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Forum Marketing

by DURABLEOILCOM
18 replies
Ive tried doing a search for this specific thing and could not find anything. I would like to generate traffic through forum marketing and posting but how do you successfully get people to your website if mostly all forums do not allow advertising or links in their signatures?
#forum #marketing
  • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
    The key words there are "your website." You can advertise your website all day long in this forum. We have no problem with your username and avatar being promotional crap, either, as you can clearly see.

    But good luck getting people to take you seriously and give a damn what you're selling. Forums are full of people. Forum marketing means making people like you, and thus look for ways to know more about you, which would include going to your web site.
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    "The Golden Town is the Golden Town no longer. They have sold their pillars for brass and their temples for money, they have made coins out of their golden doors. It is become a dark town full of trouble, there is no ease in its streets, beauty has left it and the old songs are gone." - Lord Dunsany, The Messengers
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    • Profile picture of the author Danny Cutts
      Originally Posted by CDarklock View Post

      The key words there are "your website." You can advertise your website all day long in this forum. We have no problem with your username and avatar being promotional crap, either, as you can clearly see.

      But good luck getting people to take you seriously and give a damn what you're selling. Forums are full of people. Forum marketing means making people like you, and thus look for ways to know more about you, which would include going to your web site.
      Nicely answered :-)

      Its relationships building....

      Danny
      Signature
      Come and See me on Facebook... Come and See me at my blog...
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  • Profile picture of the author webapex
    A forum can be where you sell yourself, establishing yourself as a trusted authority in your field, conversions in some fields are much better when you have a relationship.
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    “An expert is a person who has made all the mistakes that can be made in a very narrow field” Niels Bohr

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  • Profile picture of the author Moneymaker2012
    WF is a good source to drive traffic to a website/blog, only the Affiliates link are not allowed but you can show your site here, and that's why we all are here, to contribute and to get something in return. I do it for building my subscribers list.
    WF is a good place.
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  • Profile picture of the author Sarevok
    There's no doubt that forum marketing can bring you some great free traffic.

    But, like anything; it is what you put into it.

    If you can actually help people, present yourself like a professional, and provide content that people thank you for, you can get some great results.

    If you drop a bunch of one word answers.. You typically won't get the results you are anticipating.

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    • Profile picture of the author altitudemarketer
      Just go to the forums that would be most interesting to you by typing "[your niche] forum" in Google and go hang out for a few days, talk about stuff your passionate about and know... make a few friends.

      After trying a few forums, you'll develop a favorite... that's your niche and audience... Then you can add your signature pointing to your site.

      Then focus your site articles and maybe your own product, and other's affiliate products on helping the folks in that forum.

      This is the "reverse engineering" method... find the need / audience, then fill it.
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      • Profile picture of the author GrowTutor
        Originally Posted by Mark Hopkins View Post

        Just go to the forums that would be most interesting to you by typing "[your niche] forum" in Google and go hang out for a few days, talk about stuff your passionate about and know... make a few friends.

        After trying a few forums, you'll develop a favorite... that's your niche and audience... Then you can add your signature pointing to your site.

        Then focus your site articles and maybe your own product, and other's affiliate products on helping the folks in that forum.

        This is the "reverse engineering" method... find the need / audience, then fill it.
        Trying to blend in, pretending to be a member of the community, for a few days, doesn't cut it.

        If you want to sell your related product or service on my forums you can get permission and/or pay for advertising.

        If you think you're going to advertise other affiliate products on my forums you'll end up banned and reported to various blacklists. I don't build traffic and memberships for you to make money.
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael Rosmer
    Here's the thing about forum marketing. It takes time and you have to be good. In other words people don't go to a link in your signature because you made a post. But if the link is relevant to your posts, if you stick around and consistently help people and establish yourself as an authority then in the long run it can be a powerful source of traffic...but it requires you put in that work.
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  • Profile picture of the author GrowTutor
    Forum spam in other peoples' forum is likely to get you blacklisted if they don't allow it. I report forum spammers to blacklists if they're not already blocked by the blacklists that I use. If you want to market via forums, start your own forums because spam is bad...

