In the last article we discussed how to use a blog as part of your search engine optimization strategy. Unlike a blog, a community forum is a discussion board. Here you will find members and moderators engaging by posting questions and answers and generally discussing common problems. Forums encourage your users to come back again and again by facilitating interaction and sharing of information.
Since a forum is a message board where people ask and answer questions it can function as an excellent place to refer a customer who may have a question. It can be shared with the community and this establishes the forum as a trusted environment for the consumer to visit frequently all while reinforcing your brand. If a visitor has a question about the reliability of a product or wants to compare one product vs another, the forum will provide a way for your customers and potential customers to get feedback and this will in turn generate interest in your product(s).
In addition to all of this, having a forum will give you understanding about your visitors. By reading the discussions you can gain insight and even minimize demand placed on your customer service by addressing a concern publicly, before it spreads. You can also use the forum yourself to ask your consumers what they want that you may not currently be providing.
The tone of the feedback is irrelevant. Good or bad, your consumers’ feedback can be an invaluable tool and while it can help you market your products or services more effectively it can be equally valuable in providing the insight you need to improve your overall SEO initiatives.
Thanks for taking the time to learn your craft. In my next article, I’ll discuss link building. Please comment and REMEMBER: There are NO stupid questions!