Forums can be time consuming and may even be called as “unproductive” but as a blogger and freelance writer, I have always felt that forums are such a great place to get so many things done. I have always recommended people to join forums in my previous blog posts.
In the previous post, I said you can improve blogging by creating a challenge in the forum. But forums are not just for that. Here’s a list of 17 things that comes to my mind quickly when I think of the uses of forum:
People
1. New blogging friends – All A-list bloggers have good blogging friends who will help when needed. If you want to succeed in the blogosphere, you need friends.
2. Joint venture (JV) partners – There are so many people in the forum who either have a product or a huge reader base. You can give them what they don’t have and get benefited.
3. Readers for your blog – Those who become your friends are almost always going to become your blog readers. So the more friends you have, the more blog readers you will have.
4. Guest bloggers to write for you – There will be times when you go for a holiday or need rest from blogging. In these situations, to keep your blog going, you will need guest bloggers.
5. Become popular in the blogosphere by guest posting at others’ blogs – Guest posting in others’ blogs is one of the quick ways for fame.
6. More twitter followers – Who doesn’t need twitter followers these days? Almost every blogger is there in twitter.
7. Create a blog pack – A blog pack is a group of bloggers who are at same level and are willing to help each other. Michael Martine explains blog pack better.
Blogging
8. Get blog post ideas – Almost every thread in the forum is an idea for a blog post.
9. Challenge people in the forum to do something in a certain time along with you – I have written more info on this in the previous blog post. Make sure to check it.
10. Learn how to craft good headlines for blog posts to attract readers – See the way how the new threads are created. Forum users create threads in a way to get more views.
11. Ask your problems and get the solution, which you can post in your blog crediting the one who answered it after asking their permission
12. Create a habit of regular blog posting by regularly posting in forums – When you post regularly to forums, you will learn how to be consistent in posting in your blog.
13. Post a question and create a blog post with answers for that question, which you got in the forum
Business
14. Buy blogs – In forums like digital point and site point, many blogs come up for sale. If you have idea for buying a blog, check out the forums.
15. Sell blogs – If you have a blog and have no time to update, you can sell the blog for good money.
16. Hire service providers – Forums is the one place where many service providers come together. You can get web designers, writers and many more.
17. Offer your service – If you offer any service like blog consulting or freelance writing, you can let people know by adding a signature, which will be automatically posted at the end of each post. You can read this blog post on the art of getting freelance work from forums where I explain how to get work from forums.
What other reasons do you have for joining a forum? Are you already a member of any forum? Please share your opinion in the comments and also check out blogging tips forum.
Forums can be a great way to get post ideas. Some of the best conversations spring up in forum format, and then go off on different tangents…each tangent should be looked at as a blog post for the astute blogger.
Matt
Twitter has been a great way for small-time bloggers to get a bit more exposure, not much when you have only a few followers but they turn out to be very loyal according to Google Analytics
Also your point on "every thread title is a potential blogpost" – I cannot agree more on this! Sometimes all you need is to pay a bit of attention to what others want to read – and you can create one of the best articles out there..
..Who knows, it just might go big on the viral market
Great post, thanks for the ideas.
I am a member of Forum Finder. (http://www.forumfinder.net/SMF/index.php) One section of Forum Finder is a very active blog comment exchange. It's a great way to find new blogs to read, and make new blogging friends while gaining traffic and readers to your blog.
Your blog is without a doubt one of the most informative and helpful blogs out there. I truly appreciate your content. I am always trying to look to improve my knowledge and strategy to make my own business stronger. I am never disappointed when I come here. Thank You and Keep up the good work
With the forum we have a lot benefits.we have so many friends, increase knowledge, add backlink that dofollow, get traffic and a wide range of other benefits