I only use free advertisiing when starting a new forum. When things start picking up then that is when I begin my promotion campaign.

our forum has a specific target, and there are other sites that cover the same. (It is a sports forum) Many members hear of us from talking to others at games, and also by spreadingthe word on other forums. We share links, by having a links page, where we allow people to link their website, and link ours in return. It costs nothing.

Another approach might be to write articles for those free articles sites, using your forum as a resource for further discussion. It is a long shot but it might work!

There is a person who writes a blog on the team my forum is based on. He is a well known journalist in his own right so gets many hits.

He will write an article, then post a link to it on our forum, and invite discussion/opinions. As we have a lot of members, the threads generated can run to hundreds of posts. Then on his blog he will post a link to the thread concerned with a blurb like 'discuss this article with other fans here' We get traffic, and he gets traffic. Mutually beneficial.. no cost.

Wow, Stav. - it really helps to have connections, doesn't it! I guess the thing is to really try to "network" with people and help each other.

LOL Tricky, that is EXACTLY it!

Talk to people that share your interests, even if it's in a roundabout way, look at ways you can help each other, which will increase traffic on both sides. This journo, can be more rabidly pro the team he supports in his blog, than he is allowd to be in his workplace, so he can get his real view across, and get feedback from genuine fans. We get all the casual fans who might read his blog as part of their normal newsreading routine, who click on the link to see the rest of the discussion.


We also have a few celebrity fans, local boys made good types, who still go to games regularly and drink in the same places we all do after games, and we get them to come along to the forum to answer questions, or pose for pictures etc, and their names score high in google searches etc..

It all helps

You know, you just never know sometimes who you might be talking to. Also, sometimes people may not be able to help you, but may know someone who can.

yes indeed. word of mouth is stillthe best way to increase traffic for free. Chatting to a mate who knows another forum on the same subject, could lead to an exchange of links and increase in traffic for both.

I would be interested in finding out the name of your site, it sounds like you've had success. I'm not sure if you can post the site name, but you can PM me with it if you get the chance.

Sounds like you've had success with your site. I would be interested in taking a look at your site, could you PM me a link?
Thanks.