- NewRadical12
- |
- Fabled Legendary Member
Artes, Scientia, Veritas
Sapere Aude
"But I do not think we're invincible"
I think you need to do a few things:
First, have a clear concept of what you want from the group when you make it. The two main things you should consider are appeal and enthusiasm. Very few types of groups can have both wide appeal and fervent enthusiasm, so when creating your group, you have to evaluate the trade-off between the two.
Try to develop a certain "culture" within the group so people know what to expect when they post there. If done well, this might earn you a reputation (and hopefully a good one) in the mains.
But don't let those two things keep you group from changing for the better. Remember that your group is more about what your members want out of it than what you want. If the group tends to slowly evolve slightly away from its original intent, allow it to do so.
Keep your staff small, active, and engaged. Nothing is more unwelcoming than a group where you don't know who is in charge or every other person seems to be a mod, except you. Keep your moderating staff as small as practical, and never give Full Control to anybody but yourself.
Finally, don't rely on gimmicks too heavily. While things like contests, game nights, and complex ranking systems are fun, they are not enough to keep a group alive and growing. Your group should revolve around the discussion that happens in it, not the gimmicks.
Just some advice that has helped my group become fairly successful. Good luck.