Forums.
Particularly, marketing & webmaster forums.
I can’t think of a single more effective way to waste your time online and pollute your mind with false, misleading information from people that couldn’t be less-qualified to talk about it.
I know, I know - there’s some gold hidden amongst the mountains of turd, and you might make some good connections, etc - but in general, you need to understand something:
People that spend all day interacting on forums are usually doing so because they have nothing else to do. They’re bored with the complete LACK of results from their efforts, and so they gravitate to online communities and so on where they can at least get some kind of action, even if it’s nothing more than acknowledgement.
As a result, what you end up seeing on most forums is nothing short of appalling. It’s some of the WORST and most damaging information you could ever imagine - and it’s being portrayed (and even applauded) as “truth”.
I honestly feel sorry for newbies who join forums in an attempt to learn the trade from others and figure out what’s what.
Here’s some examples of what I’ve found in the last few days on one of the forums I frequent as a contributor:
1) People bashing the effectiveness and overall concept of starting your own affiliate program.
2) People claiming that building links “no longer works”
3) People ranting and raving about making $40 with adsense in a month
4) People sharing “results” that allegedly prove that a fundamental SEO strategy doesn’t work (for them)
And so on.
But you need to realize that you’re never getting the full story here - and that’s the simple fact that the majority of forum posters are inexperienced newbies who don’t really know what they’re doing.
So when you see someone saying that “XYZ doesn’t work, I tried it”, or whatever the case may be - take it with a huge grain of salt.
Chances are more often than not that they simply don’t know what they’re doing.
It’s like a beginner golfer complaining that his clubs suck because he keeps on slicing the ball. Later on, of course, he’ll realize that it was actually his SWING - not the clubs - that was causing the slice.
The problem is that online, these premature and ill-informed “truths” are archived and readily available for other beginners to “learn from”. This is precisely why so many people are pulling out hairs in frustration - trying to find out what actually works and what doesn’t when it comes to basically anything.
So here’s some basic ground-rules for using forums, as well as for avoiding the potential danger of following terrible advice…
Using Forums Without Getting Burned:
1. Spend no more than 30 minutes per day interacting in forums. I know it can be “fun” and neat to talk to other marketers and so on, but it’s really a huge waste of time, and your time is better spent building your business.
2. Believe what you SEE - and not what you read. Just because something doesn’t work for some inexperienced newbie with a sob-story, doesn’t mean that others aren’t making a killing with it.
3. The “masses” are often totally wrong. Just because an idea is popular - doesn’t mean it’s accurate. Remember the 80/20 pareto principle. Usually, doing what the masses do is a sure way to earn chump change.
4. Leverage forums for your business - don’t let them subtract you from it. What this means is that forums can either be a tool or a hindrance. On one hand, you can find the answer to technical questions or problems probably faster than any other method. This can be a huge time-saver.
You can also find people to hire, to buy links from, and so on. This is how forums can be leveraged.
But don’t let the community “suck you in”. Your TIME is your greatest asset. Don’t donate it all to someone else’s forum…
Just a friendly reminder…
Take care,
-Chris
11 responses so far ↓
1 Abel // Sep 8, 2008 at 9:03 pm
Thanks, Chris. This is a great reminder. Can’t agree more. I have seen some people participating in almost every thread in a forum! To quote you, as if they have nothing better to do.
Forums can be a huge time waster unless you know what you are doing. You go to forums because you want to achieve something. Having a clear purpose before participating in forums is a must if you want to use your time wisely.
2 admin // Sep 8, 2008 at 9:06 pm
Very true, Abel.
You’ve got to use them, not be used by them
-Chris
3 Scott Million // Sep 9, 2008 at 10:22 am
Lol - this wasn’t triggered by the WF discussion posted by Todd, was it?
4 admin // Sep 9, 2008 at 11:58 am
Haha, well - a little bit, yeah.
But that’s just one example of many.
Definitely not an isolated incident…
-Chris
5 Dallas // Sep 9, 2008 at 7:26 pm
I was on a forum the other day for the first time in a long time, and was privileged to see a certain marketer’s 9000th post in (I think) 4 years. Let’s see, that’s over 6 posts — every single day of the year! And this guy makes loooong posts. Talk about spending all your time in the forums…
6 admin // Sep 9, 2008 at 7:38 pm
I know, Dallas.
It’s crazy.
I think a lot of people actually depend on their “sig” traffic to sell their products and build their opt-in lists.
What they don’t realize is how much they limit their exposure - even in the IM niche.
Insanity.
-Chris
7 Daniel Cajiga // Sep 24, 2008 at 12:40 pm
Hello Chris, this is a very enlightening post, I used to (even without noticed it) wast about 6 to 8 hours in a forum some time ago. I toke some advantage from it but the most was waste of time reading fun stuff and so on. I don´t do it any more.
Let me know something buddy, are forums really useful to build back links?
Thanks a lot.
Best Regards,
Daniel Cajiga
8 Scott // Sep 24, 2008 at 3:29 pm
Just wanted to say as a younger guy myself who grew up with the whole web 2.0 concept it’s hard at times not to gravitate towards forums. I’m so used to using them that I sometimes forget that this “guru” could actually be an epic failure of an affiliate, and leading me in the worst direction possible.
Honestly Confessions of a Lazy Super Affiliate is what got me actually working on my own stuff and not just reading and dreaming. It’s only been 2 months since I dusted off the book I bought earlier in the year but I’ve already made a sale with 1 of my review sites up and 4 more on the way.
Cheers Chris for showing the world that it doesn’t take a scam or bad information to make a killing on the net. All of your reports give me one more piece of the puzzle, and it makes this all kind of fun.
-Scottie B
9 Gary // Oct 5, 2008 at 9:02 pm
I agree with most of what you said. I mean in reality if your pumping your biz you don’t really have more than 30 min. to spend on a forum. But I must tell you I’ve learned a lot on the WF.
So maybe they need a rating system and if it has one it could be implemented. The only people that could rate would have to be approved before hand by Allen.
That way if someone was blowing it out their (ear) then the more experienced marketers could do a rating without getting involved in a knockdown, time suck with the poster.
Then when the newbies looked at a post they would know if it was a half truth or not.
What I have to stay out of is the WSO section…LOL jeez…
I mean one time I bought a report from you just because I enjoyed the copy so much I had to see who this person was…
The WF is a double edge sword sometimes for sure.
Cheers,
Gary
10 Leo Dimilo // Dec 9, 2008 at 4:55 pm
I have to agree with you that forums can be an easy way to blow through what would be an otherwise productive day. Personally, I don’t visit webmaster forums unless I have a question or am just bored (which rarely happens) or are taking an off day (once again, rarely happens).
11 Nando // Dec 18, 2008 at 9:41 pm
One of the things I’ve learned with using forums is to get in and get out. Make my post and split.
It is too easy to lose time in their and end up with nothing to show for it.
My mentality with forums is the same as when I go shopping in a mall or a supermarket. Just get in and get out.
Thanks for staying grounded.
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