Michelangelo van Dam has a new post to his site today talking about PHP user groups and some suggestions you can follow if you'd like to start one of your own in your local area.

When going to conferences you always hear "join a local user group, and if there's none in your area you're the person who needs to start one". But then what? Where do you get started? How do you organise a PHP user group? Basically, you're left in the dark and you're missing out of all the great stuff everyone else can enjoy.

He makes a few suggestions as far as sites and resources to use to help you promote your group (including Meetup.com and even LinkedIn). He offers some guidelines as far as what to do for your first meeting and a few other people and groups at your disposal to help promote and group your group.