Forum Posting is Still Effective

I think it is still a good way of SEO. Because when i am trying to search sth i dont know or sth i wanna buy/sell. The relevant links, including many forums threads, will bounce out. Because my searching keywords match the content sb once posted in the forum. So it has improved it exposure. Just my point of view. It is not complete and comprehensive. Tks.

I have always used forums to help people rather than dump links and promote my site, I believe a lot of our business comes from word of mouth

I agree that forum posting has its place but many people still argue that good quality links to relevant sites impact on your organic ranking in Google. On this basis (and when I get back from Holiday) I am going to set up a friends of MLF page on my website. I know it

...the value of links from a forum is a bonus. I often go to a number of forums to get feedback, second opinion, and learn a few things.

I understand this very much but the problem is that once I joined a forum then I dont know where to start. As because I dont know anyone in a forum, I could start posting and asking question but the fact is that I felt myself lonely in a big community where everyone talk to each other but not me. For example, if I'm go for a thread, there is something I can help with the question, but seeing everyone talk to each other and I would feel lost. And jump out of that thread.
It's my problem really


Congratz. Is it really growing that fast?

Interesting point, and can be a common problem with a lot of forums, not just business ones.

There's an SEO Forum in particular that I occasionally visit, and is a gold mine of info, but after a few posts, was quickly aware of a very clicky and superior type attitude, and it decends into flaming wars. So now I just lurk in the background.

There's also a large Business Forum that seems to suffer from the same issue at times, maybe too many ego's on one board...

But there are plenty of friendly business forums where people who want to contribute are made to feel welcome, hopefully this is one of them.

But it can be the same in conventional networking, where you have a group of people in a breakfast club, and you can very much feel like an outsider, and have to pay for the privilege!

I've been there more times than you could possibly imagine. There is always going to be a time when you are still getting to know everyone and everyone is getting to know you. If I had a coin for every time I've had the personality of a bowl of fruit on a forum, I'd probably be wealthier then bill gates (erm ok maybe not...)

The way i see it, the best way to get past the generic 'thanks for sharing' post, is to ask a question about the post. If you agree, then share which part you agree with, or what makes more sense to you. it helps moderators immensely because there are a lot of people that really don't want anything to do with the community other than getting the posts they need to link in their sigs. It sets you apart when people can see that you are genuinely trying to be part of the community.

hmmmm, you can help others in the same business niche as you, or start a thread talking about things in general. Communities love to talk to each other so its really cool to have a few new things to talk about every now and again.

I was trying a number of forums but most of them was sent to the ''back yard''. It's really frustrating to go around at first.
I really want to get involved in a forum, make myself a part of it. I wonder when I can do that.
And now I understand why so many link builders went to black hat way

People want results and they want to make money, yesterday. It takes time to bond with a community, and it takes time to get involved to the point that you can add links, etc. It's a case of they want something for nothing. Which is entirely the wrong mind set to come to a forum with. More than likely you won't last long. I was recently promoted to moderator on another forum I frequent, and believe you me, the one thing they emphasize, as well as this forum, or any high quality forum, is that your threads, and 'community service' counts in your favor. People try circumvent that in so many ways, it weakens the forum reputation, which is never good for any forum.

I would think that, with the amount of algos out there that fight link farms, low content sites and content farms etc, as well as the usual Google algos that BH users would see the light and realize that what they're doing is wrong. but doesn't work that way. So its up to us members and moderators to maintain a forum's quality.

I'm gonna be positive. I gonna rock and roll here

Thanks to Raven and Steve for helping me out.