Many <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/blog\/10-best-membership-website-builders\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">membership website builders<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> come with forum features, and if you\u2019ve got a website already set up, there are plenty of plugins out there that can integrate smoothly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the other hand, if you\u2019re comfortable coding, then it\u2019s always possible to go with something open source. No matter where you\u2019re coming from, there\u2019s software out there for everyone.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Psst\u2013you can scroll down to see our top 5 picks!)<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>3. Map out the structure of your forum<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nothing will stop you in your tracks quite like a blank page. Before you get digging around in your new software, sketch out a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.usability.gov\/how-to-and-tools\/methods\/wireframing.html#:~:text=A%20wireframe%20is%20a%20two,functionalities%20available%2C%20and%20intended%20behaviors.\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">wireframe<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. You don\u2019t need to be an artist for this! In fact, don\u2019t even jump into branding, color or graphics just yet.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use your wireframe to lay out:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How your elements should be spaced<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What functionalities you need<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Where logos, headers, menus and more should go<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Navigation systems<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Buttons<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you have your ideal website laid out, you can search for themes and templates that get you as close to this design as possible! It doesn\u2019t have to be a perfect recreation\u2014this exercise just gives you a strong starting point.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>4. Pick your theme (or design from scratch!)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most website builders come with themes to choose from\u2014many of which are even organized by the type of website they are! Search for the theme that fulfills the functions you need to make your forum website the best it can be.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Confident in your web design abilities? Then go all out and make something from scratch!<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>5. Customize your forum page to match your brand<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/blog\/nonprofit-website-branding\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Website branding<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> should extend to your online forum. If your forum page looks like it doesn\u2019t belong with the rest of your site, visitors might get suspicious about whether the site is legitimate.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Plus, an <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/pulse\/how-avoid-having-ugly-website-michael-c-pitts\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ugly website<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a real turn off for users, and might discourage them from posting at all!<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>6. Pick out any extra plugins<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can take your forum website to the next level with the help of plugins that help with:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SEO optimization<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spam prevention<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Social media integration<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gamification tools (points, badges, etc.)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Email notification<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">User profiles<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And more!<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ultimately, it\u2019s up to you to choose how simple or complex you\u2019d like your forum to be.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>7. Create your rules<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now that we\u2019ve gone through the set-up steps for how to make a forum, let\u2019s talk about what comes next. This is a step you won\u2019t want to skip: rules!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We like to think that members will all speak respectfully to one another, but unfortunately that\u2019s not always the case\u2014especially on the internet. Setting up (and enforcing!) a clear Code of Conduct is a must-do for any community space.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make a Code of Conduct page that includes:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hard rules that will get people banned<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Guidelines that will get warnings (and then bans if needed)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The rules of moderation<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Looking for an example? <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/support.gog.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/115001814049-Forum-Code-of-Conduct?product=gog\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GOG.com\u2019s Code of Conduct<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a great place to start!<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>8. Open up a few discussion topics (but don&#8217;t over-thread!)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Get the forum discussions going by opening up a few threads! Consider what broad topics people might want to get into, and resist the urge to over facilitate. Once a conversation kicks off, users will ideally start making their own threads and taking things at their pace.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>9. Review your forum website with your team<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Just like with making a standard <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/blog\/membership-website-ideas\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">membership website<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, you\u2019ll want to get your team\u2019s eyes on it before launching! Show your staff and board of directors what you\u2019ve got set up, and implement any feedback that feels useful.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can also get a handful of trusted members to beta-test the website for you. Who knows\u2014they might even want to become moderators!<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>10. Go live (and announce it!)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once your forum website is up and running, make sure people know! Send out a newsletter to all of your members, and consider hosting a video session where they can learn how to use it together. This will be especially useful for your older members.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And don\u2019t forget to connect with prospective members! Share the exciting news across social media, and be sure to update your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/blog\/members-benefit\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">member benefits<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> page to include access to your forum.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>11. Create engagement incentives<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You know how icebreakers can take away some of the awkwardness of making introductions at events? Engagement incentives serve the same purpose for forum sites!