I used to think that submitting to forums was over.
Like, totally out of date. Another thing from the early 2000s was when SEOs could send a lot of spam to the top of Google.
However, I had a client whose organic traffic remained stagnant at 12,000 visitors per month for eight consecutive months.Â
Not even guest posts, directory submissions, or even expensive PR campaigns made a difference.
I was so desperate that I decided to try submitting to forums one last time.Â
I used a completely different method than the old one and then..
What happened? His organic traffic went up to 34,000 visitors a month, and he now gets 2 to 3 qualified leads a week from people who find him on forums.
This is what forum submission really is in 2025, and why most people are doing it all wrong…
You May also Like:-Best Websites to Buy GPL Themes and Plugins
What is Forum Submission?
Forum submission is the strategic process of using online discussion forums to get backlinks, bring in targeted traffic, and become an authority in your field or niche.
But this is where everyone goes wrong: They think that submitting to forums means finding a list of 500 forums and putting their website link on all of them. That’s not submitting, that’s spam.
But, real forum submission means-
- Choosing the right forums based on your target audience and industry, participating in a way that adds value and builds real relationships
- Placing links naturally in helpful, relevant answers
- Long-term involvement in the community instead of quick fixes
Spam is all about what you want (backlinks), while strategy is all about what the community needs (real help and useful information).
How Forum Submission Benefits SEO?
Direct SEO Impact
- Quality backlinks from established forum domains with real traffic
- Contextual link placement within relevant discussions about your industry
- Brand mention signals that help search engines understand your authority
- Local SEO benefits from participation in geographic-specific forums
Indirect SEO Benefits
- Increased website traffic from engaged forum users who click through
- Longer content lifespan as forum discussions remain active for years
- Natural anchor text variation through organic mentions and references
- Social proof signals that validate your expertise to both users and search engines
The key difference between forum submission and other SEO tactics is authenticity.
Search engines can detect genuine community participation versus artificial link schemes, making quality forum engagement a white-hat strategy that provides long-term value.
You May also Like:- 25+ Best PLR Sites to Make MoneyÂ
Forum Posting for Link Building Strategy
Most people approach forum posting for link building like they’re playing a numbers game- post in as many forums as possible and hope some links stick, I can tell you this approach fails 90% of the time.
The Old Way vs. The New Way
What doesn’t work (but everyone still does)-
- Creating accounts on 100+ forums in a single day
- Immediately posting promotional content with links
- Using the same generic response across multiple forums
- Focusing only on high Domain Authority forums
- Ignoring community rules and culture
What actually works-
- Selecting 15-20 highly relevant forums where your audience actively participates
- Spending 1-2 weeks learning each community’s culture before posting anything
- Providing genuine value in 80% of posts, with only 20% containing any self-promotion
- Building relationships with other community members and moderators
- Following the 10:1 rule- 10 helpful posts for every 1 that includes your link
You May also Like:- 29+ Group buy SEO Toolsat just Rs. 99/-Â
What is Forum Posting in SEO? (With Real Examples)
Forum posting in SEO is the practice of participating in online community discussions to naturally build backlinks, establish expertise, and drive qualified traffic to your website.
Let me show you exactly how this works with real examples from my testing-
Example 1: The Problem-Solver Approach
Naturally build backlinks, establish expertise, and drive qualified traffic to your website. Let me show you exactly how this works with real examples from my testing-
Example 1: The Problem-Solver
Approach Scenario: A marketing professional asks on Warrior Forum-
“How do I increase email open rates for my SaaS newsletter?” Bad forum posting example: “Check out my guide on email marketing here: [website link]. It has everything you need to know!”
