Hello,

My WordPress based web site is currently content base, and not interactive at all. However I would like to add some interactivity to it of the type one finds in a forum or a site like Christian Web Resources. It needs to be fairly simple, but on the other hand it has to integrate well with my site.

So, I was thinking of using a bbPress plug-in possibly along with a buddyPress plug-in for the few extra tools it provides. I would be interested in hearing what others think best from anyone interested in sharing.

God bless...

While I haven't had much experience with bbPress or BuddyPress, they are mature enough to be good starts. I did a search and found a few other WordPress forum alternatives and some thoughts on which fits different situations.

Are you getting many comments on your posts? What about social shares? They are good indicators of the type of activity you'll get in a forum. Though, with a few dedicated people and some regular posts, you'll build a good foundation for developing conversations on your site.

Hello Steve,

A while back, in response to my opening post for this thread, you asked if I received a lot of comments from visitors. The answer is nope. So, I decided to create a section that would encourage people more explicitly to interact with my site's content : Knowing and Believing – the Encounter.

Since I last posted here I did quite a bit of research and testing in an attempt to answer my own question. It is published under Improving a Web Site’s potential for interactivity.

Daniel Garneau
Savoir et croire .ca (Knowing and Believing)

That is quite a write-up, Daniel! I'm bookmarking it and will digest over the next week(s).

There are 2 main schools of thought around even having comments enabled on your website. Seth Godin does not have them. Michael Hyatt had them, removed them, then brought them back. Copyblogger removed them and has not restored them.

There's a book by Bryan Allain called "Community Wins, 21 Thoughts on Building a Thriving Online Tribe" in which he writes based on the assumption you'll have some way for people to interact. Gary Vaynerchuk, a very colorful (not suitable for work or children) speaker, has comments on his blog via Facebook.

I believe in comments - and forums. I also know there are other places for people to have conversations. This has unearthed some thoughts that are good topics for blog posts.

Thanks, Daniel!