Niche sites require a bit more research to promote successfully. Forums are a good place to start your research and promotion efforts for these markets. Think about the people that you are trying to target. What is it that they REALLY want? Go to forums in niches that interest you to see what questions people are asking about the most. Add the questions, with their answers, to a document on your computer.



You will need to visit more than just a few forums in order to get a good grasp of the concerns of a specific niche. Visit a minimum of six. If you find one particular question on several forums, you know you have a winner!

When you think you have a good grasp of what your target audience wants, create your site and/or product around those needs.

How do you "sell" products by promoting in forums? You don't. You join the community as a member. You get to know the members. If you do try to sell to them, you will most likely be banned from the forum. You might be able to add a tagline and link to your post "signature." Read the forum rules carefully.

When you are choosing the forums that you are going to be a member of, remember that you can't promote a specific niche (such as great dane dogs) by promoting the broad term (dogs). You must narrow down your promotion efforts to fit your specific niche just as you did (or should have done) when you did your initial research to find a profitable niche.

Again, get involved in the community. Prospective customers will be most tuned in by your genuine interest in the group's activities. It may take two to three months to become a "friend" to the people in a specific forum.

Do you consider yourself an expert in the subjects being discussed? Then, start answer the questions that are being asked. But, don't push yourself, or your expertise, where it's not wanted. Be polite. And, I repeat...don't try to sell your product within the forum post itself; no matter how closely related you think it is to the question.

I can't tell you how important it is not to spam the forums by posting your ads and leaving. Members will be much more likely to click on your signature file links if they believe that you are truly interested in the topics being discussed. This is especially true if you are politely helpful and knowledgeable about the topic. They will bein to trust you and come to see you as an expert in your field.

Once you've established a good rapport with several people within the niche, you can [privately] begin to talk about your product and how it will help them. Don't use any "hard" sell tactics. Just mention it and give a link to your website and/or sales page.

You might be surprised at how forum marketing can increase your sales. The secret is to choose the forums and are related to the niche you are trying to promote.