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Forums are excellent places to tap into highly targeted groups of people.
And by god, you can learn so damn much from so many people out there we should all be part of these communities anyway.
It works like this. You go out and find a community that you want to be a part of that has similar and targeted people for who you are tying to market too.
You then just join in on the conversation.
In each and every post you make you will have a signature file. Once again that signature file is your way to drive targeted traffic back to your site.
As you post new comments and topics all over the forum, your link gets splattered all throughout for everyone to see.
If you write a good signature file, you are going to arouse curiosity and people are going to click.
By spending 20 minutes a day chatting around forums you aren’t going to be driving hundreds of people a day or anything, but you are going to be driving consistent and targeted traffic. Around 10-30 people a day.
Some things to look out for:
- Do not make spam posts. You can ruin your reputation on a forum very quickly and easily.
- You always want to be adding to the conversation, contributing real value and content when you can. If you don’t have much to say about a subject, don’t say something just so your link shows up. That’s bad taste and people will notice. Wait until you can participate and share what you know.
Why are Forums Great For Your Business?
In a nutshell, forums are online gathering spots for people with common interests. Speak to this targeted crowd and take advantage of a tremendous opportunity to boost your business and make more money with your affiliate campaigns.
There are forums for just about any subject imaginable, from marketing to tax planning to philosophy to knitting… a virtually endless list.
Along with shared learning and a sense of community, forums offer a concrete way to:
- build trust within your field
- establish expert status for yourself
- pre-sell potential customers
- drive traffic to your web site
Watch your affiliate business grow as you become a trusted expert.
Write Posts That Bring Results
Post like a pro. Answer questions and give advice where you know you have something of value to add. In no time, you’ll become a recognized presence on the forum.
Be respectful of other’s ideas. And be gracious when someone gives you some good advice. The more positive relationships you nurture, the more successful you’ll be.
It’s fine to recommend a product or service you really believe in that will solve another member’s problem. Just keep in mind that this is not the place for a sales pitch. Share…don’t sell.
Post new threads that offer new information, insights and humor. Tell people what has, and hasn’t, worked for you and offer advice and recommendations where you can.
Forums rock! Let’s put it that way. Become a member of the community and post often. It’s a great way to drive free and targeted traffic.
Recommended Forums
5 Star Affiliate Marketing Forums
Friendly community of professional affiliates, with specific forums on internet marketing, affiliate programs, how-tos and general affiliate advice.
- A Best Web Forum
Affiliate marketing forum with thousands of members who are actual affiliates. They’re always looking for something new to promote. This site covers all things affiliate related.
- Affiliates4u
UK affiliate marketing forum with a decent amount of members and good information as well. They’re fairly flexible as far as what they’ll allow you to do in their forums, and it’s an easy, friendly place to start a conversation.
- Associate Programs
Has specific threads for article writing, article marketing, SEO and internet marketing, as well as general threads about affiliate marketing in general. Good general body of knowledge.
- DigitalPoint Forum
They’re all about SEO, marketing, business and tools. With a lot of interesting and active members, it’s a great place to get yourself some exposure.
- ewealth
Billing itself as “the #1 affiliate hangout,” this is a place to expect real answers, thorough advice and lots of interesting debate. A good place to meet affiliate marketers who may want to join your downline!
- IM4Newbies Internet Marketing Community
Great place to talk to new online marketers. Active, well moderated and pretty strict about spam. Run by Mike Mertz, a well-respected name in the industry.
- SitePoint Forum
This site focuses more on developers and designers than marketers. They also have a section for user-written articles.
- Warrior Forum
Internet marketing hotspot with lots of active threads. Join lively discussions on how to make money and how to find success. Many of this community’s members, called “Warriors,” offer generous discounts and concrete advice to other members. You will find me usually on this forum for 10 minutes a day or longer.
- WickedFire
Hip, slightly irreverent, and always entertaining, this forum offers a laid-back atmosphere where affiliates and online marketers hang out and exchange some good ideas. Expect the unexpected here!
Conclusion
Forum marketing is not set and forget. In order to make it work it requires you do work consistently to drive traffic.
But if you’re on a tight budget….these methods are ABSOLUTELY the ways to go.
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by Mark Dulisse
