vBulletin is the most popular and most frequented online message board systems. One of the best marketing tools you could launch along with your site is an active online community. A message board system allows members to create topics and reply to other members' post. You can find message boards for every niche possible.

10 Easy Steps – How To Set up a Forum in vBulletin
The following ten steps will walk you through the basics of setting up a vBulletin forum. vBulletin offers online and phone technical support. They offer two licensing structures – leased or owned. Check out vBulletin for pricing options.

You will need to purchase your license and download the software before you begin creating your forum. You also need a username and password before you can log into the Admin Control Panel.

1. Using your website browser, log into the “Admin Control Panel” on vBulletin website.

2. Click “Forums and Moderators” link (found on the left-hand Control Panel)

3. Pull down drop-down menu and choose “Add New Forum”

4. Fill out all required information in “Add New Forum” section.

5. You have the option to choose the following features: moderation, style, access and posting options. You can enable or disable custom features.

6. If information is correct, click “Save” button.

7. Go into Control Panel menu – under “Forums and Moderators” choose “Forum Permissions.” Click on “Quick Forum Permissions Setup” at top of list.

8.Choose newly created forum from list and select usergroups (people who have permission to access your forum).

9. Add Custom Permissions by choosing either “Yes or No” in Forum viewing, forum searching, post/thread, attachment and poll permissions (sections located on bottom of page)

10. Make sure your permissions are set up properly - click the “Save” button.

How To Create a phpBB3 Forum
PhpBB3 is one of the most popular Open Source (free), bulletin board systems used across the world. phpBB3 offers “real time” technical support via their website and offers assistance for non-native English speakers.

• Read phpBB's Quick Start Guide which breaks down each section step-by-step, and walks you through installation and forum configurations.

• Pay close attention to the “Requirements” and “Installation” sections. Make sure your server supports PHP language before you install the file.

• Click on “Downloads” and unzip the latest version of phpBB3. Use a FTP program to upload to server.

• After you install the software, you will be directed to “Administration Control Panel” (the link is also found on the bottom of the page). This is where you configure your basic settings. Refer to “General Settings” under Quick Start Guide. Set up “Board Features” and “Board Settings” under “General Settings.”

• After you install the software, you will be directed to “Administration Control Panel” (the link is also found on the bottom of the page). This is where you configure your basic settings. Refer to “General Settings” under Quick Start Guide. Set up “Board Features” and “Board Settings” under “General Settings.”

• At the top of “Administration Control Panel” click on “Forums” tab. Click on “Create New Forum” on right side of page. Type in the desired name of the forum you want to create (in the textbox). For more in-depth instructions, follow steps in “Creating and Setting up Forums” in “Quick Start Guide.”

• Setting permissions – Allows you to choose the following criteria

oGlobal – User/group, moderator or administrator permission (manages forums and bans users)

oLocal – Moderator or forum permissions (lock topics and allows who sees forum or post topics)