The use of newsgroups or specific forums may have benefit to site promotion. While it may seem that you are wasting time by interacting with people who may never visit your website, the truth is the expertise you can provide is generally welcome by many forum owners and visitors.
By helping other forum members gain clarity on the use of a product or service you effectively become an ambassador for the product you carry.
I can almost hear you asking, "How does this benefit me?"
In most newsgroups or forums you are allowed to place a link to your website in the signature box in the profile section of your account.
This may not seem like much, but every time you post to a forum or newsgroup your link is placed on the site for all to see.
When others begin to see you as an authority they will likely click your link to see what you offer. Since there is already a level of trust, a sale may be just a few keystrokes away.
Another step that lends credibility to your authority on the subject you address is the use of free-to-use articles.
By developing a series of articles on a relevant subject you can develop a new level of trust.
Using the Techniques
Let's say I have a classic Oldsmobile and there is an electrical issue I have been unable to solve. I determine to seek out a forum designed to assist owners of classic GM automobiles. Once I have located the forum I post a question related to the automobile and hope someone answers.
Taking this one more step; let's say you have developed a web-based business dedicated to helping classic car owners find solutions to their automotive issues. You reply to my post and tell me there is a retrofit kit available that can help fix the problem. You go on to give a simple definition on how to install the kit and provide a link to an article you wrote on the subject.
I could conduct on online search for the product you described, but I determine to use the link in your signature to locate the part you described.
Once the part is installed I return to the forum to lavish praise on the solution you provided. You have found a satisfied and motivated customer who has just given you endorsement money could not buy.
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Response to: The Golden Age of Digital Marketing - 23 July 2008
By: Ray | 25-07-2008
89N The Golden Age of Digital Marketing - 23 July 2008
It was with much interest that I read the report on the Netimperative Directors? Dinner discussing the golden age of digital marketing.
I completely agree that the marketing profession faces many challenges in its ambition to be taken seriously at the highest levels of business. As the various speakers highlighted, one of the key challenges is the perception of what marketing is.
Recent research carried out for The Chartered Institute of Marketing by Ipsos MORI revealed that 73 per cent of working marketers surveyed believed there was a large gap between the reality of what marketing does and how it is seen by other parts of the business.
Until marketing is recognised as a key driver of value in organisations, it will struggle to gain the respect of other professional business colleagues. However, marketing must earn that respect.
As highlighted by several speakers, marketers must reach out to colleagues in other functions and those at a senior level, and communicate clearly with them the value they create for the organisation, in terms they understand ? which in boardrooms is predominantly financial.
The Institute continues to promote the profession and attempt to change attitudes towards marketing in the wider business community. It has established links with various government departments to promote professional marketing, and has developed professional marketing standards that employers can benchmark their employees against.
The drive towards proper recognition and respect for the vital role marketing has to play in today?s organisations has to start with greater accountability and clearly demonstrating the value marketers create.
I am in no doubt that digital marketing, with its greater measurability, will be in the vanguard of marketers? increasing acceptance at the top table.
Ray Jones
The Chartered Institute of Marketing
25 July 2008
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