by Ruth Belena

Created on: December 18, 2009

There is one winning strategy for promoting yourself on the Internet that does not cost any money. Courtesy is what you require to gain followers online, and get more visitors to your website or articles. Being considerate and courteous is the basis of all good social networking, and simply the best free method there is for marketing online. Your courtesy will be well rewarded with an increased interest in your writing and other online activities.

◊ Social sites and networking.

When you join any network where you intend posting links to your online articles, blog posts or web pages, your main aim should be to gain a big following, or add a lot of friends to your profile. Few people will find you and request you to add them as a friend or follower until you gain a good reputation at that site. You do this by being courteous in your comments, by adding valuable responses, and by sharing links to items of interest, not just promoting your own articles or blog posts.

If you only use a social site to post your own links you cannot expect others to be impressed by your participation. More people will follow you when you post interesting items and share useful links, and when they see you recommend and follow other members on that site.

◊ Community sites, forums and message boards.

Forum administrators and message board moderators do not welcome members who only want to use the site for spamming their own links. When you join a forum or board you can be courteous by introducing yourself, responding enthusiastically to what other members post and starting interesting discussions of your own.

You can be a popular forum member by responding whenever you can help someone or offer advice. You should also share your own expert knowledge and personal experiences in regular forum posts or board messages. When you do this you attract more attention and gain a good reputation. Your signature link will be visited and your profile will be viewed. You might even be invited to participate in other forums, and be offered payment for posting, to help establish a new online forum.

When you avoid making angry responses, and you are always thoughtful in your forum posting, you become known as a responsible person. You will be valued as a member of that site. Any links you post, in accordance with forum rules, will be noticed and visited by other members, and by visitors who find your posts or view your profile.

◊ Blogging

You can expect more visitors to your blog when you are a courteous visitor to other people's blogs. When you leave blog comments that add value to a discussion, or which provide additional information to a blog post, your own blog will get return visits from other blog owners and their visitors.

When you approach other blog owners courteously, and ask if they would like to write a guest post for your blog, most of them will respond enthusiastically and will probably add your link to their blog roll, or offer you for a guest post in return. Each guest post provides another opportunity for a link back.

This winning strategy for promoting yourself on the Internet will require more than just courtesy, it will take time to build your reputation. You can only become well known through constant participation at the sites where you want others to notice what you post. Your time is valuable but when you spend it wisely, with courtesy, you will receive greater benefits. You will make more money as a result of this free and highly effective strategy for self-promotion.

Learn more about this author, Ruth Belena.
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