subject: Forum Marketing - Avoiding Potential Traps [print this page] Forum marketing is probably one of the most misused forms of business promotion on the internet. People often see these venues only as money-making opportunities and, in doing so, end up with the exact opposite effect. As all internet users know, the amount of advertisements and spam that we get hit with on a daily basis is enough to make anyone leery of virtually all unsolicited e-mails and links. Because of this, it is crucial to work with forums instead of just using them for their business potential. There are many ways to do this that are enjoyable and can even help you better your business in the long-run.
One of the biggest mistakes that people make when diving into forum marketing is posting their link too quickly. On some sites, this can be a terms of service violation. Therefore, it is important to read the fine print before setting up a profile. Second, without having an established presence, most people will simply chalk off your post as spam. Red-flagging yourself like this is a major trap that will end up hurting your efforts tremendously. It is important to keep in mind that the people contributing to the forum are there for very specific purposes and have established relationships with its members. Charging in with an advertisement is not likely to be well received and you might even be prevented from posting there in the future.
Another potential pitfall in forum marketing is not joining early enough in the marketing process. There are two main reasons that it is essential to sign up with many different forums as soon as possible. The first one is that some websites put a hold on postings from new members for a set period of time. The second reason is that it might take awhile to build enough of an online presence. As stated previously, promoting your business too soon will turn people off. In making general posts every so often, people will see you as a valid contributor and are more willing to take any future promotions more seriously.
Another significant trap that many fall into is posting on the wrong forums. The main purpose of this technique is to find potential customers that are likely to buy the product you are selling. Therefore, it is imperative to find forums with many members and that show interest in your type of business. This way, your forum marketing efforts will be seen by a great number of people and you will be rewarded with a boost in sales.