    You do know the difference between spam and advertising, right?
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  • Profile picture of the author ContentWritingPhD
    Banned
    Mate, there are only certain rooms in this forum where you can promote your product or service. That is, if you have a sales thread in the Warriors For Hire section. You can advertise your service there all day long. But on rooms other than the Warriors For Hire section, we (you and I) can't do it through our post itself. Because if that will be allowed, imagine what will happen? Almost everyone, if not all, will just keep on posting advertisements just like most Facebook groups work these days.
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  • Profile picture of the author IggyRay
    Forum spam can be many things in different contexts. I think that if you bring value to the community and establish yourself as a valuable contributor then even if you advertise a bit aggressively the community will cut you some slack but if you join a forum and straight ahead bombard it with Hype and links to your site well you can guess what will happen...
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    • Profile picture of the author GrowTutor
      Originally Posted by IggyRay View Post

      Forum spam can be many things in different contexts. I think that if you bring value to the community and establish yourself as a valuable contributor then even if you advertise a bit aggressively the community will cut you some slack but if you join a forum and straight ahead bombard it with Hype and links to your site well you can guess what will happen...
      That's fine...if it's your forum but I wouldn't try that on other peoples' forums.
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  • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
    Banned
    Originally Posted by DURABLEOILCOM View Post

    Ive tried doing a search for this specific thing and could not find anything. I would like to generate traffic through forum marketing and posting but how do you successfully get people to your website if mostly all forums do not allow advertising or links in their signatures?
    This forum does allow links in your signature, but apparently you broke the signature rules as indicated by your current signature. Read the rules. You can put your own site in your signature. You cannot put affiliate links in your signature or template affiliate sites in your signature.

    Forum marketing doesn't require an ebook to learn. It's simple. Give people value. Join in conversations honestly. Build a reputation. Don't just answer a question for signature exposure. If you can help someone out, do it. Don't make a bunch of crap posts just so your signature is out there. No one will notice you or care. Be genuine.

    This forum provides numerous paid advertising options for getting your product out there. Pony up some cash and advertise.
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  • Profile picture of the author kayfrank
    Forum marketing is great but you need to be consistent and helpful. Demonstrate your knowledge in a non salesy way. Forums are for helping not promoting. If you get a chance to add a signature then great but you can always PM people (not spam) with offers of help (not promote)
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    • Profile picture of the author GrowTutor
      Originally Posted by kayfrank View Post

      Forum marketing is great but you need to be consistent and helpful. Demonstrate your knowledge in a non salesy way. Forums are for helping not promoting. If you get a chance to add a signature then great but you can always PM people (not spam) with offers of help (not promote)
      Reported PM spam gets people banned too...it's a fine line. As somebody mentioned, if your purpose is to sell something it doesn't matter if you're pretending to help or pretending to ask questions.
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  • Profile picture of the author Shane N
    As some have already mentioned, a lot of forums will allow you to have a link
    in your signature. But it must be your OWN site and NOT an affiliate link.

    Also, you don't want to be blatantly promotional. Participate in threads, help
    out, contribute and make friends. That's how you will get attention to your sig.

    Try posting in popular threads that will get a lot of views or ones that are ranked
    well on Google and other SE's.

    If they don't allow you to post a link in your sig, they will likely allow you to have
    a link to your website in your Profile and they may also have a "paid advertising"
    section that could be GOLDEN, just as the WSO section and other paid sections
    on this forum are. Forum marketing works, trust me.

    Best,
    Shane
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    • Profile picture of the author galitsyn
      No doubt forum marketing is a great way to promote your product.

      But you should always remember that it cuts both ways. Forum members can disrepute your product.

      So, I would rather use forums for educational and communication matters unless I'm sure I provide something useful and valuable.
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  • Profile picture of the author usfemail
    Forum marketing can definitely help you drive traffic to your site. However, you have to add value to the forum. If you just spam and try to get people to visit your site, then you will never get anywhere.

    Help people with their problems if you can. You can also ask for help as people here will be willing to provide you with the help you need.
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