If you like to hang out in forums when you’re online with like-minded people who share the same interests as you , then you’re building up a base of potential customers without even knowing it. Forums are not only a great place to connect with people who are passionate about the same things as you, they’re also a great place to share your affiliate links.
Many forums allow users to add links to their signature file, the part at the end that shows up every time you make a post. And if you are an affiliate marketer, that’s a great place to unobtrusively share links to your favorite products to earn extra money.
Be careful when using this method of affiliate marketing, however. To do promote products through forum posts, you must be a contributing member of the forum in good standing. You can’t just join a forum, add links to every one of your posts, and expect to make sales. Instead, you’ll find yourself banned from the forum in all likelihood.
There are a couple of ways to avoid being banned from the community. First, read the terms of service. Don’t just click the “I accept” link. Actually read the policy and make sure you understand the terms. In particular, you need to ensure that the forum you are joining allows affiliate links, because if you market on forums that don’t allow it, you’ll be banned. And make sure when you do add links to your signature, they are relevant to the forum topic. For instance, if you’re a credit card affiliate, don’t post your link on a dog training forum.
Even if the forum allows affiliate links, you also need to contribute valuable information. Don’t make posts just to put your affiliate link out there. You should participate in the conversations, answer questions, and ask questions. In short, become a part of the community by adding good content to it.
Once you’ve earned a good reputation as a valuable member of the community, then you can begin adding an unobtrusive affiliate link in your signature file. Of course, don’t expect the commissions to start rolling in immediately, since joining any community and becoming a valued member takes time and effort. But if you’ve been contributing to forums already, it can add a nice bonus to your bottom line.