The Value of Forums

There are literally thousands of online forums that cover a wide range of topics. Forums provide individuals, who share a common interest, with a meeting place for open discussion, and a great gathering spot for "water cooler" talk. When used properly forums can be an excellent business tool and resource. By providing well thought out, helpful responses posters can develop a reputation as an industry expert. Establishing a reputation within forums will eventually lead to solid business contacts and relationships.

Forums, online discussion groups, can be found on many websites. Companies, individuals or groups often have their own web-based forums, which are a good source of technical information or just general discussions. They can be closed for private use only or open to anyone to post messages, which are usually sorted within different categories, or topics. Posting to forums is obviously effective when an immediate answer is not required. Forum can be found by searching for topic or subject with the word 'forum' or 'forums'. Forums are a great way to participate in a community that is discussing a particular topic, or communicate with a group of people interested in the same topic.

Rules & Regulations

Before you post to a forum its important that you read the Charter or description of the forum and determine what is appropriate. It is probably not a bad idea to monitor a newsgroup for a few days prior to posting. Understanding what is accepted or not accepted in each newsgroup will go a long way in befriending the participants.

Forum Etiquette

Spam is generally frowned upon, if you require information on general forum etiquette I'd encourage you to read the article at: http://www.small-business-software.net/etiquette.htm . Rules and etiquette can vary from one group to another, so don't assume what is acceptable in one, is acceptable in another.

Some forums require that you register and provide contact information in order to post a message or respond to messages. The registration is typically simple and requires that you submit general information. An email confirmation is required in order to confirm the information; once the confirmation is responded to posting privileges are granted. Some forums do not require registration and you can post anonymously.

What to Look for In a Forum

Because time is valuable it is best to frequent forums that have a lot of traffic, this will ensure that any posts receive maximum exposure for little effort. The most recent posts should be have current dates and it should be clear that there is regular activity on the board.

Moderated Forums

Some forums are moderated, which means posts are approved prior to being made public. This means that if you post to a moderated forum, there will likely be a delay between the submission and the posts appearance in the forum. Moderated forums tend to have a lower 'noise' ratio and have less off-topic posts. The downside to moderated forums is that like moderated newsgroups they are usually less popular because of the lag time between posts.

Signature Line

Most newsgroups allow for posters to include a signature on any posts. This is your opportunity to mention your products and services. Use this as an opportunity to tell other forum visitors what you want them to know. Be sure to provide an url to your website, as the link will not only refer potential clients but it will help search engine ranking.

Finding Forums

Forums can contain generic information or be very topic specific. Try the following resources to find forums that meet your needs.

Forum Directory - http://www.small-business-software.net/forum-directory.htm

Forum Directory - http://www.forumdirectory.com

Forum Search - http://www.forumsearch.tk

About The Author

Sharon Housley manages marketing for NotePage, Inc. http://www.notepage.net a company specializing in alphanumeric paging, SMS and wireless messaging software solutions. Other sites by Sharon can be found at http://www.softwaremarketingresource.com , and http://www.small-business-software.net

In The News:

Community forums scheduled for three district merger
Herkimer Evening Telegram
Speaking during Wednesday night's board of education meeting, interim Herkimer Superintendent of Schools Gary Tutty said community forums will take place on June 6 at Jarvis High School in Mohawk, July 25 at Herkimer High School, Aug.
State approves three-school merger study in Herkimer CountyWKTV

all 6 news articles »

Cobb candidate forums kick off campaign season
Atlanta Journal Constitution
By Janel Davis The Cobb County NAACP and the East Cobb Civic Association will host candidate forums next week for county candidates running for office in July. The NAACP forum begins at 7 pm on Tuesday at the county government building, 100 Cherokee ...

and more »

Assembly candidate impersonator ruffles feathers at Marin forum
San Jose Mercury News
By Jessica Bernstein-Wax, Marin Independent Journal Activist Jonathan Frieman ruffled some feathers last week when he participated in a forum for the Assembly, congressional and Marin supervisors' races, proclaiming himself to be a write-in candidate ...

and more »

Fifth Astana Economic Forum opens in Kazakhstan
Gazeta.KZ
"The range of discussions of the Astana forum has expanded, since Kazakhstan has become a retransmitter of wide Eurasian look. This became especially important with the creation of a customs union," the president said. This year the Astana Economic ...

and more »

Forums Set for Keokuk Supt. Search
Tri States Public Radio
By Jason Parrott Keokuk residents have several opportunities to weigh in on the search for a new school superintendent. The school board has hired Ray & Associates to help the district find a replacement for Doctor Lora Wolff.


