Forum for Wordpress

[Marcoose]

I am looking for some advice on what option to go for regarding integrating a forum into WP. I've tried a few in the past and they were all pig ugly. I guess what I'm looking for is something that looks like VB or PHPBB with the same high level of customisation/flexibility.

I'm reading that BBPress is the best option. Can anyone give any advice on this front and ideally provide some working examples of sites using your preferred choice.

 

[MikeJDS]

Wouldn't it be a lot less hassle just running the two installs together side by side? Is there any advantage to integrating it within WP?

Not done it myself with forums before, but I'm sure it would be possible just to change the CSS to match your WP theme.
Would run a lot better too I would imagine.

 

[fish]

Wouldn't it be a lot less hassle just running the two installs together side by side? Is there any advantage to integrating it within WP?

Having looked into it myself there's not a lot of choice for bespoke WP forum sw. Would suggest as above, perhaps on a subdomain of main site.

I set this up on the antiques forum using a wp forum plugin, it works but limited in functionality and has issues with SEO so not ideal.

 

[optiweb]

I would agree with MikeJDS on this one and go with VB.

I've seen bbpress forums in the past but the structure didn't look good.

Fish, never seen that one before - it looks the part.

 

[MikeJDS]

Marcoose if you decide to go down this route and need a bit of help with it - Feel free to drop me a PM.

 

[spiderspider]

I would personally avoid BBPress like the plague. I had 3 installs of it running, and it was a nightmare to manage. The functionality and features aren't anywhere near as good as a dedicated forum software.

I've now changed all mine over to MyBB, which has proved to be a great success.

 

[Marcoose]

Marcoose if you decide to go down this route and need a bit of help with it - Feel free to drop me a PM.

Mike, it won't be just yet. want a few hundred more daily visits. This is the site though for yours and others reference: www.financialtrading.com

What do you think?

 

[Marcoose]

Having looked into it myself there's not a lot of choice for bespoke WP forum sw. Would suggest as above, perhaps on a subdomain of main site.

I set this up on the antiques forum using a wp forum plugin, it works but limited in functionality and has issues with SEO so not ideal.

To be fair, that doesn't look too bad...

 

[Marcoose]

Wouldn't it be a lot less hassle just running the two installs together side by side? Is there any advantage to integrating it within WP?

Not done it myself with forums before, but I'm sure it would be possible just to change the CSS to match your WP theme.
Would run a lot better too I would imagine.

SOrry, just to answer this, I'd quite like the SEO benefits going to the main site root rather than a sub domain. Having said that, I would be be open to community. or forum. if it was integrated properly in terms of design. I have used VB4 before and was a big fan. xenforo looks pretty impressive too.

 

[fish]

To be fair, that doesn't look too bad...

Thanks! it could do with a few more users, it seems in that niche ppl prefer twitter to promote themselves / items for sale

 

[MikeJDS]

SOrry, just to answer this, I'd quite like the SEO benefits going to the main site root rather than a sub domain. Having said that, I would be be open to community. or forum. if it was integrated properly in terms of design. I have used VB4 before and was a big fan. xenforo looks pretty impressive too.

Doesn't necessarily have to be on a sub-domain, you could just put it in a root folder & point to the page.

 

[AssetDomains]

I'm looking to do a similar thing in the near future havent done much reading yet but these look intersting

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-united/

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-united/

Part of me wonders should I avoid the messing and stump up for vBulletin and the cms option be nice to start up free though.

 

[Marcoose]

Doesn't necessarily have to be on a sub-domain, you could just put it in a root folder & point to the page.

And what do you think of making the forum theme look just like the main site? Easily doable?

 

[MikeJDS]

I don't do CSS mate but I don't see why not.
Pay a small fee and someone should be able to sort it out for you.
Probably people on here who would do that kind of work..

But if you need a contact let me know.

 

[Marcoose]

I don't do CSS mate but I don't see why not.
Pay a small fee and someone should be able to sort it out for you.
Probably people on here who would do that kind of work..

But if you need a contact let me know.

Cool. Cheers Mike!