How regularly do I have to post to be trusted?

[Peter Bestel]

Post count does not equal reputation. We know that. But if you ignore a forum for a period of time, can you retain your rep when you return?

I'd like to put to you a hypothetical, but not uncommon scenario:

I want to market to a specific niche. Amongst my strategies is identifying active forums, becoming a member and contribute to it so as to hopefully add value. I may even get some of my JVs to join in. Nothing unusual in that. However, the product I'm promoting is limited in numbers and once it's sold out I won't have anything else to promote, just yet. I intend to develop more but I'm not sure when I'll get them ready.

So my question is: Should I, and my JV partners, still have to contribute regularly so as to retain the trust we've built up. Or will I be able to pick up where I left off even if it's 3 - 6 months between posts?

Peter

[trafficwave]

Just my 2 cents here, but if you allow 3 to 6 months to go by, you're basically going to be rebuilding your credibility each time you have a new offer to present.

The Internet (and forums like WF) are dynamic environments. People come and go all the time. There are new faces joining on a regular basis and part of establishing and maintaining your credibility should, IMO, include regular interaction overall.

In one way, you could think of this as a similar format to marketing to your lists.

Can you imagine if you continued to add subscribers to your list because of your marketing but then you let your list go cold for 3 to 6 months? Now try and hit that list up out of the blue with an offer. My expectation is that your response rate would be pretty flat as the average attention span online wouldn't have made it through this reply to your post!

They just won't remember you.

[Kyle Tully]

Originally Posted by Peter Bestel

So my question is: Should I, and my JV partners, still have to contribute regularly so as to retain the trust we've built up. Or will I be able to pick up where I left off even if it's 3 - 6 months between posts?

Obviously the more regularly you post good content, the better your rep will be. And you can outsource forum posts for a few dollars, so keeping up a regular posting schedule isn't all that difficult.

But you don't have to post regularly to keep your rep. There are guys on here with 2 posts (spread months apart) that I respect -- and remember -- more than people with 3000+.

Reputation is just as much about quality as quantity and frequency.

[jhongren]

I feel to build trust and credibility, it depends on:
1. Quality if content
2. consistency of posting
3. branding of your name (Sometimes Avatar plays a part in helping us to remember faces..."oh, s/he again! )
4. Genuineness to help (Though it is a written post, people can feel genuineness even across continents)

Cheers,
john

[Dan C. Rinnert]

Three to six months is a long time online.

I think also that people are skeptical if you're only active in a community when you have something to sell. People catch on pretty quick, and I think they'll view you with suspicion if you only frequent communities when you're actively trying to market something. Even if you post helpful, quality posts, you could be viewed with that skepticism.

I don't think frequency is an issue. Consistency is probably more important. If you pop in once a week and post something, and then simply post more frequently when you're marketing something, I think that's less of an issue. The point is that you've maintained a presence in the community and people should recognize you as a regular.

But, disappearing completely for months at a time is less favorable.

[J Elizabeth Dize]

I know that I get annoyed when I see some big name marketers just popping in here when they have something to promote I totally understand why they do, but it's just a pet peeve I have since I feel like it's a trade off between giving and taking. However, it's something we expect since we're all marketers. Just keep in mind how those in the niche forums might view things. They might not even notice if they don't have marketing on their mind...but it likely depends on how you present yourself. Many of them might have peaks and valleys in the amount they post as well They may not notice that you're not around all the time.

[braver55b]

Consistent posting with unique and useful posting is a form of branding yourself so pulling a "disappearing act" is not to your advantage even if you can only post once a day.

[Kevin Riley]

It's not just about posting -- it's about being a part of the community.

[Michael Oksa]

Originally Posted by Kevin Riley

It's not just about posting -- it's about being a part of the community.

And THAT is the answer.

I would dare not try to improve upon it, but...

...it's about being a contributing member of the community.

There are some trolls who are part of the community, but their reputations are not conducive to sales.

~Michael

[Ken Leatherman]

Peter,

As a contributing member of any forum, provided it's a good contribution and not drival, you will build your reputation and earn the trust. As far as the amount of time goes it will depend on you.

