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How to
How To: Become Popular In Online Forums
By Adam Lyons
Computer mouse attached to terminal - Credit: gettyimages.com
Find out how to become popular in online forums
Once upon a time the best way to meet and mingle with new people was to visit the old town forums for the chance to trade and make new friends. Around 2000 years later we're pretty much doing the same thing, only online. Many people are finding new friends, business prospects and even life partners after becoming members of popular forums. Though not everyone finds it so easy. There are a bunch of people who struggle to get accepted, can't seem to promote their business properly, or just end up getting outright banned.
The simple truth is, although we may have moved our socialising towards the online world, many people still lack the basic social skills to be popular. For every cool kid at school there were 20 other not so cool kids. Without any reference or precedent of how to be popular, suddenly finding yourself surrounded by thousands of people can be a daunting place, especially if you don't know how to get your voice heard. Luckily this little guide is here to give you the basics to become popular in online forums.
Don't feed the troll
Feeding a troll is almost as bad as being one. Trolls are the people that sit on forums adding pointless, rude or annoying messages and posts that generally do nothing but upset everyone else. These people thrive on others' misery, constantly adding more wood to the fire until everyone is completely annoyed at them. Try to avoid writing anything that is not actually adding something constructive to the topic. If you find there is a person who is consistently adding pointless messages ignore them until they go away. If you become known as someone who feeds a troll you're only helping it grow, especially in the eyes of the forum.
Spend time reading first
If you want to become popular in online forums, don't just jump in with a bunch of advice. Everyone on the forum has been there for a long time and has earned their right to give advice. If you just jump on expecting everyone to listen to you, you're deeply mistaken. Not only are you likely to upset those that have built up a good reputation for giving solid advice as you step on their toes, but even if you're a recognised expert in the field people are unlikely to believe it's really you. Read up on who's who and get used to the general vibe of the forum before adding anything.
Add value
Spend your first few posts trying to help others with their problems. Go around adding value to as many people as possible. Don't try and come off like an expert or referring your products. Instead, give links to other posts online containing relevant information and wish them well in their search. This may seem time consuming and it really is. Though it does build a solid foundation for yourself as someone who is a benefit to the forum, this will become a very big asset if you wish people to begin to respect and value your presence on the forum.
Make allies
You will need close friends. No matter how much value you get, you will eventually get people who really don't like you for any reason at all. In these instances you will be looking for someone to stick up for you and to fight on your behalf. As mentioned above, fighting and feeding trolls can be a very image costly event. By having friends willing to battle on your behalf you not only save face, but also manage to increase your reputation as a good guy. Just take the time to go out and actually meet the members of the forum that live near you.
Don't be negative
It's very easy to lapse into the habit of insulting, or correcting someone who makes a personal dig at you. Sometimes you'll come home from a late night out drinking and be tempted to write something up while still recovering from the night at the pub. Don't do it! Take the time to think about all your posts. If they don't add value in some way then don't bother posting them. You'll only come to regret it later. If you get known as someone who is positive, friendly and helpful you'll find it a lot easier to get people to support you.
Don't commercialise
Too many people think of forums as marketing venues and forget that really people go on there to actually meet with other people for conversation on a common topic and not to buy things. Your best bet to actually make money from a forum is to become recognised as someone who knows what they're talking about and then let your customers find you. A simple signature with your URL will be more than enough. Once people talk about how great you are you'll be getting referrals like nobody's business.
As we get more and more use to the anonymity the internet gives us, it's a lot easier to forget simple things like common courtesy and politeness when dealing with people online. When hiding behind a computer screen it's easy to get caught up in the moment and vent the pressure from the day's work. Though doing this is only going to give you a bad reputation. The simple truth is that the people at the other end of the forum screens are all real people, and if they get negative feelings from your posts they're going to associate those feelings with you.
forum fun
If you want to become popular in online forums, take the time to think over what you write carefully. Use proper spelling and grammar. As long as you remain positive and helpful to those on the forum you're likely to find your popularity go up. When the newer members sign up you'll eventually be recognised as one of the guys who really knows what he's talking about and eventually will end up being perceived as one of the experts. Then you've finally managed to achieve what you may have struggled to be at school: The Popular Kid. It may only be popularity amongst a group of geeks. Still, any popularity is worth having, right?