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Encourage your members to get posting with incentives like:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Points and leaderboards for engagement<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Badges (\u201cconversation starter\u201d, \u201cexpert\u201d, \u201cnewbie\u201d etc)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">End of year awards<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>12. Consistently moderate and keep the forum active<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you know how to make a forum, the real work is keeping it an active and exciting place to engage. Having your moderators drop in regular discussion topics and comment on other peoples posts will help you work through dry spells in communication.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can also:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Set up limited edition \u201cask me anything\u201d style threads with special guests<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Create special threads for after events<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Organize sections of your forum site for recurring workshops<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make campaign threads where people can focus their discussion<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While members are passionate about your cause, they might get a little stumped when it comes to starting a new conversation. With active moderators, people will build up the courage to participate.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>13. Gather feedback as you go<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether you\u2019re putting up polls or <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/blog\/member-satisfaction-survey\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">satisfaction surveys<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, it\u2019s essential to check in about how people feel in your discussion forum. During an in-person event, it\u2019s easier to read the room on how people are doing\u2014online, it\u2019s essential to ask directly!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All feedback is good feedback. If you find out that members are feeling uncomfortable or unsafe at any time, it\u2019s essential to take action and remedy that. The priority should always be making your online forum safe for all members.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Top 5 Options for Forum Website Builders<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now that you know how to make a forum, let\u2019s figure out which forum website builder is best for you! Here are our top 5 picks.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/\">WildApricot<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We don\u2019t want to brag, but WildApricot has been awarded the #1 membership management software out there for 6 years\u2014and for a good reason!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our software offers features including:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A thorough member database (and front-facing member directory!)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An intuitive and attractive website builder<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Automated comms for members<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Secure payment processing<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A mobile app for all your needs<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/gethelp.wildapricot.com\/en\/articles\/479-forum-widget\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">forum widget<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that you can embed or integrate into your website<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And more!<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your online forum is only one part of how you engage members. At WildApricot, we can help cover all of your member management needs!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sign up for our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/register.wildapricot.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">60-day free trial<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> today to see for yourself.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Pricing: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After free trial, plans start at $63\/month.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/register.wildapricot.com\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-3576\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/V2-2-1024x146.png\" alt=\"Start a free trial of WildApricot today. Click here\" width=\"640\" height=\"91\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/V2-2-1024x146.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/V2-2-300x43.png 300w, https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/V2-2-768x110.png 768w, https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/V2-2.png 1400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wix.com\/\">Wix<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wix.com\/app-market\/wix-forum?r=icm-cfs\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wix Forum<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a special forum app by Wix, one of the internet\u2019s most trusted website builders. This app doesn\u2019t just make forums\u2014it allows you to include them in your subscription plans! This can make the difference in which <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/blog\/membership-levels\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">membership level<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> they choose.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Its special features include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Customizable forum layout<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">User groups<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Private messaging<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Anti-spam features<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Notifications<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And more!<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Pricing: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Free.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.phpbb.com\/\">phpBB<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">phpBB is an open source community forum software\u2014here meaning, it\u2019s perfect if you like to get elbow deep customizing your forum website! Integrations are all possible but will require you to have some thorough programming knowledge.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Its special features include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Customizable user profiles (avatars, signature, preferences, etc.)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unread message trackers<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Moderator tools<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Registration customization<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Anti-spam features<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And more!<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Pricing: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Free.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/open.vanillaforums.com\/\">Vanilla Forums<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Similar to phpBB, Vanilla Forums is an open source community forum software. It specializes in making small, private communities, which is great for more personal forum discussions between members.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Its features include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fun avatars for users<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Preview features<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mobile optimization<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Two-factor authentication<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Moderator tools<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And more!