How to get traffic?

I may be posting this in the wrong place, but I'd like to know what can I do to help increase traffic to my forum?

AspieMania

My forum is designed as a support forum for people with health conditions. I'd figure it would be a "hot" topic and I try to keep my content updated once a month.

Now I don't have a problem keeping my content updated as I like to be a helpful person and I'm sure to do my research if there are questions that may be raised.

But my problem is my forum is not doing well. The only traffic I get mainly are from forum packages from other promotion forums.

I've been putting my forum link in my signature, but what other free things can I do to help get traffic? I tried submitting articles to ezine articles but they say my posts are like blog posts and can't be added to their database.

Thanks in advance,
Andy...

Your site would not load for me when I just clicked the link.

I don't understand it. It loads fine for me.

Here's my links:
AspieMania
AspieMania
Andy's Blog

It started loading for me now, but extremely slowly. Can anyone else confirm?

I don't know if this helps but the template I was using wasn't made for vB 3.7 and I just updated to a style that is made for vB 3.7.

I like the new style better than the old one anyway so I don't mind the switch.

Wow - much faster now.

I think you have the right idea with your niche. You'll get a great deal of benefit from improving your style and going through this exhaustive list of potential improvements:
Your Site Review - Stuff to Do First

Pay particular attention to:
Strategy for Optimizing Keywords in Your vBulletin Forum Title and Descriptions

With your niche, you should dig in a little deeper into related keywords to the medical issues you deal with.

Thanks for the great review and links.

One thing that bothered me was the loading speed. Took a bit of time for the forum to fully load. I don't know if it's your webhost or some of the mods you are using. Make sure any mod's you have installed are up-to-date.

Also you really should remove the "powered by" text in which the instructions are located here Your Site Review - Stuff to Do First

Your Privacy page link leads me to a blank page. If you need to know how to make one, just have a look at this article. Create your own Privacy Policy (using vb templates)

I'm sure you are working on changing a few things right now.

Good luck and nice template.

Edit to add, if you like to write, why not try writing articles about your forums niche and submit them to blogs and article directories related to your forum's niche. This would help build up long term quality backlinks to your forum. Also target people who are already interested in your forums niche.

I just got rid of the "powered by" and fixed the problem with the privacy page.

I tried submitting 2 articles to ezine articles but it denied them saying they were like blog posts, which I understand, because I may write that way.

Thanks for the feedback snakeair.

I don't understand the loading times either. It might be the host. I don't really want to switch because I've had the best support with the host I'm using. I'm using Cirtex Hosting. (Multiple Domain Hosting, Reseller Hosting, cPanel & Linux WebHosting Services by CirtexHosting)

dog slow here as well. felt like i was on 56k on my 8mb cable.

i wouldn't stay there past one page load.

Originally Posted by netsavy006

I'm using Cirtex Hosting. (Multiple Domain Hosting, Reseller Hosting, cPanel & Linux WebHosting Services by CirtexHosting)

must be them. their site took forever to load too... lol

and on the 3rd refresh i got a huge annoying ad.

you'll never get traffic with something like that.
those ads for for download sites... like rapidshare.... not for forums.

Originally Posted by briansol

and on the 3rd refresh i got a huge annoying ad.

you'll never get traffic with something like that.
those ads for for download sites... like rapidshare.... not for forums.

I'm surprised. While I don't deny it's there, I've never seen a rapidshare ad and it shouldn't be displaying it after 3 loads. I have it set for 5 loads...

kill it. the money it makes you isn't worth the money you're missing out on by running a successful forum

Ok. I got rid of it.