Over the last month I’ve been frequenting a handful of Internet marketing/webmaster forums, not only for the valuable information provided by their members, but also as a means of building authority and gaining a following. I never understood why, but many aspiring marketers overlook the power of having “authority” status on popular, niche related forums. I know people who make a huge portion of their online income selling products and services via Internet marketing forums, like the infamous Warrior Forum.
Each forum is a community, much like a blog, with it’s own lingo, rules and rituals. People post threads and people comment. People agree and disagree. It is not unheard of to see digital debates continue for 60 comments amongst 10-20 people, and guess what? Within these arguments and threads lays the true grit and concern of potential niche information seekers.
Start studying some threads and you’ll see what I mean…
To be perfectly honest, it’s almost ridiculous how receptive these forums can be – essentially you establish yourself as being a contributing member by posting useful comments, you then start posting a few threads which is no different than posting on your blog, and once you have around 100 posts (which includes comments and threads) you start marketing your own info products, services and techniques.
Once you’ve achieved the status of being reliable and providing value within the community, you can pretty much bank on the fact that when you post up a thread with your latest report, service or method that people will eat it up – and I’m not embellishing this one bit. With the forum monkeys following your every move, you can write a report that might take you 5 or 6 hours, post up a thread with some clever sales copy selling it for $7-10 and cash out several hundred dollars in a matter of days. This is not a joke!
So where do I start?
First, you need to get rid of the notion that online forums are intimidating and uninviting – this is the furthest thing from the truth. Yes, if you’re an idiot and post up a thread asking the community to TELL you their profitable niches, you will get your ass fried in a heart beat, and believe me, it will happen so fast and so fierce that you’ll end up in a corner, sucking your thumb in fetal position.
With that being said, here are some tips to help you get started:
- Choose your user name wisely – Just like you would with a domain name, you don’t want to have a user name that says “noob” or “masturbation magician” because as time passes and you become more reputable, your name will not change. Choose a name that represents you strength, personality and or brand. You can find me on most forums as TheAtHomeCouple – genius, right?
- Complete your forum profile – Most online forums provide a “profile” section where you can put a little blurb about yourself, a picture, choose your avatar, and add your social bookmarking/networking/website links. Do not overlook the power of your forum profile – when you post comments that are useful, leave a controversial comment, or outright assassinate someones credibility like a ninja in the midnight mist, people WILL check your profile to leave you a private message or find out how the heck YOU are.
- You must have a signature link – For those of you who are not familiar, and signature link in a forum is no different than a signature link in your personal email. When you leave a comment or post a new thread, there will be a section below the content to provide a url (or several) of your choice. You want to include any links or sites that you are promoting because people will click your sig link, and it is a back link to your site. Tip: If you have recently launched a product, report, or your services within the forum, include a link to that thread within your signature file with a catchy anchor text i.e. Find out how to make $100 a day within 3 weeks! Internal traffic funneling my friends!
- Rules and lingo – Interaction is the heart and soul of every successful online forum. When you are new, take the time to read the forum rules and browse the threads for a few days making note of any lingo – because each forum has its own language.
- Comments are king – Once you feel comfortable, start to leave useful comments on threads that you enjoyed. Do not be one of those “great thread!” people because I guarantee that you will get lost in the shuffle with zero impact. Speak your mind. If something fucking sucks, believe it or not, you need to leave a comment saying that it fucking sucks, and explain why. Forums are a lot less formal than blogs and discussion groups, so don’t be afraid to say what you feel even it it means putting someone on blast. If you found the thread resourceful, then thank them for taking the time out to share the info with you, let them know what you liked about it, and what your plans are. On the same note, if you found the thread resourceful, but felt that they left out some vital information or steps, don’t hesitate to fill in the blanks for the rest of the readers to benefit from – this is a great way to build your rep as someone who is full of useful info!
Please, for the love of all things good, don’t brush off niche related forums as being a waste of time, because if you do you will be missing out on an opportunity to set yourself apart, earn reputation and generate some good revenue to add to your business model. Visit Google, and type in your niche/keyword+forum and you will find an endless list of communities for you to join. Start off small, posting 5 comments a day. After a few weeks you will have a solid foundation, and the position to start marketing yourself and your products to the community.
I’m going to be releasing a few secret ninja reports on a few IM forums in the next month or so, and will keep you guys updated on the progress, and the success!
Cheers,
Elijah
Dude… this is very valuable advice! I have been putting this very thing to use lately. I actually started out wanting to post on other forums just for the links… but i’ll be damned if i didn’t end up making friends and learning stuff too hahaha!
Like you said, never feel intimidated… jump in and speak your mind.. and, never hesitate to ask for help or favors.. you never know what you may get!
Remember this…
http://jakecpunut.com/2008/08/flip-video-mino-camcorder-i-want-one/
I up and emailed them and they actually contacted me back! Just may get one for review! SWEET!
Jakes last blog post..Angel Food Ministries – January 2009 Info
Yeah Elijah, on this I agree with ya, but then again, I have had times when for example I just waste most of time. For example – the almighty warrior forum, there is so much information, that you quit reading one topic, you see another good topic, you readit, discuss it etc, when you’re done with that, another thread has started and it seems interesting, you read it, reply it, and then again a new one pops out,
oh the insanity….
