how do websites like offtopic.com get so friggin big?

[Brad]

Originally Posted by Pain86

well the more popular fitness/bodybuilding sites are

bodybuilding.com - (Threads: 514,078, Posts: 6,084,299, Members: 117,609)
elitefitness.com - (Threads: 393,403, Posts: 5,059,805, Members: 102,441)

then you have my site
bodybuildingdungeon.com - (Threads: 4,568, Posts: 82,368, Members: 9,217)

theres no way i can catch up with them, but i went to be up there as the biggest fitness/bodybuiling sites..

i think both sites started in 1995..

You must offer something the other sites do not if you are going to cover the same topic as they do. Find out what the members on their site want and if the owners have refused to do it or are taking forever you might get yourself a few converts.

As always content is king, good content is what reels people in. You hook em with the content and hopfully they sign up on your forum and become a long time member.