<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Pricing: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Available upon request, alongside a demo.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.com\/\">WordPress<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">WordPress is a free, open source web content management system that can make a website for pretty much any purpose. With thousands of themes (both free and paid!) made by professional web designers, a little bit of searching can help you find, and customize, your perfect website.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also known for its many plugins, you\u2019ll be spoiled for options when it comes to finding your ideal forum software\u2014you just might have to do a few test runs, first. Here are 10 forum<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wpbeginner.com\/plugins\/5-best-forum-plugins-for-wordpress\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> plugin options recommendations<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from WPBeginner to get you started!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Pricing: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dependent on themes and plugins.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Hosting Meaningful Forum Discussions<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We hope this has helped you understand more about how to make a forum for your nonprofit\u2019s website. Once you\u2019ve got the right software in place, all that\u2019s left is engagement, engagement, engagement!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Want to get a look at WildApricot\u2019s special <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/gethelp.wildapricot.com\/en\/articles\/479-forum-widget\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">forum widget<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">? Sign up for our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/register.wildapricot.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">60-day free trial<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and see how we can help make your website a bustling community hub!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/register.wildapricot.com\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-4045\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/WildApricot-CTA-Project_Skinny-CTA-1-1024x208.png\" alt=\"Click through to claim your 60-day trial of WildApricot to create effective QR codes that will speed up event check-in.\" width=\"640\" height=\"130\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/WildApricot-CTA-Project_Skinny-CTA-1-1024x208.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/WildApricot-CTA-Project_Skinny-CTA-1-300x61.png 300w, https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/WildApricot-CTA-Project_Skinny-CTA-1-768x156.png 768w, https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/WildApricot-CTA-Project_Skinny-CTA-1.png 1230w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When it comes to building a year-round community for members near and far, you can\u2019t go wrong with an online forum! Here\u2019s how to make a forum on your membership website, plus our top 5 software recommendations to make the process a breeze. What Is a Community Forum? A community forum is an online platform&#8230; <a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/blog\/how-to-make-a-forum\" aria-label=\"Continue reading How to Make a Forum on Your Nonprofit Website: 13 Steps + Best Software\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":4009,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4389","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-website-and-technology"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to Make a Forum on Your Nonprofit Website: 13 Steps + Best Software - WildApricot<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Online forums are the perfect space to generate conversation between your members! Learn how to make a forum that will build and grow your community\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/blog\/how-to-make-a-forum\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Make a Forum on Your Nonprofit Website: 13 Steps + Best Software - WildApricot\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Online forums are the perfect space to generate conversation between your members! Learn how to make a forum that will build and grow your community\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/blog\/how-to-make-a-forum\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"WildApricot\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/wildapricot\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-11-14T15:13:50+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-05-12T05:29:36+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Nonprofit-Databases.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"781\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"547\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Marlena Moore\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@wildapricot\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@wildapricot\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Marlena Moore\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wildapricot.com\\\/blog\\\/how-to-make-a-forum#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wildapricot.com\\\/blog\\\/how-to-make-a-forum\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Marlena Moore\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wildapricot.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/36e3875315709021e1176332b36b5737\"},\"headline\":\"How to Make a Forum on Your Nonprofit Website: 13 Steps + Best Software\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-11-14T15:13:50+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-05-12T05:29:36+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wildapricot.com\\\/blog\\\/how-to-make-a-forum\"},\"wordCount\":2021,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wildapricot.com\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wildapricot.com\\\/blog\\\/how-to-make-a-forum#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wildapricot.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/06\\\/Nonprofit-Databases.png\",\"articleSection\":[\"Website &amp; Technology\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wildapricot.com\\\/blog\\\/how-to-make-a-forum#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wildapricot.com\\\/blog\\\/how-to-make-a-forum\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wildapricot.com\\\/blog\\\/how-to-make-a-forum\",\"name\":\"How to Make a Forum on Your Nonprofit Website: 13 Steps + Best Software - WildApricot\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wildapricot.com\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wildapricot.com\\\/blog\\\/how-to-make-a-forum#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wildapricot.com\\\/blog\\\/how-to-make-a-forum#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wildapricot.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/06\\\/Nonprofit-Databases.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-11-14T15:13:50+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-05-12T05:29:36+00:00\",\"description\":\"Online forums are the perfect space to generate conversation between your members! Learn how to make a forum that will build and grow your community\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wildapricot.com\\\/blog\\\/how-to-make-a-forum#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wildapricot.com\\\/blog\\\/how-to-make-a-forum\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wildapricot.com\\\/blog\\\/how-to-make-a-forum#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wildapricot.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/06\\\/Nonprofit-Databases.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wildapricot.