When working with any level of online business, commenting on popular blogs and high traffic forums should be a fundamental part of your Internet Marketing strategy. Once again we see the power of networking at work here, and the same basic rules apply – be relevant, be interesting and don’t “hard sell”.
Whatever business endeavour you’re pursuing, there are numerous forums out there which cater to your field. In these places you can get to know people who are actively interested in your particular subject, and have invested the time necessary to become members of these forums because they really value the information which is available. So, where else would you look to find a more dedicated audience with better potential? Whilst there are a number of forums for each niche, there are still more independent blogs, written and produced by people who are also into your subject. You may consider these people to be competitors in many cases, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t interact with them for overall marketing purposes.
One really important point to always keep in mind when commenting on blogs and forums is that you should be considering the value of the actual content that you post instead of the possible benefits which you may get from the links. This is very important. Some people undertake a commenting strategy with the sole purpose of getting back links. In some instances this may also be technically flawed, but you need to be confident that the content posted next to your individual or corporate name is to the very best standard!
Blog and forum commenting is highly recommended as part of an overall website development strategy. As is the case with blog production in general, or with social media network interaction, the material that you publish will be read and its composition judged. You don’t want to be posting irrelevant comments, or comments that are designed just to get your name out there. There seems to be no point at all in typing “great post”!
Blog owners will usually look at comments with great interest, and forums are almost always moderated by motivated individuals. In every case, whatever you write will have an impact. If you have something contrary to say, make sure that it’s constructive. There’s nothing wrong with being negative as such, so long as it can be viewed as a positive contribution to the conversation in view. Being negative just for the sake of it, or to create some kind of viral controversy isn’t really a good overall marketing technique for you.
You should note that some blogs have installed a “no follow” link policy, which means that if you have a link associated to your post, either in the signature or otherwise, the search engines are being told not to score the link. Most experts in this area recommend that you give more attention to the content of your posts and make sure that they are informative and contributory, rather than worrying about a potential back link to your site.
Initiate a policy of commenting on active blogs and popular forums associated with your niche. Use your competitor’s sites in a creative way to build your credibility as well. Remember, as is the case with many Internet marketing strategies, a subtle yet consistent approach is key.
Michelle Dale is The Managing Director of Virtual Miss Friday, a state-of-the-art Executive Virtual Assistant Service which assists businesses and individuals with every aspect of their enterprising requirements. Do you want to explore these inspiring online business building success strategies? Contact VMF Now!
Tags: (blogs, forums, internet marketing
Tags: (blogs, forums, internet marketing