By Adam Lyons
Computer mouse attached to terminal - Credit: gettyimages.com
Find out how to become popular in online forums
Once upon a time the best way to meet and mingle with new people was to visit the old town forums for the chance to trade and make new friends. Around 2000 years later we're pretty much doing the same thing, only online. Many people are finding new friends, business prospects and even life partners after becoming members of popular forums. Though not everyone finds it so easy. There are a bunch of people who struggle to get accepted, can't seem to promote their business properly, or just end up getting outright banned.
The simple truth is, although we may have moved our socialising towards the online world, many people still lack the basic social skills to be popular. For every cool kid at school there were 20 other not so cool kids. Without any reference or precedent of how to be popular, suddenly finding yourself surrounded by thousands of people can be a daunting place, especially if you don't know how to get your voice heard. Luckily this little guide is here to give you the basics to become popular in online forums.
Don't feed the troll
Feeding a troll is almost as bad as being one. Trolls are the people that sit on forums adding pointless, rude or annoying messages and posts that generally do nothing but upset everyone else. These people thrive on others' misery, constantly adding more wood to the fire until everyone is completely annoyed at them. Try to avoid writing anything that is not actually adding something constructive to the topic. If you find there is a person who is consistently adding pointless messages ignore them until they go away. If you become known as someone who feeds a troll you're only helping it grow, especially in the eyes of the forum.
Spend time reading first
If you want to become popular in online forums, don't just jump in with a bunch of advice. Everyone on the forum has been there for a long time and has earned their right to give advice. If you just jump on expecting everyone to listen to you, you're deeply mistaken. Not only are you likely to upset those that have built up a good reputation for giving solid advice as you step on their toes, but even if you're a recognised expert in the field people are unlikely to believe it's really you. Read up on who's who and get used to the general vibe of the forum before adding anything.
Add value
Spend your first few posts trying to help others with their problems. Go around adding value to as many people as possible. Don't try and come off like an expert or referring your products. Instead, give links to other posts online containing relevant information and wish them well in their search. This may seem time consuming and it really is. Though it does build a solid foundation for yourself as someone who is a benefit to the forum, this will become a very big asset if you wish people to begin to respect and value your presence on the forum.
Make allies
You will need close friends. No matter how much value you get, you will eventually get people who really don't like you for any reason at all. In these instances you will be looking for someone to stick up for you and to fight on your behalf. As mentioned above, fighting and feeding trolls can be a very image costly event. By having friends willing to battle on your behalf you not only save face, but also manage to increase your reputation as a good guy. Just take the time to go out and actually meet the members of the forum that live near you.
Don't be negative
It's very easy to lapse into the habit of insulting, or correcting someone who makes a personal dig at you. Sometimes you'll come home from a late night out drinking and be tempted to write something up while still recovering from the night at the pub. Don't do it! Take the time to think about all your posts. If they don't add value in some way then don't bother posting them. You'll only come to regret it later. If you get known as someone who is positive, friendly and helpful you'll find it a lot easier to get people to support you.
Don't commercialise
Too many people think of forums as marketing venues and forget that really people go on there to actually meet with other people for conversation on a common topic and not to buy things. Your best bet to actually make money from a forum is to become recognised as someone who knows what they're talking about and then let your customers find you. A simple signature with your URL will be more than enough. Once people talk about how great you are you'll be getting referrals like nobody's business.
As we get more and more use to the anonymity the internet gives us, it's a lot easier to forget simple things like common courtesy and politeness when dealing with people online. When hiding behind a computer screen it's easy to get caught up in the moment and vent the pressure from the day's work. Though doing this is only going to give you a bad reputation. The simple truth is that the people at the other end of the forum screens are all real people, and if they get negative feelings from your posts they're going to associate those feelings with you.
forum fun
If you want to become popular in online forums, take the time to think over what you write carefully. Use proper spelling and grammar. As long as you remain positive and helpful to those on the forum you're likely to find your popularity go up. When the newer members sign up you'll eventually be recognised as one of the guys who really knows what he's talking about and eventually will end up being perceived as one of the experts. Then you've finally managed to achieve what you may have struggled to be at school: The Popular Kid. It may only be popularity amongst a group of geeks. Still, any popularity is worth having, right?
