Top 10 Tips on Effective Forum Signature

Computers & TechnologyBlogging / Forums

  • Author Cris Ma
  • Published March 31, 2009
  • Word count 665

Forum signatures have traditionally been employed in mail service, e- mails and then in message board or newsgroups discussions. It is no surprise that the signature scheme also shaped up into the net forum and is extensively backed-up by plain forum.

There are two prominent points why you should make the best of applying forum signatures. The fist point is the direct traffic you are able to acquire, and second, the search engine optimization advantage. These tips below will really maximize the outcome of forum signatures, as well as capture beneficial traffic as an effect of them.

Here are top 10 tips on creating an effective forum signature for your advantage.

  1. Separate lines by color. If the forum you are posting on allows you to post in various colors, do it. Colors are great way to draw attention to a signature and keeping one color per line allows you to easily promote several items in one signature, without confusing the reader into thinking they are related.

  2. Smilies - Be seen. These just work. The more movement the better.

  3. Grab Attention With CAPS - CAPS grab attention because your mind is used to paying associating CAPS with yelling or emphasis.

  4. |@|--$ymb0l$--|@| - Symbols are hard to read, if a curious reader glances past your forum signature and sees a message to be decoded, they will likely give it a whirl.

  5. Offer many resources - If you list a lot of helpful URLs that you have nothing to gain from, you are showing the reader your care about sharing helpful resources. Accidentally slipping in a link to your own resource is also suggested.

  6. Updating - Forums have a lot of repeat traffic and people get used to blocking out familiar forum signatures. Update your signature often and add a new creative label to let people know it changed.

  7. Use patterns - Try this little trick. Alternate your link colors from yellow to black, red to blue, brown to black, etc. People see random links all the time, but they don't see patterns. Give it a try for yourself!

  8. Hide it - That's right, make it hard to see. If the forum background is a dark green, set your link color to a slightly lighter green (enough so you can tell there is a URL there without actually being able to read it without focusing). This will cause your readers to question what the link says and highlight it to read it. They still might not click, but at least they read it.

  9. "Don't click this" - Who can resist? At the very least you'll get someone to hover over the link to see the URL.

  10. Obey the rules. As effective as the above tips are, they won't only get in you in trouble if they break the rules. Some forums specifically don't allow some of the above because it is so effective.

Most bulletin boards will have a few rules on forum signature lengths or forum signature arrangement. Basic forum signature formats that are sanctioned by veteran forums are text-only forum signatures and narrowing down the amount of lines in the forum signature. Always comply by the forum regulations and particularly in the forum signature rules as numerous forums are particular about members not linking their forums for the specific intention of spamming their links through their bulletin signatures or posts.

A forum is an ideal home to build a name for yourself. These forums have masses within that are tired of ordinary things in life and eager to learn something different in you. This difference makes an extra-ordinary effect to your market or your products. Your forum signature can be a valuable instrument to stir a bit of promotion for your site and services.

If you are able to prove a name for yourself within you, imagine the sales impact it would become. Forum signature is an excellent extension of your success together with your your niche by writing expert answers on peoples queries.

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