Running a website/blog, but not getting the enough traffic? One of the way to increase the traffic is building an online community to keep your audience engaged and re visiting your website or blog.
If you are running any online store than besides selling products, you will need to keep your customer engage. For example:
Suppose your running an online embroidery store and looking for way to keep your customers engage and retain on your website for a long time. Then, online community will be answer to your problem. Besides selling online embroidery designs, online community will help to keep your customers engaged by sharing your creative ideas,projects etc.
So, Online Community will be a great tool for promoting your website. Online Community will help you in bringing all potential customer at one place and thereby promoting your website. It will also help in improving seo score of over all domain name Here, community means audience that interact with each others.
For building an online community, very first question will arise in your mind is “how to start an online community?”
One way to build an online community is through Forum Software/Message Boards. Various open source are available in market to start with your online community. For example: phpbb3 Forum, SMF Forum, Mybb Forum etc. You will have the infinite choice in selecting the best open source. Phpbb3 and SMF forum are the best and free open source to start with your online community. SMF forum is easy to install and modified where as phpbb3 has the best features available in it. You will not need any technical knowledge in adding any plugin or mod in SMF forum.
Besides these open source, vBulletin community site is the best option to start an online community. But you will need to spend minimum 200$ to use this site. If you are not looking for the free open source and can afford to spends 200 to 300 dollar then vBulletin will be the best option for you.
Since you are already running the website and want to promote the website through online community, we assume that you already have the good hosting plan.Now, you will need a good domain name to start your online community. You can also launch your community site using sub domain (xyz.example.com) or under the forum directory (example.com/forum).
Now you are ready to promote your website using forum software. Below are the various way to promote website using forum software or online community. Please remember,we assume you want to promote your website using your own forum or online community..
Forum Signature
One of the interesting way to promote the website or blog is link within the forum signature. Main aim of using Forum Signature is
- Creating backlink
- Your active participation will force the visitor to check your website once.
Using flaming text or GIF Image will be a great way to add link in the forum signature.
Redirect Message Board
We suggest you to create a redirect message board on your forum software for promoting the website. This will give a great visibility to your website. You can also add the website link on the top of the forum’s menu.
Redirect message board in SMF forum
Social Media Management
Make sure social media sharing options enable on your forum. Besides sharing, now social media are also used for signing to your website or forum. Ensure, social login option enable on your website.All these options are easily available on every forum software.
Social Login
Point System
Point system will be another interesting features help in promoting your website. In point system, you will award points for various parameters. For example: Visitor will get 10 points for registering on your forum, 20 point for posting on your forum, 10 Points for replying to any post etc.
We know you are thinking”how these collected points will help in promoting your website?”.
Actually, you will allow them to use these points on your website. Your customer will earn points on your forum community and will spend on your website.
Organizing Contest
Another interesting way for promoting the website is organizing a contest. You can organize a contest and can share freebies from your website. This will help you in promoting the website through sharing free samples.
Good Content
It is not the direct but the indirect way for promoting your website. A Good Content will keep your customer engaged. Your customer will love to visit your website and forum community if you share the good content.
It will also help you in creating a good online community. Once you create the online community, you can ask your active member to write a small review about your website and share your website through grapevine communication.
These are the few ways for promoting your website through online community.Please feel free to share any ideas if we missed out. We will be happy to hear from you.