Give Me a One,Two,Three, and
a Forum - Online Forum Etiquette
by: Stephen Wright
It seems that every other article
or guru tip you read extolls the benefit of one program or another as the
absolute best way to enhance your internet marketing business. In reality,
there are many ways to boost your business online - writing articles, search
engine optimization, acquiring incoming links - the list goes on and on.
But what about online forums? Are they really worth the investment of your
time, effort and energies?
The answer really is quite simple,
YES! If you are looking for effectiveness, looking for ways to enhance
your web presence in a significant way, without spending a fortune--then
forums are the ticket! One of the best ways which is often overlooked is
to find forums relating to your line of business and join as many as reasonabily
possible. Being a frequent participant on forums can increase links back
to your website, increase your chances of being seen as an expert, increase
your mailing list, sell more of your product, get new affiliates to sign
up, make you new friends - and the benefits get extensive.
However, there are some things to
think about before you get started in a forum. Your purpose is primarily
to establish yourself as a knowledgable person (even a guru of sorts).
You do this through a careful etiquette and approach. Here are a few helpful
hints of good forum etiquette:
Things to Help Your Business (These
are the GOOD Ones!):
1. Research each forum before you
join. Make sure it's relevant to your business and see if the participants
are in your target market. Look at how much traffic the forum gets. How
busy is it? There’s no point in joining a dead forum with very few posts.
2. Check the forum rules before you
post. Some forums will allow you to post adverts for your business while
others will object. Check if you are allowed to add a signature at the
end of your posts - adding
a small biography with a web link
to your business is a great way to increase incoming links to your site
and to get more traffic.
3. Be polite and treat everyone the
way you would like to be treated. Even though you don't meet people face
to face you will build up some great relationships if you take the time
to give good answers to questions, to be helpful and to respect other people's
opinions. And every post you answer adds to your reputation. Use your posts
to give genuine, useful advice, not just to plug your business and you'll
soon be looked on as an expert.
4. Don't be afraid to ask for advice
- no-one knows everything and sometimes you will need help.
5. To make the most of your time
on the forums, allow yourself only a certain amount of time each day.
6. Read only the posts that are relevant
and that interest you and post answers quickly before moving on. It's very
easy to spend the whole day on forums and not get anything else done.
Things that will Hurt Your Business
(These are the BAD Ones!):
1. Never, ever use a post to blatantly
advertise your business, particularly if the forum rules don't allow it.
Nothing will damage your reputation faster than spamming a forum.
2. Don't go through the list of forum
members, collect email addresses and send them unsolicited mail. At best
you'll be banned from the forum and at worst the owners might report you
to your ISP.
3. Don't ever get involved in a flame
war (this is when a heated conversation on a forum boils over and degenerates
into nothing but an exchange of personal insults). It might be really satisfying
to say what you think about someone, especially if they've been getting
on your nerves, but just imagine what other people will think of you if
you do.
In conclusion, treat people online
like you treat people in real life. Think of it as a networking event that's
taking place on your computer and don't forget that other posts on the
forums are made by real people with real feelings. You already know how
to make friends and new contacts face to face. Apply what you already know
to online networking and you could be enjoying great success with a global
audience. Before you know it, you will have gain a tremendous amount of
information, knowledge, networking contacts, friendships, and potential
business venture partners for the future. You will be amazed at how extensive
the list of benefits for forum exchange can be.
Copyright 2006 Stephen Wright
About The Author
Stephen Wright is President &
CEO of InternetMarketingUSA.com
Get everything you need to make
money online in "Dotcomology: The Science of Making Money Online". Includes
Over 30 Time-Saving, Profit-Producing, Influence-Expanding Tools And Software
Programs Absolutely Free at: http://www.InternetMarketingUSA.com/dotcomology.html
