Question: I’ve got a forum and it’s a ghost town. How can I get people to my forum? – NobodyLovesMe
Dear Nobody Loves Me,
Building a forum into a happenin’ place is a LOT of work. Don’t be discouraged if your efforts aren’t paying off yet. It does take time.
That being said, there are ways to boost your forum and keep boosting it, without having to spend a lot of money. Let me share one of my favorite ways to get traffic, writing articles.
You may not be familiar with article sharing. Basically, you write and share your articles with other websites and newsletters that need content. They publish your article with your author resource box (including your website URL). This helps both of you. The website publisher needs interesting, informative content and you need the exposure.
But, what does this have to do with building your forum? It can help you in two ways.
1. In your author bio, include a link directly to your forum so people that click through your link can sign up immediately and get chatting with the other members.
2. Or link to your website and have your forum prominently displayed on every page. The more incoming links you have pointing to your website content, the more important the search engines will think your site is – and you’ll get more natural traffic from google, msn, and yahoo.
So, how do you take advantage of this method of generating traffic? You can start today.
1. Choose a topic. You can even use your own forum posts for inspiration. If you’ve recently answered questions in a post on your forum about any topic, turn it into an article. (Of course you may only use the materials you yourself have written and any and all names should be changed.)
2. Include your Author Resource box. Make sure to think about this part a lot. Many people just skim over it and, frankly, have useless resource boxes. What do you offer to the visitors? Do you have a free incentive for joining? Think this one through. Make it enticing.
3. Submit your Articles. Find article directories where you can share your articles.
4. Then, don’t sit and wait for traffic, repeat the process over and over and watch your forum grow.
The results will be long-lasting as your articles will float around the web for years and years to come.
Monday, 12 March 2012
Saturday, 10 March 2012
An Indispensable Writing Tool
A small but indispensable tool if you're serious about writing is a notebook; I mean the paper kind and not the computer. Yes, that's right, a notebook. It should be carried around whenever you leave your home or office. Here's why:
1. You just don't know when an idea will strike. Unless you have a photographic memory, you'd want to write down that idea immediately so you may study it at a later time. Ideas often come when you are aware of the sights and sounds around you.
2. It's better to write down experiences as much as possible in real time then try to relive and write about it later. For example a first-time visit to a park or rain forest can produce emotions or feelings that would be difficult to duplicate in writing if recalled by memory when it's long over.
3. You might meet an important or exciting personality whom you'd like to quote verbatim. To write about it later out of memory might cause you to misquote the person, which will render your article false. What's worse is that you might draw the ire of the person misquoted.
4. When you have a chosen subject matter, it helps very much to collect information. An article with lots of information endears you to readers, especially those who go to the Internet for information. Jotting down as much information you can get will also give you fodder for more future articles. Information will also generate those all-imortant ideas.
Of course, it goes without saying, that carrying a notebook will entail carrying that other indispensable tool, a pen (or pencil). Carrying these are unobtrusive, lightweight and can easily be retrieved and used.
They may seem old-fashioned, but they work nonetheless.
1. You just don't know when an idea will strike. Unless you have a photographic memory, you'd want to write down that idea immediately so you may study it at a later time. Ideas often come when you are aware of the sights and sounds around you.
2. It's better to write down experiences as much as possible in real time then try to relive and write about it later. For example a first-time visit to a park or rain forest can produce emotions or feelings that would be difficult to duplicate in writing if recalled by memory when it's long over.
3. You might meet an important or exciting personality whom you'd like to quote verbatim. To write about it later out of memory might cause you to misquote the person, which will render your article false. What's worse is that you might draw the ire of the person misquoted.
4. When you have a chosen subject matter, it helps very much to collect information. An article with lots of information endears you to readers, especially those who go to the Internet for information. Jotting down as much information you can get will also give you fodder for more future articles. Information will also generate those all-imortant ideas.
Of course, it goes without saying, that carrying a notebook will entail carrying that other indispensable tool, a pen (or pencil). Carrying these are unobtrusive, lightweight and can easily be retrieved and used.
They may seem old-fashioned, but they work nonetheless.
Thursday, 1 March 2012
11 Quick (and Good) Content Ideas for Your Ezine or Website
Publishing articles, especially via an e-zine, is the ideal opportunity to showcase your business. By sharing your knowledge and expertise, you build credibility as an expert, while spreading the word about your services and products.
While I'm sure that sometimes you have dozens of content ideas, I bet other times you find yourself staring at a blank computer screen, grumbling that it's publishing time again. Well, have no fear! Here are 11 quick (and good) content ideas for when you're in a pinch.
1. Give real-life success stories.
Describe a problem you've solved for a client/customer, and use that as a springboard to offer more general advice. Show your readers how you've helped customers address challenges -- "case studies" if you will. This positions you as the expert in your readers' minds more than your coming out and saying so.
2. Think of three areas in which you'd like your clients to think of you as a resource.
Now develop content in those areas. For example, in my past life as a professional copywriter, I really enjoyed writing for Web sites. To help encourage my clients and prospects to hire me for these projects, I published several articles on how to write Web copy that sells.
3. Read industry publications for ideas.
Are there any hot issues in your field right now? The more controversial, the better. Don't be afraid to offer your own opinion -- your readers want to know it. After all, YOU are the expert in their eyes.
4. Jot down 8 questions your clients have asked you in the past.
You know, the ones they ask you over and over. Answer each in a short article. If you publish weekly, that's two months' worth of content, right off the bat! And if you can't think of any questions, send all your current clients/customers a quick e-mail, asking them what topics they're most interested in learning more about.
