By Elaine Currie
Copyright 2005 Elaine Currie
Free Internet advertising is sought after by most Internetmarketers and one readily available source of free Internetadvertising is the Internet forum. For Internet marketingnovices, I'll briefly explain how free Internet advertising isobtained from Internet forums.
Basically, Internet forums are message boards where members canexchange information, obtain advice or just chat. There areInternet forums to cater for every topic you would care toimagine (and a few you would probably prefer not to dwell on).The Internet marketer advertises his product simply by postingmessages on the forums. There are some Internet forums thatforbid the posting of advertisements but, on many of theseforums, it is still possible to obtain free Internet advertisingby use of a signature file. The signature file is a short pieceof text which can contain a link to a website and which can beannexed to every posting a member makes on a forum messageboard.
If you have never tried forums as a source of free Internetadvertising, you should bear in mind that there is an unwrittencode of etiquette which need to be observed. The following aresome of the unwritten rules which need to be followed if youintend to use forums for free Internet advertising for yourbusiness.
Read the Forum Rules
You need to read the rules of any Internet forum before you tryto post a message there. I know this sounds obvious but it isclear that many forum users don't bother to read the rules,despite the fact that the forum registration process inevitablyincludes a requirement for the applicant to check a boxindicating that the forum rules have been read and will beadhered to. Don't just sign up with the idea of getting as muchfree Internet advertising as possible from the forum. Manyforums prohibit the posting of affiliate urls anywhere apartfrom in the members' forum signature file. If you become amember of one of these forums without reading the rules andstart posting your affiliate urls in messages, you will quicklyfind yourself labelled a "spammer". In case you didn't know,spammers are considered to be the lowest of the low on theInternet. If there was a virtual prison for Internet crime,Internet advertising spammers would have to be kept in solitaryconfinement for their own protection.
Lurk Before You Leap
Internet forum etiquette demands that you spend a little time"lurking" ie logging in at the forum and reading previous andcurrent threads before you even think of starting to use theforum for free Internet advertising. Although lurking is not anofficial rule of Internet forums, it is largely accepted as anessential part of the unwritten code of behaviour. The practiceis very useful. Lurking will enable you to get the feel of how aforum works, you will be able to ascertain the tone of themessages, the type of subject matter which is welcomed and thelevel of expertise of other forum members. You might even findthat a particular forum is not for you and this could save youthe embarrassment of posting an inappropriate message on theforum.
Be Subtle
You know that you are visiting the forum merely for the freeInternet advertising for your website but it is better not tomake this obvious if you want other members to react well toyour advertising. Forums are rather like private clubs wheremembers strike up friendships and make business deals. If yourush in waving your "FREE INTERNET ADVERTISING" placard you willnot become popular, other members will consider you to be anabuser of their "club". You will do much better if you quietlyintroduce yourself and keep the free Internet advertising downto a whisper in your signature file.
Remember Your Manners
How hard is it to say "thank you"? If you visit a forum andreceive valuable advice which helps you in some way, take amoment to post a brief message of thanks to your advisor. Ifsomeone helped you out of a spot in the bricks and mortar worldyou would thank them. Remember that people who post on Internetforums are real too and they are under no obligation to helpyou. It is as easy to make a friend with a warm word as it is tocreate an enemy with a harsh word and you never know when youmight meet these people again.
Help Whenever You Can
Help other people whenever you can. Even if you don't have anyspecialist knowledge, you will find occasions when you can passon good advice. If you received advice that took you to asolution, post a message to say how the advice helped and whatsteps you followed to sort things out, this will act as asignpost for other people who might find themselves in similardifficulties. Even though you joined the forum with the idea ofusing it merely as a form of free Internet advertising, maketime to give something back. People will be more inclined totake an interest in your advertising if you become known as ahelpful type. What goes around comes around and, in any event,the reputation of being a problem-solver is a bit of freeInternet advertising in its own right.
Be Moderate
The majority of Internet forums have moderators to ensure thatmembers stick to the rules. The job of a forum moderator is tokeep the content of the forum appropriate. Remember, it is notjust a place where you can indulge in free Internet advertising,so keep your messages within the forum rules. Any graffitiposted by members will be cleaned up by the moderators so thatthe forum environment is preserved for all members to enjoy. Ifyou wish to retain the respect of your fellow forum members,make sure your posts never need to be cleaned up, be your ownmoderator. As well as sticking to the forum rules on content,you should also keep your messages moderate in tone. TheChambers dictionary includes the following definitions of"moderate": kept within measure or bounds; not excessive orextreme; temperate. If you avoid drama and pathos in your forumposting and keep your messages moderate, you will not attract"flamers" and you can quietly enjoy your free Internetadvertising.
Ration Your Reading
Internet forums can be addictive. There is a serious danger thatyou might log in to a forum with the idea of posting a messageor two in order to get your daily ration of free Internetadvertising but, the next thing you know is that half an hourhas passed by while you have been engrossed in reading. There isnothing inherently wrong with spending time reading posts madeby other forum members, it's free entertainment and that's fine.The problem is that, if you are trying to run an Internetmarketing business and you lose yourself on forums for half anhour every day, you will be wasting something like half a dayduring the course of each week for the sake of posting a coupleof links back to your website. That is not an economical use ofyour time. In fact, if you account for the value of your time,you will find you are actually paying a high price for your freeInternet advertising on forums.
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