Free Internet Advertising - Unwritten Rules of Internet Forums

Free Internet advertising is sought after by most Internet marketers and one readily available source of free Internet advertising is the Internet forum. For Internet marketing novices, we will briefly explain how free Internet advertising is obtained from Internet forums.

Basically, Internet forums are message boards where members can exchange information, get advice or just chat. There are Internet forums to cater for every topic you would care to imagine (and a few you would probably prefer not to dwell on). The Internet marketer advertises his product simply by posting messages on forums. There are some Internet forums, which prohibits the advertising, but many of these forums, it is still possible to get free advertising on the Internet using a signature file. The signature file is a short piece of text which may contain a link to a website and can be attached to every posting a member makes on a forum message board.

If you have never tried forums as a source of free advertising on the Internet, you should remember that there is an unwritten code label, which must be observed. The following are some of the unwritten rules which must be followed if you intend to use the forums for free Internet advertising for your business.

Read the forum rules

You have to read the rules for all Internet forum before you try to send a message there. We know it sounds obvious but it is clear that many forum users do not bother to read the rules, despite the fact that the forum registration process inevitably includes a requirement for the applicant to check a box indicating that the forum rules have been read and will be respected. Not just sign up with the idea of getting as much free advertising on the Internet as possible from the forum. Many forums prohibit the posting of Affiliate URLs everywhere except in the members forum signature file. If you become a member of one of these forums without reading the rules and start sending your Affiliate URLs in messages, you will soon find yourself labeled a "spammer". In case you did not know, spammers are considered to be the lowest of the low on the internet. If there was a virtual prison for Internet crime, Internet advertising spammers would have to be kept in solitary confinement for their own protection.

Lure Before You Leap

Internet forum etiquette demands that you spend a little time "lurking" i.e. logging into the forum and reading previous and current threads before you even think of starting to use the forum for free advertising on the Internet. Although lurking is not an official rule of Internet forums, it is largely accepted as an essential part of the unwritten code of conduct. The practice is very useful. Lurking will enable you to get the feel of how the forum works, you will be able to establish the tone of the messages of the type of material are welcome, and expertise from other forum members. You may even find that a particular forum is not for you, and this can save you the embarrassment of posting an inappropriate message on the forum.

Be Subtle

You know that you visit the forum just for free Internet advertising for your website, but it is better not to make it clear, if you want other members to react well to your advertising. Forums are rather like private clubs where members strike up friendships and do business. If you rush in waving your "FREE INTERNET advertising" sign, you will not be popular, other members believe you to be an abuse of their "club". You will do much better if you quietly introduce yourself and keep the free Internet advertising down to a whisper in your signature file.

Remember Your Manners

How difficult is it to say "thanks"? If you visit a forum and receive valuable advice to help you in any way, take a moment to write a short message of thanks to your advisor. If someone has helped you out of a spot in the bricks and the mortar world you would thank them. Remember that people who post on Internet forums are real, and they are not obliged to help you. It is so easy to make a friend with a warm word as it is to create an enemy with a harsh word, and you never know when you can meet these people again.

Help when you can

Help other people when you can. Even if you do not have any special knowledge, you will find apartments where you can pass on good advice. If you have received advice that took you to a solution, send a message to say how the advice helped and what steps you followed to get things in place, it will act as a signpost for other people who face similar problems. Even if you joined the forum with the idea of using it merely as a form of free advertising on the Internet have time to give something back. People will be more inclined to take an interest in your advertising if you become known as a helpful type. What Goes Around comes around, and in any event, the reputation of being a problem solver is a bit of free advertising on the Internet in its own right.

Be moderate

The majority of Internet forums have moderators to ensure that members adhere to the rules. The job of a forum moderator is to keep the contents of the appropriate forum. Remember, it is not just a place where you can enjoy free advertising on the internet, so keep your messages in the forum rules. Any graffiti posted by members will be cleaned up by the moderators so that the forum environment is preserved for all members to enjoy. If you want to maintain respect for your fellow forum members, make sure your posts never need to be cleaned up, your moderator. And to adhere to the forum rules on content, you should also keep your messages moderate in tone. The chambers dictionary contains the following definitions of "moderate": kept within measure or limits; not excessive or extreme; temperate. If you avoid drama and pathos in your forum posting and keep your messages moderate, you will not attract the "flame" and you can safely enjoy your free Internet advertising.

Ration your reading

Internet forums can be addictive. There is a serious danger that you can log into a forum with the idea of sending a message or two to get your daily ration of free advertising on the Internet, but the next thing you know, that half hour is over, while you have been engrossed in reading. There is nothing inherently wrong with spending time to read messages from other forum members, it is free entertainment and it is fine. The problem is that if you try to run an internet marketing business, and you lose you on the forums for half hour every day, you will be wasting something like half days during each week for the sake of posting a couple of links to your site. It is not an economical use of your time. Actually, if you account for the value of your time you will find you actually pay a high price for your free Internet advertising on forums.