[brotherZ]

What do you guys think?
Do forums do well with affiliate marketing???

[lostdeviant]

it depends. It is like asking if affiliate marketing is good for blogs, community sites, etc.

[Geno Prussakov]

When targeting the right audience and respecting their personal space (there is a fine line between helpfulness and intrusiveness there), they can be extremely effective.

Geno

[martyogelvie]

my experience is no.. but I have seen a few that likely do very well. I think Geno summed it up 'Target the right audience and repect personal space'

[SSanf]

Well there is a way. If a member of the forum is active, sell them an ad to their page and they can make affiliate money off their page.

Many of my sales this last year have come indirectly from a forum that I am well known in. Of course, I carry products of interest to the forum members.

But, I would participate in the forum, anyway. Needless to say, the main claim to fame I have there is stiring shit in the political arena. They just love to hate me. I can't tell you how many got themselves banned because they popped a cork over something I said. Fortunately, they only get a temporary ban to cool off. But, it gets me attention and they go to my sites and buy stuff. I am a wicked, wicked woman.

For something like that to work, you have to have the interest, the right touch and the right forum. Knowing me as many of you do, you can see how that would work for me. Remember the fun we used to have? Well, I couldn't shut up so I turned it to a profit. LOL!

I was their first advertiser. Now, ads support the forum.

[purdue512]

I agree, it really depends on the target and the forum.

I have seen products sell really poorly with a bad match. On the other hand, I have a product targeted to web masters, and it does well in web master forums.

So, do your research, know your audience and target.