Well, not just hits, but members, more specifically. I'm attempting to put together a forum community for creative users who wish to participate. Most banner exchange sites and such only guarantee raw hits, which means that people come, glance at the website, and leave. How can one reach people with similar opinions/likings in order to gain true members to build a community, aside from simply going from forum to forum, posting links that may or may not attract intelligent and creative members?

you can start with "real life" people you know with creative inclinations and with sufficient gray matter to participate in your forums. it's really hard to reach anonymous people inviting them to join, short of spamming, but with a core group like friends and acquaintances, you can expand on your forum's content and conversations. you can just keep your fingers crossed that others who drop by your site will entice them to register and stay.

you can brainstorm with others too on what extra special your forums can offer. and when your visitors chance upon it, hopefully it will appeal to their creative id. i am not creatively charged right now, but i know you and others can think of something, anything.

work on your forum theme too. any reason why it looks gloomy and foreboding? something psychological, but it may help if a more lively visual environment is there instead. "artists" your prospective members may be, who are more brooding and moody in nature, it is much more enticing to provide a change of scenery when they are in your forums -- in contrast to a real life environment which they may be experiencing. just a suggestion though.

PS: add your forum URL in your trap17 signature. there are lots of "creative" people here, it can help drive traffic and prospective members to your site.