Here is yet another important strategy that you can employ to attract traffic to your website.

Part 4 – Forum Marketing

Whether you are new to network marketing or have a great deal of experience, there is a substantial opportunity not only to attract traffic to your website, but also to learn a great deal through participation in several of the online Internet marketing forums.  These forums are generally well targeted, and it’s likely that you’ll be able to find one or more forums that focus on your particular niche area.

Not only are those people who participate in those forums likely very interested in your niche and how you are personally participating in the niche, there are also many very knowledgeable people in these forums from which you can learn.

You simply find a forum or two that you are most interested in, then join the conversation.   Each time you post in a forum you have an opportunity to include your signature file which would include a link back to your website.  Thus, those who read your posts may well click through to your site.

Your Signature File is Important..

Because each comment you post includes your signature file, your links can be posted many places in several conversation threads throughout each forum.  If your posts are interesting, and your signature file is compelling with an attractive call to action, the likelihood of people clicking through to your site can be quite high.

If you were to spend a mere 20 to 30 minutes per day, chatting in 2 to 3 forums that are focused on your niche, you could well attract 15 to 20 well targeted click throughs to your site each day.

Here are a few things to consider when participating in forums:

  • Do not spam your posts as this can easily get you banned from the forum.  In addition to ruining your reputation.
  • Be sure that you’re adding real value to each conversation you join.
  • Otherwise, the people on the forum will soon learn that you are not there to contribute meaningfully and will no longer pay attention to you.

Forums are great for your business because…

  • There are forums for virtually any business or interest area you may have.
  • They are gathering places and communities for people with shared interest and enable you to share your knowledge to a targeted audience.
  • Effective participation in those forums enables you to establish a reputation in the field and to achieve expert status among your peers.
  • This in turn amounts to a very effective pre-sell for potential customers.
  • And finally, it will help you achieve your ultimate aim of attracting traffic to your website.

Without question, you do need to establish a favorable presence in your selected niche to be an effective marketer, and forums offer you a great opportunity to do so.  Don’t hesitate to ask questions when  you can’t otherwise find answers for them in the forum, and don’t hesitate to answer questions and provide advice on the topics about which you are particularly knowledgeable.
Forums are just like any other community.  It will serve you well to be polite and purposeful in your comments and advice.  The bottom line is that you need to provide good input in order to gain respect and get good output from the forum.  It is not good form to try to make sales pitches in the forums, rather they are a place to offer advice and share your knowledge.  As you gain respect, people are more likely to click through on your links in your signature file.

Here a number of forums that are particularly appropriate for the network and affiliate marketing niche:

The Warrior Forum – this is one of the more popular in the well attended forums attended by the ‘warriors’ in the Internet marketing industry.  It is focused largely on how to make money and find success and the conversation is lively and timely.  The members are likely to offer substantial discounts on the products they may be selling to other members, as well as to it but as to provide really good advice.

5 Star Affiliate Marketing Forums – this a relatively friendly community of professional the affiliate marketers offering a lot of how-to advice.

A Best Web Forum -  this forum has membership numbering in the thousands who are always looking for the best new affiliate programs to promote.

Affiliates4u – this is an affiliate marketing forum based out of the UK.  It’s a friendly and easy place to start a conversation and get good information about affiliate marketing.

Associate Programs — this form is  subdivided into a number of threads proceed focusing on a variety of topics such as SEO,  affiliate marketing, article marketing, article writing, etc.

Digital Point Forum — this form of focuses on SEO and Internet business tools.

eWealth – this is a great affiliate hangout, where you can expect to get good advice and lots of interesting debate.  Great place to find potential JV partners, or other affiliate marketers with similar interests.

IM4Newbies Internet Marketing Community – as the name implies, this is a great place to interact with the relatively new Internet marketers.  It’s very well moderated by Mike Mertz, who is a very well respected person in the Internet marketing community.

SitePointForum – this particular forum is  focused more for designers and developers rather than marketers.  They also include a place for the posting of a user written articles.

In summary, for marketing is something that you have to be consistent at in order to be effective.  You have to be known as a contributor of good advice in conversation.  But if you do spend 15 or 20 minutes a day participating in forums, you can drive additional well targeted traffic to your website.

If you’re relatively relative newcomer to network marketing, and on a tight budget, use of marketing forums can be a very effective way to drive traffic to your website.  In addition, it will provide you a lot of new information and knowledge.

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