Over the last several years I have seen folks come in here: build trust and a reputation with a low post and a short period of times. Then I have seen others come in here and it take months for them to get a reputation and still not have the trust.

I'm confident you understand what we are saying here. Don't make the mistake of thinking this is a one stop shop for you to make a few quick bucks and then disappear. If you earn the trust and the reputation, this can be a foundation for your IM long term business.

Open your eyes and ears to realize you can actually make a full time living here and use it to spread you wings out into other marketplaces. Provided of course you handle it right.

Ken
The Old Geezer

[Johnny Slater]

Originally Posted by Kevin Riley

It's not just about posting -- it's about being a part of the community.

This is exactly it. The rate at which you make posts will not matter in the least if you concentrate on quality when you do post. Many people, myself included, may post daily for a month or so then go 3 to 4 months without a post.

This usually has no effect on reputation because when you do come back and start posting people will look at your posts because they know you have a history of quality information.

The best rule of thumb I go by is to look at the motivation behind my post. If I am making a post just to post something, add to my post count, or just to get my sig link in another thread then I don't post.

[JeremyL]

Aah... the favourite son returns after a long voyage!

The question is 'as a son were you cherished in the first instance before you left?'

I don't think it matters if you're away for a while, it's important that your presence has an affect on others. ie As Ken and Kevin have said, being part of the community.

What was it that I recently read??? Oh yeah, that's right...

"Remember you need to give, give, give, before you can take"

[jjpmarketing]

Here is my opinion... post count doesn't mean diddly for trust. Post count is only good for putting your signature link in front of more eyes... but if the last post was 6 months ago, then that doesn't work either.

For both "trust issue" and the "signature link" comment, it is like a pet. You have to feed it and treat it well. Otherwise it could very well bite your hand and possibly your whole arm off, depending on the size of the pet if you don't treat it well.

So keep feeding it with posts containing good content. So what if you don't have anything to sell or promote to them. This is the most important part of the selling process, of which most marketers fail miserably. You have to use the down time to continue building your relationship with both your existing clients, and your potential future clients.

If you don't have time to make the posts, you are full of it. All it requires is a few posts per day. 3 posts per day would get you 90 posts per month. This would keep your signature link fresh in their eyes even if it didn't have anything to promote. When you do have something to promote, then you won't have to worry about going back and making a boat load of posts. You can then just modify the link with whatever you are promoting. Instant advertising.

[Simon_Sezs]

Originally Posted by Kyle Tully

Reputation is just as much about quality as quantity and frequency.

Amen. Anyone can make posts for posts sake but what about posts that actually matter and mean something?

People take the "trust and credibility" thing to the nth degree as the end all be all when all that really matters is what the poster is saying and whether the reader on the other end is getting anything out of it.

There are people that I can't stand but because I respect what they have to say, I actually take notice and listen.

Bear in mind, this can also be the same for marketing to a list. Everyone harps on trust and credibility but in the end, if your message sucks or is boring (we all want to be entertained), even the most credible person will have a hard time making sales.

Who cares about trust and credibility?....I want to be entertained....

[Jason Moffatt]

Originally Posted by Kevin Riley

It's not just about posting -- it's about being a part of the community.

Yeah, and picking on Kevin Riley!

For some reason, I thought it would be hilarious if you did this video but for no reason just had a bunch of blood all over that white coat, and a knife on the table. And maybe a plate of pork chops. And cheap beer!

YouTube - WarriorForum.com Member Intro: Kevin...

[Andy Money]

I've accumulated gigantic post counts on a lot of sites. Up to 10,000 on one of them. It is more about your networking and status then anything else. Post count does play a part though.

[HeySal]

How regularly do I have to post to be trusted?

LOL - seriously? Um...it depends upon how trustworthy you are I would suppose.

[John Taylor]

Originally Posted by Jason Moffatt

For some reason, I thought it would be hilarious if you did this video but for no reason just had a bunch of blood all over that white coat, and a knife on the table. And maybe a plate of pork chops. And cheap beer!