5. Learn anything neat lately from an industry conference, workshop, seminar, or insightful article?
No one says you have to reinvent the wheel of information! Pass on any gems of advice you've learned elsewhere -- just give them full attribution. Or give your opinion of the event or article itself. Your readers will appreciate your frankness.
6. Offer a list of your top 5 or 10 tips on a certain subject.
It's much easier to bang out a list of tips than to put together a real article. Of course, the tips can evolve into an article if you wish! Be sure to list your best tip first, or at least close to the top. (If you "fire your biggest gun" last, you risk losing your audience before they get to the good stuff.)
7. Interview associates whose expertise would interest your readers
(while not competing with yours). E-mail interviews are incredibly easy to do. Just send your interviewee 3 to 5 questions via e-mail, edit their answers, and have them approve the final version. Be sure to give them a short plug in your e-zine as a thank you. (A one- or two-sentence description of their business and their Web address should be fine.)
8. Recommend books and resources that you use, and offer full reviews on them.In one issue of my old
<a href="http://www.ezinequeen.com/">ezine newsletters</a>, "AKB MarCom Tips," I featured reviews of my favorite four copywriting resource books. I'm glad I also gave my Amazon.com associate links, because I ended up making some nice commission, to boot!
9. Invite clients or readers to write you with their own questions, and answer one in each issue.
Right after their question, publish the person's name, business, and Web address, with their permission. They'll enjoy the attention and free publicity!
10. Invite readers to send in profiles.
Ask them to tell you about themselves -- their names, businesses, locations, and how they use the information gained in your e-zine. Feature one profile in each issue or one every few issues.
11. When all else fails, borrow an article!
There are dozens of Web sites offering hundreds of articles that you can use in your e-zine. The articles are free and available for you to use immediately. The only catch is you're required to leave the entire article intact, including the author's promotional information. One of my favorite places to search for articles is www.ezinearticles.com.
One last note: Keep in mind that if your e-zine's main objective is to get you more clients and customers, you should NOT feature other writers' articles more than once in a blue moon. Remember our main goal is to continually showcase YOU.
While I'm sure that sometimes you have dozens of content ideas, I bet other times you find yourself staring at a blank computer screen, grumbling that it's publishing time again. Well, have no fear! Here are 11 quick (and good) content ideas for when you're in a pinch.
1. Give real-life success stories.
Describe a problem you've solved for a client/customer, and use that as a springboard to offer more general advice. Show your readers how you've helped customers address challenges -- "case studies" if you will. This positions you as the expert in your readers' minds more than your coming out and saying so.
2. Think of three areas in which you'd like your clients to think of you as a resource.
Now develop content in those areas. For example, in my past life as a professional copywriter, I really enjoyed writing for Web sites. To help encourage my clients and prospects to hire me for these projects, I published several articles on how to write Web copy that sells.
3. Read industry publications for ideas.
Are there any hot issues in your field right now? The more controversial, the better. Don't be afraid to offer your own opinion -- your readers want to know it. After all, YOU are the expert in their eyes.
4. Jot down 8 questions your clients have asked you in the past.
You know, the ones they ask you over and over. Answer each in a short article. If you publish weekly, that's two months' worth of content, right off the bat! And if you can't think of any questions, send all your current clients/customers a quick e-mail, asking them what topics they're most interested in learning more about.
5. Learn anything neat lately from an industry conference, workshop, seminar, or insightful article?
No one says you have to reinvent the wheel of information! Pass on any gems of advice you've learned elsewhere -- just give them full attribution. Or give your opinion of the event or article itself. Your readers will appreciate your frankness.
6. Offer a list of your top 5 or 10 tips on a certain subject.
It's much easier to bang out a list of tips than to put together a real article. Of course, the tips can evolve into an article if you wish! Be sure to list your best tip first, or at least close to the top. (If you "fire your biggest gun" last, you risk losing your audience before they get to the good stuff.)
7. Interview associates whose expertise would interest your readers
(while not competing with yours). E-mail interviews are incredibly easy to do. Just send your interviewee 3 to 5 questions via e-mail, edit their answers, and have them approve the final version. Be sure to give them a short plug in your e-zine as a thank you. (A one- or two-sentence description of their business and their Web address should be fine.)
8. Recommend books and resources that you use, and offer full reviews on them.In one issue of my old
<a href="http://www.ezinequeen.com/">ezine newsletters</a>, "AKB MarCom Tips," I featured reviews of my favorite four copywriting resource books. I'm glad I also gave my Amazon.com associate links, because I ended up making some nice commission, to boot!
9. Invite clients or readers to write you with their own questions, and answer one in each issue.
Right after their question, publish the person's name, business, and Web address, with their permission. They'll enjoy the attention and free publicity!
10. Invite readers to send in profiles.
Ask them to tell you about themselves -- their names, businesses, locations, and how they use the information gained in your e-zine. Feature one profile in each issue or one every few issues.
11. When all else fails, borrow an article!
There are dozens of Web sites offering hundreds of articles that you can use in your e-zine. The articles are free and available for you to use immediately. The only catch is you're required to leave the entire article intact, including the author's promotional information. One of my favorite places to search for articles is www.ezinearticles.com.
One last note: Keep in mind that if your e-zine's main objective is to get you more clients and customers, you should NOT feature other writers' articles more than once in a blue moon. Remember our main goal is to continually showcase YOU.
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