7 Reasons You Should be Participating in Internet Marketing Forums — A SEO-News Exclusive
Here are 7 reasons you should consider being an active participant in Internet marketing forums. Each of the reasons is a valuable step in the entire process of becoming a successful Internet marketer. If you can master the entire process, you will have a distinct advantage over your competition in all your future ventures.
1. Copy Other Successful Marketers and Their Techniques
The number one reason is copying those that are already successful. This may sound unethical, but it’s simply researching what works. What better place to find what’s working than from those already succeeding? This doesn’t mean go to a website and download their pictures or copy their text! It means reverse engineer their strategies and then use that knowledge to form your own.
2. Ask for Tips, Advice, and Learn from Other Marketing Forum Participants
Always ask questions! You will get bad advice, advice that borders on good, and then that one hidden gem which will make you understand what your goals are just a little bit better. Be careful, there is often misleading advice mixed in with the sincere. Always remember that internet marketing forums are filled with your competition! Not everyone will be there to help you.
3. Make Friends and Form Partnerships with Marketing Forum Participants
Making friends is an ideal way to gain information on how to be a successful marketer. Through internet marketing forums you can make friendships and form partnerships. You’re many times more likely to get credible information from a friend and partner than you are a stranger or competitor. If you can’t beat them, join them!
4. Stay Current with the Latest Developments in Your Industry
Are you up-to-date with the latest trends in Internet marketing and SEO? Do you know exactly how to deal with the latest Google update? It is impossible to stay on top of trends by yourself. You need to be connected. An Internet marketing forum is an ideal venue to find out the most recent news in your industry.
5. Learn How to Start Your Own Forum
I use a web hosting company for one of my websites. I noticed that they run probably the most popular web hosting forum online. It is not obvious that they are the owners, however there are links to their service. How convenient having everybody interested in web hosting, flocking to your web hosting forum for more information. If you want to dominate your niche, it might be a good marketing strategy to start your own forum in your niche. By participating in a good marketing forum you can see how they are run and get an idea on how to run your own forum.
6. Having Fun!
Participating in online forums can be fun and even addictive! You are learning the latest news, getting questions answered, asking questions and engaging in friendly online debates. Blogs like this one are great, but they generally tend to be more one way conversations with a few comments. Forums allow you to start the conversation. You have an equal voice with the person who started the post. Forums are generally much more interactive than blogs which usually translates into more fun!
7. If for No Other Reason, Get Back Links From Your Forum Signature
The final reason and the most obvious reason is to get a few back links. Put the link to your website in your signature and make a few posts every day to keep that link out there for search engines and visitors. Building back links can be difficult, so if you can get a few for free, go for it!