I have done a number of articles on traffic generation tips, so feel free to browse, however today I want to show you how to get traffic to your website using forum marketing.

I have mentioned in the past that there are two methods of marketing online – paid strategies such as PPC (pay per click) advertising, solo ads, PPV (pay per view) advertising or free methods, such as on and off page SEO, article marketing, video marketing social media marketing and forum marketing, to name but a few!

So today I would like to share a few tips on how to get the best from forum marketing if you are looking for free traffic and leads.

Firstly what is Forum Marketing and what  are Forums?

Well they are websites where you get a ‘meeting of minds’ in the form of message boards and discussion threads to discuss strategies, tips or a place to go to gain or give advice on a particular topic usually in a niche market.

It is an area that has become very popular due to the amount of people using the internet to research information in all manner of subjects and it is a place where you can literally “stand out” from the crowd by demonstrating your expertise in your niche market.

So how can we use Forum Marketing to generate traffic and leads?

Forum Marketing Tip 1

Search for a forum in your niche and register (if you need to)- take time to read the terms and conditions of usage.  Make sure that the forum is really active with lots of new questions and posts going up each day.  There is no point wasting your time registering with a forum site that has very few members and only the occasional visitor – you want a lively and active discussion board.

Forum Marketing Tip 2

When you have registered, take a look at what sort of conversation threads are going on.  I find this particularly useful to find out what sort of problems people in your niche market are having.  (Hint:  If you can solve the biggest problems that your target market has and get your solution in front of them – you have a very high quality prospect!)  You can also use this information to craft some articles or blog posts around the types of questions being raised.

Forum Marketing Tip 3

Take a look at the signature or resource box at the bottom of each comment and see which ones stand out and for what reason?  Are they a little spammy looking and full of hype, or are they subtle yet inviting.  Then create your own.  You are usually allowed a couple of links back to your blog or website and sometimes you can do a link back to a specific page which could be a free offer page.  I would advise against sending people to a sales page as you are still trying to build the trust and the relationship when you move them to your blog.

Forum Marketing Tip 4

Forum marketing is essentially “Attraction Marketing” in action – demonstrate your knowledge with value and expertise and people will check you out by clicking your link.  At no time should you EVER post a business opportunity link into a post.  You are likely to get the post removed, a warning and maybe even a ban from the site depending upon the terms and conditions of the site.

Forum Marketing Tip 5

Look for conversation threads that you can apply some real value to.  For the most part, a lot of information can already be found on the internet, through YouTube or articles, but many people don’t think to look.  If you know the answer to one of the threads of conversation or to a direct question and you are able to provide simple honest advice, then you will be a valuable resource to that person.

Forum Marketing Tip 6

My advice is to just join one or two forums.  Forum marketing can be quite time consuming and if you focus half an hour a day on just one site you will notice the effects much more quickly than by spreading your time across several forums.

Forum Marketing Tip 7

Become known and recognized as a valuable and knowledgeable force in your niche, by taking the time to provide useful and accurate responses or advice to the questions raised and people WILL follow the link in your resource box to check you out to find out more about you.  Take time to build the relationships with people on your chosen forum site.  This is how the two SEO specialists Ray and Ferny got recognized by Mike Dillard on the Better Networker Forum.  The value they shared was picked up by Mike Dillard himself who then promoted them and elevated them to superstardom in their niche!

The key thing to note is, that as with any free method of marketing, it takes time to build up.  Do not expect overnight results.  Commit to doing half an hour a day for 90 days and if your comments are helpful, you will certainly see results from doing forum marketing.

If you are a network or online marketer then my absolute favourite forum marketing site is the Better Networker site because it is so much more than just a forum.

The video below shows you just a couple of ways of how to use the Better Networker site to generate leads to your blog – the second half focuses on Forum Marketing.

P.S If you liked this article, please would you do me a favour and vote on my blog in the top 50 MLM Blogs contest – I am currently ranking at about 20 and I would like to stay there or move up a bit.  If you let me know in the comments below when you have done it, I will have a nice little surprise for you!  Just click the banner below to vote.  Thank you !