Jason,

You should know when to stop.. the blood.. the knife.. set a greate scene.

Pork chops and cheap beer?

You turned a Hitchcock into a barbecue! LOL

John

[BIG Mike]

If you've established yourself as a credible member of the community, you'll most likely be remembered after an absence of 3 to 6 months. That would be from members who also participated during that time. You would still need to "Re-establish" yourself somewhat with newer members, but since you've already got a foot in the door, it shouldn't be hard.

Forum members come and go all the time - that doesn't diminish their credibilty, assuming they've done nothing during the interim to tarnish it off site.

While some newbie members here may not think credibility is important in this forum, we've seen numerous members establish their credibility, slowly destroy it and try to return later to rebuild it. Doesn't seem to work.

While I'm probably over-generalizing, more often than not it seems like those newbie members who really work hard to hide their identities turn out to be scammers. It amazes me how some folks want to benefit from the community financially but refuse to really become a part of it.

[Peter Bestel]

Originally Posted by Jenn Dize

I know that I get annoyed when I see some big name marketers just popping in here when they have something to promote

Yes Jenn, I'm in agreement with you, I purposely didn't mention such activities to avoid skewing the discussion, but I believe because they've built credibility outside of the forum, they can get away with it, in the most part.

If that's true, is that what Kevin meant by 'community'?

Originally Posted by Kevin Riley
It's not just about posting -- it's about being a part of the community.

ie beyond the confines of the chosen forum.

Peter

PS Just to clarify - I'm not talking about my own activities within this forum. 1) It's not my market 2) I want to stick around on a regular basis

[Chipt]

Originally Posted by BIG Mike

If you've established yourself as a credible member of the community, you'll most likely be remembered after an absence of 3 to 6 months. That would be from members who also participated during that time. You would still need to "Re-establish" yourself somewhat with newer members, but since you've already got a foot in the door, it shouldn't be hard.

Forum members come and go all the time - that doesn't diminish their credibilty, assuming they've done nothing during the interim to tarnish it off site.

While some newbie members here may not think credibility is important in this forum, we've seen numerous members establish their credibility, slowly destroy it and try to return later to rebuild it. Doesn't seem to work.

While I'm probably over-generalizing, more often than not it seems like those newbie members who really work hard to hide their identities turn out to be scammers. It amazes me how some folks want to benefit from the community financially but refuse to really become a part of it.

Well said IMO.

Just a personal observation and opinion...

And when you sprinkle in a bit of intent [the poster's] with a tad of discernment [by the 'regular members'] and stir in a shake of frequency [so why are you here this time?]...

... The people who are that 'community' here are not stupid... and IMO most or all of the experienced people here can see right through the "I'm-just-here-right-now-because-I-have-something-new-to-peddle" charade.

From what I've seen this scenario of bouncing in just to peddle some new wares is just as common between gurus, guru evangelists, pseudo posters, and newbies alike.

The peculiar paradox to me is that it is many times well tolerated if it's a guru or guru evangelist, but "beginner garden variety forum spammers" are usually deleted pretty fast...

So perhaps in the end, 'reputation' is in the eye of the beholder, just as 'value' and 'beauty' seem to be... and certain people can bend or break certain rules, while others must always 'toe the line' almost robotically..

Chip Tarver

[jjpmarketing]

They should fight the post count inflaters... by simply expiring any counts for posts older than 1 year.

[RickyLM]

One post can do it. Neuro Linguistic Programming or NLP this is good reading for any marketer. Your linguistic skills must be sharp. Your intentions must be felt trustworthy.

[Peter Bestel]

Originally Posted by RickyLM

One post can do it. Neuro Linguistic Programming or NLP this is good reading for any marketer. Your linguistic skills must be sharp. Your intentions must be felt trustworthy.

Funny you should say that Ricky, as there's a man on this forum who's quite the NLP whiz. I think he's a bit busy at the moment as he's not been on for a couple of days - maybe he's filming the last couple of episodes of CSI...?



Which one's Harlan?


Peter