With the relaunch of Zippy Promotion, we sat down with Ravenfreak, the forum’s owner and long-time community builder, to talk about their journey in forum management, the challenges behind the relaunch, and what makes Zippy Promotion stand out in today’s online space. From early Pokémon forums to running multiple communities, Ravenfreak shares their experience, lessons learned, and vision for the future.
Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you first got into running online forums?
Ravenfreak: Sure thing! I’m a 35-year-old gamer, and like many gamers, my first forum was based around Pokémon. I had already joined a couple of forums, but I wanted to dip my toes into actually owning and running one myself.
Q: What inspired you to relaunch Zippy Promotion, and why now?
Ravenfreak: I think the forum world could use more promotional forums. I’ve been meaning to revive the community for a while, but I finally had the time to do it properly.
Q: You’ve owned and managed multiple forums—how has your past forum experience shaped this relaunch?
Ravenfreak: I’m definitely more experienced this time around. I’ve made mistakes in the past, like hiring staff I didn’t really know, and those lessons have helped me approach things much more carefully now.
Q: What are the biggest changes or improvements in the new version of Zippy Promotion?
Ravenfreak: UBB Threads has much better anti-spam measures than MyBB, which is a huge improvement and a big benefit for the community.
Q: What kind of community are you aiming to build with Zippy Promotion?
Ravenfreak: A friendly and easy-to-navigate promotional forum. I’m also planning to add services that will be completely free, which I’m really looking forward to rolling out soon.
Q: What challenges did you face during the relaunch process?
Ravenfreak: The biggest challenge was converting the forum from MyBB to the latest version of UBB Threads. There’s no direct converter, so I had to install an older version of phpBB just to make the transition. I also had to use XAMPP, which I’d never used before, so there was definitely a learning curve—but I’m proud of myself for getting through it.
Q: How do you approach moderation and keeping the community active and welcoming?
Ravenfreak: My moderation approach is more relaxed rather than strict. I feel that forums with overly strict guidelines can put people off. I’m also planning to introduce contests in the future to help keep members engaged.
Q: What sets Zippy Promotion apart from other promotion or discussion forums?
Ravenfreak: Most promotional forums use forum currency that users earn and spend on services. Zippy Promotion won’t have that—instead, users can request services for free. There will be time limits so staff can keep up with requests, but the focus is on accessibility.
Q: What are your long-term goals for the forum?
Ravenfreak: I’d love to see Zippy Promotion become one of the more active promotional forums out there. Even though forums may be in decline, Zippy Promotion is a place to promote more than just forums—it’s for all kinds of projects.
Q: Is there anything you’d like new and returning members to know as they join the relaunched Zippy Promotion?
Ravenfreak: Yes—passwords weren’t converted during the migration, so old logins won’t work. Unfortunately, emails aren’t sending yet, so members will need to contact me directly outside the forum for now. Sorry about that! I’m hoping to get someone to help me resolve it soon.
As Zippy Promotion enters its next chapter, Ravenfreak’s focus is clear: build a welcoming, accessible promotional community that’s easy to use and genuinely helpful. With free services, relaxed moderation, and long-term plans to grow beyond traditional forums, the relaunch marks a fresh start—and an open invitation for both new and returning members to be part of what comes next.
I’ve learned a couple of things about Zippy Promotion that I didn’t know, such as the services are free and not based on a site credit system. I’m hoping they get the email system corrected soon because then they’ll get more people returning/joining!
I haven’t been on Zippy but I know Ravenfreak very well as a person because we have been interacting well on different communities for a long time including his Sonic community. He’s a great guy! 🫡
I have enjoyed being a member of Zippy Promotion. First of all, I love that they’re using a unique forum platform, and it feels like it did back in the day when forums were doing a lot better. That was back when forums were just forums and not trying to all be like social media like they are today. I enjoy posting on Zippy! Fun interview!
Ravenfreak is an awesome person to work with so it’s no surprise that Zippy Promotion stands out from the crowd. I think I might have to get more involved on Zippy Promotion now that I know they don’t use a currency and their services are free……definitely have to check that out.
It has been great to see Zippy Promotion back and I have to agree, we do need more promotion forums in the forum world as I feel that is the one thing we lack, and you can never your links in too many places!
Looking forward to seeing where Zippy Promotion goes from here!
I want to thank you Gizmo for interviewing me! It was an honor to be interviewed and to talk a bit about Zippy Promotion! The technical issues were a bit of a pain to deal with, but most have been tackled and dealt with. I’m still trying to get emails to work though! Hopefully one day I can figure this stuff out!
I found the interview with Ravenfreak about the Zippy Promotion relaunch very interesting because it reflects how a project can reinvent itself to remain relevant in a competitive digital environment. He clearly explains the reasons behind the relaunch and how he aims to offer a more dynamic user experience. I was struck by his focus on community: it’s not just about improving technical features, but about creating a space where interaction is more fluid and engaging. He also emphasizes the importance of consistency and innovation, two key factors for sustaining any platform over time. Ultimately, he conveys passion and commitment, showing that behind every successful relaunch there is a strategic vision and a genuine desire to strengthen the connection with members.
I have known Ravenfreak for many years. Well, not in a personal level but as a community leader. I have posted on his forums, and I am also quite active on Zippy. Before I joined Zippy, I never knew about UBB Threads. This interview was such a nice read.