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/06\\\/Nonprofit-Databases.png\",\"width\":781,\"height\":547,\"caption\":\"Organize your member data in a nonprofit database\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wildapricot.com\\\/blog\\\/how-to-make-a-forum#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Wild Apricot Membership Management Software\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wildapricot.com\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"How to Make a Forum on Your Nonprofit Website: 13 Steps + Best Software\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wildapricot.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wildapricot.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"WildApricot\",\"description\":\"Membership Management Software\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wildapricot.com\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wildapricot.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wildapricot.com\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"WildApricot\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wildapricot.com\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wildapricot.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wildapricot.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/07\\\/PersonifyProductLogos_WildApricot.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wildapricot.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/07\\\/PersonifyProductLogos_WildApricot.png\",\"width\":4438,\"height\":1398,\"caption\":\"WildApricot\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wildapricot.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/wildapricot\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/wildapricot\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/wild-apricot\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pinterest.ca\\\/wildapricot\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/wildapricotcom\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wildapricot.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/36e3875315709021e1176332b36b5737\",\"name\":\"Marlena Moore\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/34cc5bb0fde17a493955ff326aa558632c84080f85d936d680e1f373cf0a00c1?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/34cc5bb0fde17a493955ff326aa558632c84080f85d936d680e1f373cf0a00c1?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/34cc5bb0fde17a493955ff326aa558632c84080f85d936d680e1f373cf0a00c1?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Marlena Moore\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.wildapricot.com\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/mmoorepersonifycorp-com\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How to Make a Forum on Your Nonprofit Website: 13 Steps + Best Software - WildApricot","description":"Online forums are the perfect space to generate conversation between your members! Learn how to make a forum that will build and grow your community","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/blog\/how-to-make-a-forum","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How to Make a Forum on Your Nonprofit Website: 13 Steps + Best Software - WildApricot","og_description":"Online forums are the perfect space to generate conversation between your members! Learn how to make a forum that will build and grow your community","og_url":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/blog\/how-to-make-a-forum","og_site_name":"WildApricot","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/wildapricot","article_published_time":"2023-11-14T15:13:50+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-05-12T05:29:36+00:00","og_image":[{"width":781,"height":547,"url":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Nonprofit-Databases.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Marlena Moore","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@wildapricot","twitter_site":"@wildapricot","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Marlena Moore"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/blog\/how-to-make-a-forum#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/blog\/how-to-make-a-forum"},"author":{"name":"Marlena Moore","@id":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/#\/schema\/person\/36e3875315709021e1176332b36b5737"},"headline":"How to Make a Forum on Your Nonprofit Website: 13 Steps + Best Software","datePublished":"2023-11-14T15:13:50+00:00","dateModified":"2025-05-12T05:29:36+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/blog\/how-to-make-a-forum"},"wordCount":2021,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/blog\/how-to-make-a-forum#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Nonprofit-Databases.png","articleSection":["Website &amp; Technology"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/blog\/how-to-make-a-forum#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/blog\/how-to-make-a-forum","url":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/blog\/how-to-make-a-forum","name":"How to Make a Forum on Your Nonprofit Website: 13 Steps + Best Software - WildApricot","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/blog\/how-to-make-a-forum#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/blog\/how-to-make-a-forum#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Nonprofit-Databases.png","datePublished":"2023-11-14T15:13:50+00:00","dateModified":"2025-05-12T05:29:36+00:00","description":"Online forums are the perfect space to generate conversation between your members! Learn how to make a forum that will build and grow your community","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/blog\/how-to-make-a-forum#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/blog\/how-to-make-a-forum"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/blog\/how-to-make-a-forum#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Nonprofit-Databases.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Nonprofit-Databases.png","width":781,"height":547,"caption":"Organize your member data in a nonprofit database"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/blog\/how-to-make-a-forum#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Wild Apricot Membership Management Software","item":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"How to Make a Forum on Your Nonprofit Website: 13 Steps + Best Software"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/","name":"WildApricot","description":"Membership Management Software","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/#organization","name":"WildApricot","url":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/PersonifyProductLogos_WildApricot.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/PersonifyProductLogos_WildApricot.png","width":4438,"height":1398,"caption":"WildApricot"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/wildapricot","https:\/\/x.com\/wildapricot","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/wild-apricot\/","https:\/\/www.pinterest.ca\/wildapricot\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/wildapricotcom"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/#\/schema\/person\/36e3875315709021e1176332b36b5737","name":"Marlena Moore","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/34cc5bb0fde17a493955ff326aa558632c84080f85d936d680e1f373cf0a00c1?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/34cc5bb0fde17a493955ff326aa558632c84080f85d936d680e1f373cf0a00c1?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/34cc5bb0fde17a493955ff326aa558632c84080f85d936d680e1f373cf0a00c1?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Marlena Moore"},"url":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/blog\/author\/mmoorepersonifycorp-com"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4389","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/33"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4389"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4389\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4009"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4389"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4389"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wildapricot.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4389"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}