For user-generated content, a blank slate is usually discouraging to contributors. Additionally, you need to set expectations for what sort of content you wan

For user-generated content, a blank slate is usually discouraging to contributors. Additionally, you need to set expectations for what sort of content you want users to generate. The thing you should do that doesn't scale is to seed your content area with content generated in-house that mimics the type of content you want to see. Then invite a couple dozen users, engage with them heavily, and continue to generate your own content. Your goals are 1) to make the community seem like it's active and something users will return to frequently to find new content; 2) to make users feel like contributing is a rewarding act that gets them the sort of interaction and encouragement they seek; and 3) to establish norms for your community. Then invite another cohort and another. Each new cohort can be an order of magnitude larger than the last, and once each new cohort is engaged, you can scale back your own contributions and engagement significantly.