Forum Marketing

The Internet is filled with forums that people use to display knowledge or get their questions answered. Joining a forum can build traffic to your website by displaying your website link along with your expertise. Participating in a forum helps to hone your thinking, expose you to ideas you can use in your blog and show you what people are thinking about your industry.

To find a forum, search for your industry + forum. Usually you will find quite a number that match. Sort through them for an active forum, with a lot of members and posts. In an article aimed more at purely online businesses, Gregory Go recommended that forums have at least 1,000 members and 10,000 posts. As well, you will want to participate in a forum that allows your business name and link in your signature line and that you otherwise feel comfortable with.

Next, register and read the rules. For instance, can you include the name of your business and a link to your website in your signature line?

Lurk and learn the unwritten rules.

When you have a sense of the forum culture, start to post. Your posts will be answers to questions where you have especial knowledge. Do not post thinly veiled advertisements for your company.

You will need to spend time during lulls every business day to read new posts in the forum or replies to your previous posts, so that you continue to enhance your position in the forum.

Over time, you will establish yourself as a specialist in your field. Along with your link, this will drive traffic to your website, which can find its way to your brick-and-mortar store.

Congratulations! You finished a mini-course on the basics of Search Engine Optimization. The next step to growing the traffic to your website and your business is to improve your social media game.