Advertising Through Forums: Pros and Cons

[nomad]

have you tried advertising through forums? What is your experience like? What are the pros and cons of using forums as your advertising platform? Can you get the desired results by advertising through online communities?
Well, I have used free marketing on forums but never run an ad campaign on forums. My experience is related to using promotional directories, marketplace, and posting packages.

 

[KO896]

If it's a forum that isn't frequented by the same members who already come to your community, then it might be worth a shot. It all depends on the cost and how much visibility your ad will get on that other site.

 

[Uncrowned]

Promotion forums are a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to gaining new members. Essentially, these forums are often filled with admins also looking to expand their own communities. While it's not a bad strategy, the main challenge is that most users on promotion forums aren't there to join new forums; they're there to promote their own. It's a bit like visiting a gym equipment store hoping to find new members for your gym – possible, but not the most likely scenario.

However, promotion forums do shine in other areas. They're excellent for networking with other admins, accessing valuable resources, discussing administration topics, utilizing services, and getting your forum's links out there. Any new members you gain in the process are a bonus. Additionally, the increased activity from your participation might boost your visibility in Google searches, which could attract new members. The support and activity provided by fellow admins can also be invaluable. But if you're solely focused on gaining new members, remember to consider where your target audience is likely to be, and it's not typically on a promotion forum.

On the other hand, using promotional sections in non-promotion forums, where the primary audience is regular forum users and not just admins, can flip this dynamic. Advertising on forums that align with your niche targets potential members directly.

It's important to note, however, that most research indicates a general reluctance among users to switch to a new service, even if it's better, once they've committed to one. This is particularly evident in social media usage patterns. While specific research on forum users in this context is limited, the principle likely holds true. Users engaged on a particular forum may not easily migrate to another, similar platform.

 

[Nebulous]

I pretty much only advertise through forums, it seems to be working out well.

 

[Disgustedorite]

I pretty much only advertise through forums, it seems to be working out well.

From what I've seen so far though, the forums you advertise are one that's extremely general (so the net is cast wide) and one that's about advertising (which attracts site owners desperate for members themselves).

For something more niche, it's a much bigger challenge. For Sagan 4 I've been doing my best to cast the net in places with tangentially related topics, like less specific worldbuilding communities and general creature sci fi and design communities, though there haven't been a lot of bites.