WFMY News 2
Greensboro Holds GPAC Forums
WFMY News 2
Seventy-five people showed up at two forums on Thursday to hear the pitch in person, a third took place later in the day. The performing arts center or "GPAC" would have 2500 to 2,8000 seats, and is being proposed for downtown Greensboro.

and more »

WTSP 10 News
Education public forum tonight in Tampa
WTSP 10 News
Tampa, Florida -- Florida Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson will be in Tampa tonight to meet face to face with parents and teachers as part of a series of public forums regarding the state of public education and the higher standards set for ...
Education officials unveil website, blogs for parents in wake of low FCAT scoresThe Florida Current

all 140 news articles »

Diablo 3 Forum $65 Weekly Contest | Win to Buy the Diablo3 Game
San Francisco Chronicle (press release)
The weekly contest involves people posting on the forums and whoever posts the most quality and numerous posts wins $65 to buy the Diablo 3 game. Northridge, CA (PRWEB) May 22, 2012 Diablo 3 is a great game but some people can't afford to play it.

and more »

Forum confirms school tax proposal is not supported
Examiner.com
Over three hundred people showed up on Monday night for an early forum of School Superintendent candidates at First Methodist-Ocala. Attendees learned that not one candidate dares to seriously support the proposed tax measure.

and more »

HNN Huntingtonnews.net
Coal Forum kicks off statewide events
Daily Mail - Charleston
The West Virginia Coal Forum held the first of three statewide events billed as "Stop the EPA's War on Coal" in Charleston Tuesday to encourage more public action and support for the industry. "We all need to elevate our game," said Chris Hamilton, ...
Charleston hosts one of several Coal Forum meetingsWOWK

all 30 news articles »
Google News


Better Links Directory


The Importance of Forum Participation in Promoting an Internet Business

Many internet business owners are really lost when doing anything... Read More

Join A Songwriting Forum - Its A Good Idea!

If you are a songwriter looking to get "plugged-in" to... Read More

Some Quick Tips to Easily Improve the Success of Your Forum!

It is difficult to define a 'successful forum'. However, all... Read More

The Benefits of Hiring Forum Posters

There are many business benefits to be realized by including... Read More

Seven Must Follow Rules While Participating In Message Boards

Participating in message boards (forums) discussions is a great way... Read More

Business Forums

Forums are a community where a group of webmasters can... Read More

Internet Forums - Six Ways To Avoid Disaster

Internet Forums are highly popular, they cater for all tastes... Read More

Why You Should Use (Not Abuse) Forums to Increase Your Traffic

There are dozens of reasons why you should look up... Read More

Whats The Deal With Discussion Lists For Writers? (Part One)

Are they really free? Are they actually helpful? Why do... Read More

How To Get Free Advertising By Participating In E-mail Discussion Lists

Posting messages to e-mail discussion lists is a great way... Read More

Forums: How DO You Get People to Post!?

Running a web forum is no easy task. If you... Read More

Search for Business Partners Effortlessly

With the internet revolution ushering in new modes of communication... Read More

Using Message Boards Properly

We all have our own reasons for joining message boards.... Read More

3 Reasons Why PHP Message Boards Rock

If you are web designer, chances are you include forums... Read More

Intro to Health Forums

Health forums are great for gathering information, resources, advice, tips... Read More

Five Tips to Launching a Successful Message Forum

Forums a.k.a. "message boards" can be great marketing tools for... Read More

The Demise of EZBoard

For years, EZBoard was a community that offered relatively cheap... Read More

Milton Keynes - A City For The Future?

The two main features of Milton Keynes which distinguish it... Read More

How to Market on Forums and Message Boards Without Upsetting Anyone

Believe it or not, you can market on forums and... Read More

Whats The Deal With Discussion Lists for Writers? (Part Two)

What Are the Advantages and/or Drawbacks of Subscribing to Discussion... Read More

Dont Over Accesorize Your Forums; Give it Community Content

Have you been to those forums where when it opens... Read More

Forum Software 101 - Why It is Vitally Important to Choose the Best Software to Run your Forum

When you go through all of the work and trouble... Read More

Forums ? Should You Have Them On Your Website?

Forums have become a common feature in many websites. With... Read More

Forum - A Free Way to Get Traffic

Forum is a gathering of people normally have a common... Read More

Reward Your Forum Moderators

If you are a forum administrator and you have moderators... Read More