Forum Postings

I was debating whether or not I should include this form of marketing in my affiliate section. I opted in favor of it, but all I can is please be very cautious with this form of marketing.

If you're found to be spamming or are blatantly advertising the program on forums, we'll have no choice but to report your affiliate name to Clickbank, as this goes against the affiliate agreement and is very bad for our reputation and image.

However, if you're willing to go about this the right way, forums can be a great way to drive in targeted traffic and produce steady sales.

First off, here are the main forums I'd suggest joining and bookmarking (these are the highest traffic forums online):

forum.bodybuilding.com
ironmagazineforums.com
elitefitness.com/forum
abcbodybuilding.com
discussbodybuilding.com
precisionnutrition.com/members
bbforums.com
bodybuildingforyou.com
muscleandstrength.com

Here is another list of some newer forums that will also be useful to check out:

forums.nicemuscle.com
muscletalk.co.uk
forums.menshealth.com/eve
schwarzenegger.ca/forum
bodybuilding.net
maxfitmag.net
oxygenmag.net
bodybuilding.net
forums.jpfitness.com
boards.askmen.com
training.fitness.com
wannabebigforums.com
worldfitness.com
getbig.com
t-nation.com

Rather than spreading yourself out over an endless list of forums, it's best to focus on the most active forums with the highest number of members, as well as newer forums since they contain a larger number of beginners who would be more likely to purchase an online program.

There are 2 main ways to drive in sales by posting on forums...

1) Include a link back to your website (or to our website if you don't have your own) in your forum signature.

Your "signature" is the short message that forums allow you to place at the end of each of your posts. Including an affiliate link in your signature is a good way to get exposure and clicks.

If the forum you're posting on allows you to use HTML in your signature, always opt for this over plain text as it will allow you to mask your affiliate ID and will also allow readers to directly click on it.

Here's an example of how you might set it up...

[URL=http://nalewanyjfitness.com/go.php?offer=CBNICKNAME&pid=1] My 26-Week Muscle Building Program [/URL]

[URL=http://nalewanyjfitness.com/go.php?offer=CBNICKNAME&pid=2] Sign Up For This FREE Fat Burning Email Course: "6 Critical Keys To Rapid Fat Loss Revealed" [/URL]

You can play around with various types of signatures to see what brings in the best results.

If the forum you're on allows BBCode, then you should use this also.

This will allow you to add more emphasis on your signature by letting you increase the font size, bold words and add color. The more noticeable your signature is, the most likely you are to get clicks. Usually...

[b] = bold
[u] = underline
[i] = italics
[font size=12] = font size
[font color=green] = font color

You'll have to double check and see what sort of formatting your forum allows, but always to try to take advantage of it as best you can.

2) Passively mention the program to forum members seeking advice.

This is a method that I would suggest being VERY cautious with. Most people are on forums because they want to interact with others and share free advice. If the members sense that you are only there to promote a paid program, they'll usually get very angry with you and will immediately stop listening to what you have to say.

This is terrible for our website and our image, and any affiliates who are found to be blatantly spamming or advertising on forums will be reported to Clickbank, plain and simple. You can use this method, but you must do so in a passive manner.

Here are some additional tips for marketing on forums...

1) Post on high traffic threads - This is a pretty obvious point. Look for threads where there's a lot of action, and where there have a been a lot of views. Your goal is to get in front of the biggest audience possible.

2) React quicky to new posts - When you see a new thread pop up, try to be one of the first people to respond to it so that you can "take control" of the thread and be seen by many viewers.

3) Post UNIQUE content on each specific forum - Do not start a thread, and then post that exact same thread on multiple forums. Every post that you make should be unique. Most people are members of several forums, and if they see identical threads popping up across various forums they'll know something is up.

4) Always read the forum rules first - If they don't allow advertising, then you won't be able to use your affiliate links on the site. Always check first, otherwise you could end up getting banned.