Part 2 of 3: Free Ways to Catapult Your Site\\\'s Traffic

You probably just finished reading Part 1 of this series, which spoke about how to use social bookmarking to increase your site's traffic. If not, click here to do so. As mentioned, the next step in this series is to give you an introduction to forum marketing and give you tips on how to use it to increase your website's traffic.Forum marketing although, not instantly gratifying, has many powerful benefits.

1. You can test your audience. When I first started posting on forums, I used them as a method of testing the quality of my website and products I was offering. A lot of times you will be amazed at the feedback you receive. Forums are a good starting point for testing new ideas and new marketing strategies at no cost.
2. Make recommendations. I mentioned before that using forum marketing is not instantly gratifying. The reason is because when you join a forum, it takes time to build a credible profile. Not only, do the members have to get to know you, but it takes time to build up the reputation of being an expert in your field. Whether you've just started being active in a forum or if you've been a member for some time, it's important to never self-promote. The point is to be helpful to people by providing them with useful advice and good recommendations. By doing so, you're also building your reputation as an expert in the field. In turn, people will trust the recommendations you make and be more willing to buy them.
3. Build a solid network. The last major advantage of being in a forum is that you're able to build a large, solid network. You're likely to encounter the people in your field or industry. You'll be able to keep up with the latest industry news and quite possibly, join with other members in business ventures.

Forum marketing, although not the quickest way to get your first sale, is one of the best seeds that you can plant as a newbie in internet marketing. Through the forums, you have the opportunity to build your reputations and credentials as a major player in your industry. By doing so you will become trusted and more people will be in favor of backing the products your recommend.