Online discussion forums, or bulletin boards, have been around since the web began and are an excellent means of boosting traffic to your site and bringing customers together to talk about subjects related to your industry. As such, they can provide insights into what consumers are thinking, which can be invaluable aid when it comes to marketing your products and services.
Talking shop
Online forums serve to bring disparate groups of people together to talk about a common subject, be that technology, relationships, politics, sports or entertainment. Usually, forums are set up to address specific topics, e.g. technology gadgets. Someone posts a message to the forum, and other users respond by adding comments, thereby developing a discussion "thread".
Daft.ie, a popular website for those seeking to rent or buy property in Ireland, is a great example of a small firm which has successfully used an internet forum to boost traffic to its website. The company added a bulletin board to its site five years ago, and internet users typically use the site to talk about everything from lousy landlords to the difficulties that first-time buyers face.
According to Daft's managing director, Eamonn Fallon, the online forums have played a major part in the company's success. "The discussion forums are really about creating a sense of a community and a sense of user loyalty," he says. "We believe that many of our current users stay with us because they feel that they are part of Daft, rather than just another anonymous web surfer. This loyalty translates into invaluable word-of-mouth marketing, which in turn drives more people to the website."
Another Irish company that has found forums good for business is Weddings Online, a website which provides comprehensive wedding information and services to a target audience of 'to-be-weds'. The forum was set up in February 2000 and now has over 11,000 members and is used on average by 150 users at any one time.
According to Fiona Fagan, editor of the website, the bulletin board has not only helped to increase the number of visitors to the site but has also been useful in attracting advertisers and suppliers to form partnerships with Weddings Online. "Our suppliers use the forum frequently to stay 'in touch' with what today's bride is looking for. We can also use the forum for polls if we need to gather information on a certain subject," says Fagan.
Board benefits
Although both Daft and Weddings Online are website-based companies whose success is measured by the number of visitors to their sites, small firms that use their website simply to advertise and sell their products and services can also benefit from setting up a discussion forum.
The web hosting firm Blacknight Solutions, for example, has a discussion forum that deals with support issues, allowing customers to post queries related to technical difficulties they may be having. It also provides a space to address pre-sales queries and issues related to re-sellers.
Getting started
Setting up a discussion forum on your website is relatively straightforward. Hosting providers sometimes offer boards as part of a package, or a web designer can add one to an existing site. It's also possible to download free software and set up a forum yourself, providing you have the technical know-how to be able to run and maintain it.
Moderation issues
For any company thinking about setting up a bulletin board on its website, there are a number of issues to consider before taking the plunge. First, while internet forums are similar to weblogs (see last week's business blogging feature), they differ in that anyone can start a thread. Although this allows users to take the lead in starting discussions, it also means that forums need to be moderated so that users keep on topic and don't post abusive or libellous comments. Moreover, companies need to develop a thick skin, because not all of the threads posted may be complimentary about their products or services.
Second, it's important that firms take an active role in generating and responding to threads, because there's nothing more off-putting to forum visitors than a bulletin board that hasn't had any new comments in a while.
If companies are prepared to invest time in developing their online forum, it can prove highly beneficial to their business. After all, what could be more valuable than a space where current and potential customers express their opinion on topics that matter to your business?
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