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When I first heard about the guest posting contest on how to increase website traffic, I figured that I would see a flood of people talking about how to use really simple strategies. I have seen a lot of great posts, but I am amazed that I haven’t seen one about forums yet.
Ever since I started out online, forums have been my first source of traffic for almost every website that I have started up, and the results have been amazing. I have found that they are an all in one stopping place for everything that I need.
Some of the benefits You can get from forums include:
- loads of people interested in your niche
- a virtual keyword den of what people need
- content ideas for new blog posts
- research for industry trends
- links to other blogs that you can follow yourself
- authority within your niche built over time
- relationships with other business owners in your niche
just to name a few…
All that being said, most people who use the forums will never see the results that I have, simply because they are TOO LAZY to do it properly.
That may seem a bit harsh to a few of you, but the fact is that the biggest reason people fail at anything online is because they are too lazy to do things right. This isn’t some fly by night, get rich quick scheme. It takes a lot of work, but when done properly can help explode the traffic that you get to your site.
The truth is that forum marketing, while fun, is really hard work. You have to consistently provide a lot of value to the members, and you don’t want to be self promotional, (although a few allow this, it really doesn’t do you any good). Follow these 10 forum marketing tips, and you will increase website traffic to your blog, and see your authority explode.
Branding Yourself Vs. Promoting Yourself
On a very rare occasion, it is okay to throw in a link to your site (as long as the forum rules allow it) if it is highly relevant to the content in the post, but overall, you really want to just answer people’s questions, and rely on them finding your site through your signature file. This brands yourself in the minds of the readers as an authority to listen to.
Become a Leader
Establishing authority and becoming a leader within your niche will help you increases website traffic, but most people never seem to get it right. Check out this video on the Tony Robbins Blog about how leaders are servants. Apply this approach to your forum marketing and you will be rewarded for your efforts.
Research Your Niche
All the posts and categories in a forum are a great place to get keywords for your niche. keep a running list of the most frequently asked questions, and pay attention to the words and phrases people ask. if a thread gets more than 2 or 3 posts on it, you can probably get enough information to write an article on that topic.
Focus On Value Not Traffic
Provide more than you ask for in return. I often post 5-10 times a day in forums, and I am always trying to answer questions based on my own experiences. I focus on providing value, and I consistently get traffic from doing this.
Be
Consistent
Just like anything else, you need to be consistent in your efforts. I set a daily goal for how many posts I want to leave in a forum. This way, I make sure that I am helping people, but I don’t waste all my time there (which is really easy to do).
Pay Attention To the Noise
There are a lot of really great forums out there, but sometimes forums get so much noise that they really won’t do you much good.
For example, within the IM niche, the Warrior Forum is one of the most well known forums around. However, there is so much noise going on there that it is hard to stand out and have your own voice heard.
Look for smaller forums, and don’t waste time on the forums that will drag you down. Your voice will be heard a lot easier on less popular forums, and you will increase website traffic through your signature file.
Save Your Posts
Some of my best articles and blog posts have come from answering a question in a forum. most of the time, when people ask questions in a forum, there are loads of other people looking for those same answers. I keep a running folder on my deskstop of posts that I have made in forums, and I refer back to them when trying come up with new blog posts or brainstorming guest posting ideas.
Use Your Signature Properly
I see alot of people trying to use their signature file for an affiliate link. This is bad form, and generally not allowed by most good forums. Instead, link to your blog. Also, don’t try to cram links in there. One or two links will do you more good than trying to fill it with links to a lot of different things.
Use Paid Forums
A lot of people don’t want to pay for a forum, but they miss the opportunity. This will do you absolutely no good with Google, because they cannot index your links on private pages. However, it does help you to get loads of highly targeted leads.
I have bought products and joined membership sites just for the purpose of getting access to the private forums that they offer. These are all targeted buyer leads, and if you are using that product yourself anyway, you can build your reputation pretty quickly by helping the new members as they get started.
Also, if you spend a lot of time helping these paying members, the forum owner will want to get to know you, which leads me to the final tip I want to share with you today.
Get to Know The Owner
The owners of forums are often also product owners. These people generally have a huge list of buyer prospects, and if you help them with their forum, they will notice, and they will want to help you as well.
I have gotten free products, and made quite a few friends with people who otherwise wouldn’t give me the time of day, simply because I spend time in their paid forums helping their members. I have gotten free coaching on how to improve my own marketing, and even gotten a few of them to promote my site to their proven list of buyers.
Finding a forum can take a bit of time, but in the long run, it is the best way to increase website traffic quickly, and build your reputation within your niche market.
Have you tried using forums for your business?
Share your experiences with forums, and how you use them to increase your traffic.
