Better biz/SEO sense to write within forums or a blog?

I'd like to start a blog but first some question for you all.

I've never blogged. I just write on forums like these a lot. I've often written extremely loooonnnngggg posts and thought to myself, "self, you should have a blog and then make a post with a link to the blog. In fact, I find forums incredibly inspiring places for writing. Sometime I start a post and it gets so long I save the post on my desktop instead of posting it because I think it might better serve as content to my future blog or website.

I'm looking for your opinions about this. Let's say your ultimate goal is to generate traffic to your business website. Do you think it is better to save long & useful posts for your low PR blog that compliments your business website and then just post a quick reply in the forum with a link to your blog? Or, do you think writing a long & useful post in a high PR forum such as this one would generate a better click through rate for your business website (if your business website was in your signature)?

 

Forums mislead people's attention to other topics rather than those thoughts you want to share.

Having a blog with long posts is not that bad if your insight is inspiring for your readers, spread helpful opinions or create positive debate, hence increasing traffic.

 

Make a blog, even if it's hosted somewhere else. Although the general advice is to have a blog in your own domain.

Posting on forums and posting on blogs tend to be similar.

 

I say cross pollinate your content. Mix it up a bit. Write a newsletter
and tell people to discuss your latest newsletter in the forum. Update
your list and tell them to read a special article posted on the forum.
Tell people to visit your blog for something newsworthy.

To get over the hurdle of getting people to register for the forum,
give them a free gift for doing so (tell them through your newsletter).

Also create ways for each of your mediums to be reached from other
mediums. Have an option for people to subscribe to your newsletter
from your blog, have a link to your forum from your blog, link to
your blog from your forum etc.

I know it sounds complicated but this gives a way for people to
consume the content the way they want it. Some people are not
so fond of email, others use RSS readers to subscribe to blogs,
and many people love to discuss in forums since they're constantly
being told.

It also stretches your findability, community, authority and branding
of your site.

 

Good points ChrisChoi. I like it. You're right, there are all kinds of folks out there. Some are diehard blog readers so I should have a blog to reach them. Some (like myself) are diehard forum readers so I should keep posting in forums. Some just visit websites so I need to work on my SEO. Your thoughts are sound, my friend

 

A few things (that you may already know, maybe not) that I learned along the way:

Don't make huge, long posts without breaking them up in some way or another.

Just making separate paragraphs isn't always enough. To the casual skimmer, it looks like a wall of words.

Implement a photo every now and then to wrap the text around (even if they may sometimes be disturbing). Even ads help in this respect.

• Lists
• Always
• Catch
• The
• Eye

Bold words work, but use them sparingly or they lose their "oomph." The same goes for italics.

Hope that helps!

 

Thanks for the tips.

You hit the nail on the head.



I've thought now and again that some readers might go right past my posts because of their "wall" look but I guess I needed someone else to tell me too.