How to Use a Forum to Build Your Reputation

If you're fond of talking to people in your niche, then a forum is the go-to place for you. I love forums. They provide endless opportunities to enjoy what I do - interacting with fellow marketers and spending my time learning new tricks that I had never considered before. They also provide an ample opportunity to build your reputation and create a brand that will help you make sales down the road.




Finding the Right Forums



Start with the authority forums in your niche. There are usually a handful of really good sites that stand out for a niche. Look for forums with more than 5,000 members, threads with more than 1,000 replies, and the oldest post being at least 3-4 years old. This will ensure it has an established history and lots of good Google Rankings for its threads.



Additionally, make sure the forums you participate on allow you to post a signature link at the bottom of each of your posts. These signature links will allow you to place links back to your website and get direct traffic from any posts you make.



Writing Posts on Forums You Like



When you start writing posts on a forum, look for threads that have valid questions, engaging content, and a place for you to make a post. Don't just find the longest thread you can and post a "yeah me too" type of comment. Find threads that are filled with valid commentary and then expand on it with your own.



Adding Value to a Forum



What does "value" mean for a forum? It means giving as much as you get out of it. You can write a few comments that simply agree with the writer of the post, but you should also create your own posts, develop questions for other writers, and help other commenters who need help with various aspects of the niche. Look for ways to be a helpful member of that community and people will start to take notice.



Forum posting goes two ways. You can either read things and provide very little value or you can write content and get involved in an ongoing conversation that builds you up as an expert in your field. Option number two is the way to go. You get free links, recognition and some nice plugs in the search engines if someone searches for you. Plus, people will start coming to you for advice - a sure way to boost your business's success.

Get the most out of your forum marketing and boost the profile of your Christian home business by visiting Annie Betteridge and her profile boosting website today.