Many people post on forums because it’s a great way to create backlinks for their website. However, forum writing is an art form. Leaving a generic or vague comment won’t make you an expert; it will make you a nuisance to those who take the forum seriously. If you want to be taken seriously, write thoughtful replies to forum questions. This way your credibility won’t be questioned.
The 3 C’s in Forum Writing
Clear. Before you respond to a forum question, read it carefully. Don’t be in a hurry to post a comment. Take time to read the question and read it for a second time if you must. Think about what you want to say and how you want to say. Posting an answer that doesn’t make sense could get you kicked out of the forum. Remember, people use forums to find out information; they don’t want to read entries that don’t make sense.
Open up Word, Notepad, or some other program and write your response. Read it and read it again. Make sure your answer makes sense and it flows. Do you understand your answer? Will other readers understand it? How can you sharpen it? Think about these and other questions before you post your response. If you’re 100% certain your answer is spot-on, post it in the forum.
Concise. There’s no reason to write a lengthy response to a forum question. People want to get in and get out when they visit forums. Keep your answer to one or two paragraphs, anything beyond may lose the readers. Don’t write ‘wordy’ response to show how many words you know. Readers are looking for solid information that can help them with their problem.
Compelling. When you write a response, be direct. Think about the five ‘W’s’: who, what, when, where, and why. Create a thoughtful answer because it will show readers and other forum members that you took the time to think about the question before you answered it. The first sentence is the most important because it will ‘hook’ readers; they’ll want to read more. Don’t be a bore and cut words where you can. Write a compelling response to a forum post, and readers will consider you to be the authority on the topic.
Forum writing is an art form. Remember the 3 C’s of forum writing the next time you answer a question in a forum. Hint: Make sure you can contribute to the forum before you answer. Don’t spam forums to create backlinks to your website. If you do, you’ll be barred for participating in the forum. Be courteous and you won’t have any problem with when you respond to a forum question. You’ll be seen as an expert in no time!
Rebecca
How many times a week do you post in forums? Share.