Getting Free Advice - Traffic And Sales From Internet Forums
By Alexander Newell
A Forum is a meeting place and often a market place. It is a gathering whose members are intent on a common purpose. The purpose of the forum could be commercial, legal or even governmental. On the internet, a forum is a website where newbies and experts visit and contribute.
There is a lot of talk these days of Web 2.0. and how this modern paradigm shatters the old notion of a website owner producing and publishing the content of a website. In web 2.0 we are told, the users, the community will decide what to contribute.
But forums are as old as the internet. They were called Bulletin boards back then. Or even Message Boards. And certainly these pioneering communities interacted, advised and argued.
Forums are websites where people visit to ask questions, get and give advice. That means that a forum is a website whose content is written by its visitors. This is ideal for the owner of the Forum but why do you as an aspiring marketer need to know about forums?
Primarily because you need to know all about your niche. You can learn an enormous amount by reading the forum posts You can find out what is catching people's attention. And what problems they have. If you know a product that can solve a problem a well written post can help the forum members as well as yourself. Your post can link to your own website or blog. Or perhaps direct with an affiliate link to the merchant site. Each forum has its own rules concerning links, advertising and sales. And since you want to build a business, you need to find out the rules and follow them.
Regular posting, whether asking or answering questions begins to build trust and credibility providing it is done in a helpful and mature manner.
Many Newbies take their first steps and make their first few dollars just by working the forums. And the advice and support can be invaluable.
Alex Newell taught Information Technology for many years and is now teaching Newbies to Internet Business how to shorten their learning curve to make a living online Where Internet Newbies Learn To Earn
My experience with forums has been quite a learning experience. Do not confuse spamming with posting. Spamming will only alert forum members of your intentions and your credibility will suffer.
Contribute to a thread by offering assistance, a solution to a problem, or by asking a question yourself. You will build credibility and become welcomed into the community.
An excellent and helpful reference can be found here for less than a medium pizza Forum Posting The Right Way!
Good Luck,
Mike
