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Forum marketing outside IM/MMO niche and signature links

by thebarksmeow
12 replies
We all know forum marketing is a very effective method for generating traffic. However, is it just me or is finding niche forums (other than the IM/MMO niche) that allow promotional/commercial signatures hard to find? I'm currently working with the baby niche and I went through about 9 forums. Only one of them allowed a promotional sig and that was with a $10/year membership.
#forum #im or mmo #links #marketing #niche #signature
  • Profile picture of the author Adie
    Most bigger and active forums on specific niches does not allow forum promotional signatures for some reason. And I agree with you. It's hard to find.
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    Moderator's Note: You're only allowed to put your own products or sites in your signature.

    Signature edited.
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    • Profile picture of the author pdrs
      Originally Posted by Adie View Post

      Most bigger and active forums on specific niches does not allow forum promotional signatures for some reason.
      It's a pretty obvious reason

      I don't doubt that the OP is a very scrupulous dude(ette) and would go out of their way to provide value to the community, but the 99 other people who sign-up to the forum looking for a sig link most likely will not.

      I run a forum in a niche outside of IM and one of the first things we realized after launch is that #1 we needed good anti-spam protection and #2 lots of "real people" still just wanna sign-up to plug whatever it is in their sig and were doing nothing for the forum.
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      RemoteControlHelicopterReviews.(com/net) - Up for sale! No reasonable offer refused. Great branding for a super hot niche!
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      • Profile picture of the author thebarksmeow
        Originally Posted by pdrs View Post

        It's a pretty obvious reason

        I don't doubt that the OP is a very scrupulous dude(ette) and would go out of their way to provide value to the community, but the 99 other people who sign-up to the forum looking for a sig link most likely will not.

        I run a forum in a niche outside of IM and one of the first things we realized after launch is that #1 we needed good anti-spam protection and #2 lots of "real people" still just wanna sign-up to plug whatever it is in their sig and were doing nothing for the forum.
        I get what you're saying. Just like I said... I found one that allowed a promotional sig with a $10/annual fee. I have no problem with that. That's great. Forums could also have like a 50 post minimum before you're able to have a promotional sig or something. However, most just don't allow it all. It's their site, so they have that right. It's just that every post that refers to traffic methods always mentions forum marketing, solo ads, adswaps, etc. When a lot of those methods really apply to the IM/MMO niche. Us Non-IM folk need our own sub-section lol.

        P.S. I'm a dude
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  • Profile picture of the author success with anthony
    Post above explains why ^^^

    Forum marketing is one thing but take a look here were all doing it even me!

    If your working outside the IM niche and want quality traffic then its best to go find a top blog and ask if they sell media buys.

    Ask to do a test run on say 300 clicks.

    If it goes well order more.

    Tailor your landing page to the blog owners layout but with your own message and optin of course have a strong funnel be it your product or an affiliate product with good follow ups and generally you will get good results plus buyers on your list.

    Sure it costs money but on a well targeted blog to what your selling or promoting then you can make that back on the test run.
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  • Profile picture of the author bigballin6161
    Amen I just was on a weight loss forum for a few hours this morning with a sig back to a squeeze and I go back after reading this thread and my sig is gone! I was giving usefull info too not a bunch of spam...any way to get around this?
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    • Profile picture of the author thebarksmeow
      Originally Posted by bigballin6161 View Post

      Amen I just was on a weight loss forum for a few hours this morning with a sig back to a squeeze and I go back after reading this thread and my sig is gone! I was giving usefull info too not a bunch of spam...any way to get around this?
      Make sure you read the rules.
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  • Profile picture of the author kdbbdl
    Banned
    Most forum dosnt allow that for new members
    you have to contribuate on the forum
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  • Profile picture of the author paul nicholls
    that certainly maybe the case but forums should only really be part of your overall traffic strategy so 1 forum is all you need

    as long as there are lots of members then $10 per year is nothing

    as long as you have a good squeeze page set up in your signature then you will do fine but you should always be building traffic up in other areas too

    paul
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    FREE REPORT===>> 7 Reasons Why You Will probably Fail Online This year
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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      Depending on the forum and your offer, you may be able to two-step the process.

      For example, if I were in the IM/MMO market and this forum did not allow sigs, here's how I would do it...
      • On my profile, link my 'home page' to my landing page.
      • In general conversation, let drop that [subject] is what I do. Not as a promo, but as kind of a 'here's why you should listen to me' deal.
      • You can also drop casual references to info in your freebie, if you offer one, when answering questions.
      • Let people ask you how to get said freebie.
      • This one you'll have to either test or check with the moderator(s) - either refer them to your profile page or, if allowed, post your landing page link.

      Provide value and let people know you have more to offer without being pushy or promotional, and the ones you really want will find you.

      This whole scenario is based on you being in the forum for more that a quick plug in the first place. If you're just looking for a place to drop links, it's too much work.
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  • Profile picture of the author louie6925
    I disagree with some of the posts, forum marketing is actually worse in the IM niche. My forum marketing activities took off once deciding to move away from the whole IM/MMO niche.

    The trouble is as the OP states is finding the right forum which allows sigs for your niche, so you need a way round that, and thats what I did, rather than finding a forum to fit the niche, I found a niche(s) to fit the forum!

    For example, you can go to a site called biglists dot com, which lists all the busiest forums worldwide, all you need to do is find the busiest forums which allow sigs and let that dictate your niche.

    However be warned you can't just do this overnight, once you have got your forum and niche together you need to understand that you are going to have to study these niches and become efficient within that subject as the whole idea of successful forum marketing is to provide value to the community of that forum. If you are not prepared to do that, then forum marketing isn't for you! nobody in any niche appreciates someone spamming their forum. i.e. if someone is asking a question you need to make sure you answer that question and then some, a line here and there will get you banned.

    If you are like me, you will also get alot from it yourself, expanding your knowledge and joining in with a community can also be an awarding pass time, but as I said, this isn't something you can just go and start doing, you DO need to provide value, be friendly and research what you talk about......very easy to get found out if you don't!
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    Feel free to chat if you live in the UK I may have something for you!
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  • Profile picture of the author Todd Pedersen
    I disagree with some of the posts, forum marketing is actually worse in the IM niche. My forum marketing activities took off once deciding to move away from the whole IM/MMO niche.

    The trouble is as the OP states is finding the right forum which allows sigs for your niche, so you need a way round that, and thats what I did, rather than finding a forum to fit the niche, I found a niche(s) to fit the forum!
    I think the question really becomes what google searches could one use to find such forums. Search ideas that come to mind are

    "BB Code is on" keyword
    "smilies are on" keyword
    etc...

    Just look at all off the footprints that forums leave and search for them.
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  • Profile picture of the author Michaelangelo Flores
    From my experience - forum 'marketing' may be effective but I don't believe it to be efficient.

    I thought to myself - the time I spend typing posts and replying to certain things can be spent writing an article of shooting a video instead.

    Forums though, are where I learn some stuff I can't find usually after looking through the search engines. I also met some JV's and also employees through forums.

    But as a straight up 'marketing' strategy, I do believe there are much more efficient was to 'market'.

    I did a blog post about it recently explaining in further detail why I'd rather not use forum 'marketing' as a primary strategy.
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    Blogging With Attitude - Michaelangelo Flores Official Blog

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