Cheers,
The Moneyac
TheMoneyacs last blog post..How do you motivate yourself ?
Good tips on marketing through the power of forums and here was me thinking forums were all but dead…
I visit only one forum nowadays and agree with TheMoneyac about them being a time sink. You can start off reading a new thread, then 12 hours later your still on the site. Crazy.
But you have motivated me enough to start being more active in the forum I visit, so thanks for that 😀
@JeffLeft – Dude, getting free “review” shit is always dope! Forums are definitely a great way to network and pick up some new methods for sure.
@TheMoneyac – Yeah dude, it’s very easy to get overwhelmed and consumed by all the info. I tend to hit the WF only when I have a specific task i.e. 10 posts for the day, or posting a new thread. I try and stay away from “browsing” as it can suck you in!
@Mark – I couldn’t agree more, and forgot to point that out. Because of the sheer amount of info constantly updated, and the amount of conversations going on, forums can definitely contribute to the information overload syndrome, and end up being a severe time waster. Just like any interaction, I guess it’s vital to keep focused on why you are there, and what you want to get out of it.
As soon as I read your comment on my site….
“Dude, I think eliminating distractions is what has ultimately caused my blog to hit the dirt, because none of you bastards comment anymore – and it’s for the better”
….I spit coffee out onto my keyboard and then rushed over here to comment. That was awesome! lol
Dude, I still read your blog, but to cut back on distractions and allow more time for projects I have been staying inside G-Reader to read blogs. lol I haven’t deserted you man! lmao
I’ve seen you kickin’ it up a notch on a couple forums man. You’re adding some valuable content as well which is key!
Cheers man! Thanks for the laugh! Hit me up later tonight on Skizzype.
Jay
SuiteJs last blog post..Day 11: Are You Still On Track?
@SuiteJ – Haha, you know I gotta subtly remind you every now and then to give me some comment love! Dude, everyone has really stepped it down on the blogging tip lately, and to me this is a good sign – because it means we’re all being productive with things that make money, rather than blogging and networking which is how we all met in the first place.
Yeah dude, I’m setting up myself on the forums strategically to get ready to launch some info products, one of which we need to talk about in the next day or two.
Elijahs last blog post..Why You Should Start Fondling The Forums
Eli!!!!!
Comment love in full flow now. I too saw your mini grumble on the ol’ big heads site and thought it was about time I put something in print for you.
After losing all my content on NB just before xmas, I too am stepping down from the blogging tip. That, to me, is more of a time sink than the forums. I know who my friends are online and I agree that we are all in the same boat. Less talk, more productivity. Here’s to a big year of online earnings.
Liking your most recent flipper btw! I look forward to seeing what other tricks you have up your sleeve.
2009 – The Year of The Hood! You know it 😉
Nota Bene Consultings last blog post..Who The Hell Is Flurrie Creative?
Hey E
Great post as always. One thing I didn’t consider was making money by marketing to fellow forum members. Definitely gotta give this one some thought.
Tell V I said hi.
T
T! What up man? I can’t remember the last time I saw you around these ways – we gotta catch up sometime dude.
People make a killing marketing to other forum members.. it’s been going on since the birth of forums, and continues to go on now. Definitely something worth looking into.
Elijahs last blog post..Why You Should Start Fondling The Forums
@NotaBene – Dude, something’s been acting up with my askimet, it keeps blogging all the hoodies – I didn’t even know you had left a comment! I had no idea you lost your content on NB! That sucks bro, sorry to hear that.
That’s why I’ve got my DB manager plug in sending me a backup weekly, just in case!
Less talk, more productivity.
I definately like to check out niche forums. Very helpful for ideas for posts. It is very important to go in after doing your research. Before throwing in a question be sure it hasn’t been answered many times. Do a search. Also, be specific with questions.
Gennaros last blog post..8 Presidential Inauguration Locations To Visit
Yeah I hear you son! Them forums be on like donkey kong boyeeeeeeeee.
I don’t mess with them much myself, but you know…I may have to work them into the rotation kid.
Normal Joes last blog post..Are You Killing Your Success By Planning To Fail?
@Joe – for sure man.. the power is ridiculous, but at the same time they can also be the killer of production, just like blogging, twitting and anything else socially oriented… If you go in with the intention of marketing to the forums and making connects, than you’ll be fine…
Elijahs last blog post..Less Talk, Less Love, More Money!
@ Gennaro – yeah, people will definitely rip into you if you ask a question that has been answered 37 times in other threads. It’s common forum courtesy to do your research first, and post your question as a last resort.
Elijahs last blog post..Less Talk, Less Love, More Money!
Thanx a lot for the post. I like internet forums but I am new to blogging. Normally I post on forums on Anthropology and History. Joined Site Point forums a few months back. But I find talking about blogging a bit boring. Takes the fun out of it.
Jhangoras last blog post..Τα ελληνικά δεν είναι ελληνικά για με
I’d rather join you in life.
Elijahs last blog post..20 Site Flips In 30 Days
hello
im new on this forum….