Critique of Internet Marketing Forums and Networks
Internet marketing is often called “easy” by the push-button marketing “gurus.” That’s probably why about 95% of those who try fail – it’s so easy. It’s not easy. Some of the reasons why it’s not easy is that there is not an easily found roadmap, and the field is littered with victims of misinformation and malpractice. Many people who get involved with IM do not have clear expectations about what is possible, and it’s difficult to get the sort of information needed to build the right sort of expectations. So, where might one find a place to help develop appropriate goals and expectations, a good roadmap and appropriate IM activities? For some, it is a forum or network.
There are many internet marketing forums or networks available. Some are excellent, some provide limited information and waste time, and still others are dangerous. Finding the right resource can support success, and the wrong one can be a real impediment. This article reviews a number of networks, providing a critique of their services.
This is by no means a full list, but represents five very strong free resources and a number of paid networks. For some, you must register, but there is no charge. For others, you do not need to register, or register only to post. And, for some, there is a paid option for additional resources and access. And, the paid programs cost from below $40 a month to almost $70 a month.
A. Free or Very Cheap Resources
- Digitalpoint.com. One of the oldest forums, this contains a great deal of information, and many forums. Members are quick to comment and answer questions. It has an excellent reputation and rave reviews from many in the field.
- IM4Newbies.com. This forum is chock full of resources for “newbies,” and has become a well known and well respected site. Mike Merz, the founder and moderator, provides a lot of information geared to those new in the field. And, he moderates about two dozen different forums, focused on strategy and application. It is straightforward, and strongly recommended.
- Seochatforums.com. A targeted forum focused on search engine optimization, with a lot of good discussion.
- DreamTeamMoney.com. This has an encyclopedic range in its forums, covering all of the important internet marketing topics.
- Vitavee.com. Vitavee’s Forums has a series of forums dedicated to SEO, Adsense, PPC, Internet Marketing Product Reviews and Strategies. Good information.
B. Paid Subscription Resources
For these resources, I will provide a little more information, since they require a financial commitment on your part. Each has some very strong points, and some have significant weaknesses which should influence the prospective buyer’s decision.
1. Warrior Forum
WarriorForum.com. This may well be one of the best known resources available to internet marketers. One can review most of the forums and posts without being a paid member. And, I would recommend that anyone interested try out the free forum first by looking at the topics and the comments. This forum has an extensive library of material, and some very strong internet marketers as members. If there is a question about a new “guru” product, there are usually a number of good comments made by people who know the product. This is extremely helpful. And, for less than $50, one can join and participate in the ‘”War Room” where more in depth information can be found about many important topics. Sometimes, there are too many offers being made from other members, and although most are cheap, one can spend a lot of money quickly. There are also opportunities to hire people to do technical work, from web design to SEO and back links. Before hiring at WF, I would check out fiverr.com to compare services and costs. Warrior Forum is an important and authoritative resource for IM.
2. Niche Profit Classroom
NicheProfitClassroom.com. NPC has developed a strong, positive reputation – and for good reason. It provides training, website templates and an IM forum for members. A lot of helpful resources are given. The discussion in the forums is targeted to specific internet marketing issues, and extremely helpful. This could be a very good resource for people who would like to have blog templates and a good deal of material draft developed for them, and who want help in getting started quickly. At a monthly subscription of just under $70, the price is steep. However, there is a free trial period, and people are very accommodating. It’s worth checking.
3. Wealthy Affiliate
WealthyAffiliate.com. WA, as it is known to members, has thousands of members, and is a well known resource. The discussions on the forums range through many topics, and the commentary is often very helpful. People develop online relationships within WA, and provide feedback, critique and support to one another. The training materials, tools and resources are second to none, and its greatest strength. WA has an excellent library, in fact, it is a little overwhelming at first. WA would benefit from developing some type of “map” for website development steps, and a “map” of resources. They have an Affiliate Program, however, the affiliate site has some serious problems with spelling errors and missing links. It “ranks” people using a system that is hard to decipher, and a little sophomoric. If a free trial is available, it would be worth checking; and it might be worth investing for a month to study the good materials to see if WA is a fit.
4. My Affiliate Apprentice
MyAffiliateApprentice.com. MAA is a small, upstart break-away by an internet marketer focused on auto blogging. To its credit, My Affiliate Apprentice provides a wealth of helpful information, including step-by-step instructions for how to choose niches, keywords and domains. The owner provides in depth coverage on how to build a blog, monetize it, and automate articles and traffic. His training materials are step-by-step, and some of the clearest I’ve seen. There are recommendations for specific software to use (including one of his), which can add up to about $500, and that is not outlined in the advertising materials. The “free site” advertised was not available when I checked out MAA, so I didn’t get to review that option. The forum has “friends” and “enemies” which reminds one of junior high, and it’s hard to figure how that helps build the forum. One needs to buy into the founder’s predisposition for auto blogging 50 to 100 blogs, using material scraped from around the internet. If the style doesn’t fit, the resources will not help with traditional websites or blogs. The site also offers two levels of coaching. However, the coaching was sub-par, unfocused and unnecessarily directive, for an unpleasant experience. This forum might be worth checking only if one is interested in the sort of auto blogging promoted at MAA.
In the near future, I will have an article, or a series on IM resources, including resource lists and directories, free tools resources, and reviews of programs, including a review of “Turbo Commissions,” “A Real Change,” “Blogging to the Bank,” and others. Please note, I do not have any affiliate relationships with the groups I review. I have had trials, bought or subscribed to almost all of the resources.
If you have a resource you’d like to see reviewed, or have comments about any of the resources reviewed in this article, please send me an email at the address below.
Anne Hays Egan is an organizational development consultant. She is based near Santa Fe, NM. She has worked with hundreds of organizations throughout the United States, focusing on strategic planning, organizational development, outreach and marketing. Anne has analyzed and critiqued internet marketing resources, and is able to provide important information to internet marketers about what to develop and what to avoid. She has published newsletters books and chapters, Ezine articles and blogs. She is an EZine Premium Expert Author. Her work has been cited in management association networks and association groups. She provides information, resources and links on her IM websites. Contact her on her working wired website: Working Wired. Email at: advisor@workingwired.com
Author: Anne Hays Egan
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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