Well, not quite. There are as many motivations to host an online forum as there are group hosts, and the types of discussion threads available are virtually endless. You’ll want to think carefully about which architecture presented the finest tools for your community, as well as how to style forums that speak to the strengths and needs of your audience, depending on your organisation and objective.

Many classic forum platforms are little more than a collection of discussion forums. Other types of products have emerged as internet communities have expanded beyond the limitations of technological discussion forums. Systems that specialise in customer feedback, user support, or social brand marketing, as well as systems that mix these and other aspects, are now available.

• Discussion Forums

• Feedback Forums

• Q&A Forums

• Article Forums