I only spent about 10 minutes a day on the discussion forum, but with that little effort I was able to successfully direct forum traffic to my blog on a daily basis.
It all happened because I had a plan and I stuck to it. It wasn't just about adding quality content , it was about 10 different things.
I am active
In order to get traffic from the forum, you should be present and post content at least a few times a week. The more active you are, the more traffic you will get. I post content three times a day.
I use signature
I have a link in my signature. Most of the traffic to my blog (from the discussion forum) comes from people clicking on this link. I always add links to blog posts related to the discussion forum.
I start a new topic
Connecting with other people and participating in discussions is important, but creating new topics is even more important. Every time I create a new topic, I get more than 10 comments and my traffic gets even higher because the new trending topic makes me more visible.
I use old post
Old posts can have 20 or more comments. When you join an old discussion, all subscribers to this post will be notified that there is new message on this post (if they have not unsubscribed). And the post will jump to the top of the post list, and even more people will see it and join the discussion.
But please read the forum rules. Some forums don't like members topping posts to game the system for their own benefit.
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I have added my blog feed
In my profile, I added my blog feed so that there is always a link (and title) to my latest blog post just below my username and in all messages I post on the discussion forums.
I am always brief
I don't usually read long posts, I believe most people are looking for short, straight to the point answers (and questions). Therefore, I keep my writing brief and I try to keep it to just a few sentences in each comment I post. But I always try to add quality content.
I am always positive
I always stay positive no matter what people write. I will do my best to answer any questions. Nothing good will come from being arrogant or negative. It is important to understand that there will always be people who are completely new to the topic and there will also be people with years of experience.
It’s all about helping
Whenever I post a comment I always want to help, that's why I'm here in the first place. I usually never post any links to my own blog posts (I already have two links, one to my latest blog post and one in my signature). It's important not to self-promote (people don't like that, they won't read what you say).
I'll try my best to follow up
When I add a comment or start a thread, I follow that thread and read most of the new comments. If I can add more value to the thread, I will do so.
Add value to my profile
I added information about myself, like who I am, where I'm from, and what my hobbies are. I also added a picture of myself (an avatar, which shows up next to all my messages). People want to know who they are communicating with. Be yourself and make it personal (not a character).
So those are the 10 ways I use to drive traffic from forums to my blog. Now, let me ask you a question: Are you using discussion forums? If so, how are you using them?
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