| The internet is awash with forums, both those | | | | read the forum's Terms of Service (TOS) to |
| specifically dedicated to novice and seasoned internet | | | | determine if there are any particular rules to which you |
| marketers and those that are niche-specific. Savvy | | | | must adhere with your signature line. For example, |
| internet marketers know that forums can be an ideal | | | | some forums do not allow affiliate links while others |
| way of building a reputation, establishing expert status, | | | | allow you only to post URLs to your own Web site or |
| and driving traffic to your Web site. | | | | blog. |
| Forums can be an extremely effective means of | | | | Posting your Web site address in a signature line can |
| marketing your product, service, or Web site, if you | | | | prove extremely valuable, especially if you're posting |
| know what you're doing. Your first step is to decide | | | | on a popular forum. Search engines, like Google, often |
| which forums to join. Internet marketing forums can be | | | | crawl popular forums and index posts. That means |
| an excellent place to network with and learn from | | | | your posts will appear in the search engines, another |
| other internet marketers. Additionally, you may also find | | | | extremely important reason you want to be as |
| a new customer base on internet marketing forums. | | | | professional as possible when you chat in forums. |
| Niche-specific forums are also an excellent way to | | | | When you first join a forum, read for a few days to |
| gain expert status, to build a rapport with others | | | | get a feel for how things work and for the forum |
| interested in your niche, and to drive traffic to your | | | | members: Who are the most popular and those |
| niche Web site. Regardless of what type of forum | | | | whose opinions seem to be trusted the most? Once |
| you join, you'll have to follow a few basic rules. | | | | you've acclimated yourself to the forum, start posting. |
| Most forums strictly prohibit blatant promotion of a | | | | Avoid simple, and what are often considered useless, |
| Web site, a product, or a service. You never want to | | | | one line posts that say something like "Good idea" or |
| join a forum and start posting about how your product | | | | just posting a smile icon. Rather, make sure posts are |
| or service is the greatest thing since sliced bread. | | | | valuable. When you offer value to a forum, you |
| Blatant promotion is likely to get you banned from a | | | | establish yourself as both a valuable member of the |
| forum before you even get started. And, if you don't | | | | community and as an expert in your niche. |
| get banned, you certainly haven't gotten off to a great | | | | But, don't just post a few times to the forum then |
| start and will have to work hard to heal your already | | | | disappear. Visit the forum consistently, so you can |
| tarnished reputation. (No one likes spammers, and | | | | begin to build relationships. Becoming a trusted, valued |
| that's exactly what you'll be considered.) | | | | member of the community will help you to drive more |
| You can generally use your signature line to promote | | | | traffic to your Web site and to allow you to network |
| your Web site, product, or service, but be certain to | | | | with others. |