Online forums and discussion groups are an excellent way to build visibility on the Internet and drive traffic back to your website. They are excellent places to meet with like minded people as well as gain incredible information from members who are a part of specific forums. You can also encounter some very strange folks in forums so proceed with caution.
There are forums and discussion groups of every description. Regardless of your area of interest there is most likely a group or groups you can join. To find forum groups do a simple Google search using the following key words: online forums “your
topic”.
Sign up for a couple of forums. Before you get involved in anydiscussions watch what is going on in the forum. This will give you a good idea of what people are talking about, their level of expertise, who the most involved members are, and how welcoming and helpful the members are.
A great way to build visibility and credibility is to participate in the dialogue of the forum once you have been reading posts for a few days. Pay close attention to the topics being discussed. If the topic is something you have a lot of knowledge in, offer helpful suggestions. Whatever you post, be sure that it is written in a way that does not come off as arrogant. Be a participant, not a bully. It is easy to forget that the members of a forum are real people with real feelings.
Add forums and groups to your marketing mix to optimize your opportunities
Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer
http://www.kathleengage.com
