Help with category and forum list for local city?

[DaDaHost]

Hi,

Please help me with my categories and forums for my local towns' site. I want to have broad appeal, so the list is geting HUGE. For the first year this site will be strictly a forums site and hopefully allied with a local content site. Also I would like to be able to sale advertising along the same lines as SitePoint's forums.

Do you see any obvious ommissions or maybe areas that should be left off?

General Chat
a.Announcements
b.General Chat
c.Introductions
d.Local Websites

Entertainment
a.General Chat
b.Nightlife
c.Festivals
d.Movies
e.TV
f.Dining

News & Politics
a.Local
b.National
c.World

Religion
a.Announcements
b.Chat
c.Church Forums
--allow churches to sponsor a forum

Military
a.Announcements
b.Chat

Arts & Music
a.Announcements
b.Visual Arts
c.Music Scene
c.Shows and Festivals

Sports & Recreation
a.Local Teams and Events
b.Football
c.Baseball
d.Basketball
e.Fishing
f.Hunting
h.Boating
i.Surfing
j.Golf
k.Beach
l.Diving

Technology
a.Announcements
b.Linux
c.MAC
d.PC hardware and Software
e.Graphics
f.Web Development
g.General Chat

Classifieds
a.For sale
b.Real Estate
c.Personals
d.Help Wanted
e.Jobs Wanted
f.Yard Sales
g.Vehicles boat, cars, trucks

Communities
a.Downtown
b.Northhill
c.Easthill
d.Westside
e.Gulf Breeze
f.Cordova Park
... This list could get very big

I also have development forums at http://www.pensacola.cc if you would like to get more involved.

Thanks,
Jamie

[PalmerB]

I think you're making a typical mistake most people do when setting up their forums, category overkill. Just pare it down to about 10 categories then as the forum grows, add on. It's going to be intimidating to the first time visitor as well as look very empty for awhile.

Just my 2 cents

Palmer

[DaDaHost]

I was afraid of that. What do you suggest as good categories that will have a logical growth progression? Hmm... maybe that's a good SitePoint article?

As an example I could start out with classifieds as a forum and once it takes off split it into the 6 forums I have. Is that easy to do with vBulletin? Also I worry about the "change" factor with users. Have you had much outcry when you start with 10 forums and then shift gears up to 20+?

Thanks,
Jamie

[PalmerB]

I think it would be fine to just skip the a,b,c, parts. Just go with the main broad categories for now. You did a good job with those. Looks like a very good start, you've covered everything. Regarding the outcry when you change things, just do a little at a time when the need arises like they do here. People will adapt, well most people

Palmer

[Toni]

I agree with palmer.

Start out with the main catagories, and then make subcatagories only on a needed basis. Makes for easier navigation.

Look through your local phone book, to see what the biggest catagories are.

take care,
toni