It seemed a great idea to make free movement. Join few forums and discussion groups then just tell them about all your great new product or a website. Everyone will want to know because it is so new and so hot, or at least they will admire your efforts to self-promotion, eh? No, it could not be further from the truth. Online forums and discussion forums are usually tight communities of like-minded people. You can network, build relationships, learn and grow your business through online communities. But if you spam and followers of these tightly knit groups, it was better to be willing to run for cover. Today, the online forums and chat rooms are a common interest. Most often, people come to these sites to learn and share, or sometimes they just want to walk. But because these sites have a large concentration of potential customers within a niche, they are also frequently the target of spammers.

Often, of course, the spammers do not consider themselves as such. So, we are all on the same page, we are going to take a minute and review what spam is. Spam is simply an unsolicited advertising. You do not want it, you do not ask for it, and you probably hit the delete button as soon as Possible when you suspect. In a forum or newsgroup spam is a message that is trying to sell something or promote a website, when no one has asked such a thing. But what about all those who are against the forums that are serving all these wonderful niche markets, is there a way to communicate with them? Make sure you can achieve them, but since these sites form virtual communities. Will you have to be accepted into the community first. This does not mean that you can join and after a few times expect to do cart wheels when you announce your product or site.

You will need to be an active participant, setting up your reputation and restore the community. Even then, most of the forums and news groups have rules about posting links. It’s always a good idea to read the rules of the site before trying to promote anything. Some boards may have a special place where you can announce new sites and products, or even solicit your products directly. Many sites allow you to place links discreet, in an area called you “signature“. Do these types of sites good places to promote your product or service? You bet they are, you might find some of your most loyal customers in an online forum or newsgroup. But for this you need to be patient and follow the rules. Whatever you do, avoid being labeled a spammer as much as you would avoid the plague.