Getting blog traffic comes from many sources, from having ads on other blogs, to leaving relevant comments on other blogs and posting your latest updates on social media. Another option is to use forums. While this is sometimes seen as a more old-fashioned way to get blog traffic, it still works today, though you need to be careful how you do it. The number one rule is that you don’t spam people with your blog link, but instead interact on the forum naturally and simply make your blog link available.
Add a Link to Your Signature and Profile
To start using a forum for blog traffic, have a link to your blog in your signature. All you really need is a link and the title of your blog, as well as a short line that explains what it is. However, this can quickly turn into spam, so be brief and don’t have a long paragraph asking people to click the link. As you start becoming more involved in the forum, people might get interested and check out your blog. You should also create a full profile on the forum, filling out as much information as possible, and also including a link to your blog when it asks for one.
Start New Threads
This is by far one of the best things you can do on a forum when you want people to click your link. When you start a thread, it gets you noticed and others will see your signature more often. While responding to threads is also important, if you start the thread, your post and signature link is going to be the first thing everyone sees when they click on it. Make sure it is a thread that offers value to the forum, instead of just starting a random thread just for the sake of starting one. People will notice quickly if it seems like you are doing this only to promote.
Respond to Other Threads
Find other threads on the forum where a question is asked that you can answer, or that are looking for people to contribute to the conversation. Similar to when you start a thread, don’t just respond to every single posts on the forum. Choose the ones where you can be helpful and add value. Look for threads about the type of niche you are in, where you have expertise and can offer a different angle about a topic that others might not have considered.
Remain Active in the Forums
It is important that you don’t just sign up for forums, respond to a bunch of threads, then leave. You need to remain consistent if you want the forums to work well for you. Try to revisit the forum on a regular basis, looking for new threads and starting new ones as needed. Also return to respond to others that might have mentioned you in a reply or asked you a question specifically. This will help to avoid you looking like you are promoting.
Don’t Self-Promote
Spamming is never allowed on forums, so if the owner of the forum believes you are only there to promote your blog, you will likely get banned and will not be able to participate in the conversations there. This is why it is so important to be helpful and engage with others on the forum, without ever mentioning your blog or asking people to click on your link. Just having it in the signature can give others a good reason to click the link.
Forums can be a useful tool in obtaining targeted traffic to your blog or website. It is a bit more time consuming, but the rewards can be very beneficial.