Good forum posting example: “I struggled with the same issue last year. Here are three specific tactics that improved my SaaS email open rates by 34%:
Example 2: The Industry Insight Strategy
Scenario: Discussion on Reddit’s r/SEO about Google’s latest algorithm update
Bad approach: “Google updates don’t matter if you follow my SEO system. Download my free guide here: [link]”
Good approach: “I’ve been tracking the impact of this update across 23 client sites, and here’s what I’m seeing-
You May also Like:- WorldPressIT Review- GPL Plugins and Themes for WordPress
25 Best Free Forum Posting Sites
| Forum / Site | DA | Best Use Case |
| 91 | Driving discussions, traffic, and brand authority | |
| Quora | 89 | Building authority, generating B2B leads |
| Stack Overflow | 87 | SaaS, dev tools, technical services |
| Warrior Forum | 68 | Marketing services, courses, tools |
| Digital Point | 72 | Networking with industry experts |
| Indie Hackers | 75 | SaaS products, founder stories |
| BiggerPockets | 75 | Real estate services, investment advice |
| Spiceworks | 75 | B2B software, enterprise tools |
| MyFitnessPal Community | 78 | Health products & fitness services |
| LinkedIn Groups | 95 | B2B lead generation, professional visibility |
| Facebook Groups | 96 | Local business promotion, group engagement |
| Behance | 85 | Creative and design services |
| Dev.to | 75 | Technical product promotion, dev content |
| GitHub Discussions | 81 | Promoting dev tools, building tech presence |
| Small Business Forum | 45 | Business service promotion |
| StartupNation | 55 | Startup tools & services |
| Growth Hackers | 68 | Marketing tools & growth strategies |
| Inbound.org | 70 | Content marketing & sales tools |
| City-Data Forums | 70 | Local business visibility |
| Nextdoor Business | 75 | Local service providers |
| Dribbble | 80 | Design portfolio promotion |
| 99designs Community | 72 | Creative services marketing |
| Teachers.net | 65 | Educational tools & products |
| Chronicle Forums | 75 | Educational services |
| PatientsLikeMe | 70 | Health-related products & services |
You May also Like:- Elementor Pro Download at Affordable Price
How to Do Forum Submission (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Identify Your Target Forums
- Google search: “[your industry] + forum 2025”
- Check competitor backlinks using Ahrefs/SEMrush
- Look for forums mentioned in industry blogs
- Ask colleagues for forum recommendations
Step 2: Find Forum Quality
For each potential forum, assess-
- Activity level- Recent posts within 7 days
- Member engagement- Comments, discussions, not just spam
- Moderation quality- Spam gets removed quickly
- Domain authority- Use SEO tools to check DA/DR
- Audience relevance- Your ideal customers asking questions
Step 3: Create Your Forum Portfolio
Select 15-20 forums total-
- 3-5 high-authority general forums (Reddit, Quora)
- 8-10 industry-specific communities
- 4-7 smaller niche forums where you can stand out
Step 4: Professional Profile Creation
- Consistent username across all forums
- Professional photo or company logo
- Complete bio highlighting your expertise (no links yet)
- Accurate location for local SEO benefits
Step 5: Community Learning Phase
Spend 3-5 days per forum-
- Read top posts and popular discussions
- Study successful contributors’ communication styles
- Understand community rules and posting guidelines
- Identify common questions and pain points
- Note optimal posting times and popular topics
Step 6: Pure Value Contributions
Start with zero self-promotion-
- Answer questions thoroughly and helpfully
- Share others’ valuable content when relevant
- Ask thoughtful questions that generate discussion
- Upvote/like helpful content from other members
Step 7: Relationship Building
- Respond to comments on your posts
- Engage with other helpful community members
- Follow up on discussions you’ve contributed to
- Build recognition as a knowledgeable, helpful member
Step 8: The 10:1 Content Strategy
- Make 10 purely helpful posts for every 1 that includes your link
- Only share links when they directly solve someone’s problem
- Provide value in the post itself, not just the link
- Use varied anchor text and link to different pages
Step 9: Natural Link Placement Tactics
Effective ways to include links-
- “I actually wrote about this exact problem here…”
- “Here’s a case study that shows what you’re describing…”
- “This tool helped me solve a similar issue: [link]”
- “I documented the full process and results here…”
Step 10: Performance Tracking
Monitor these metrics-
- Referral traffic from each forum (Google Analytics)
- Quality metrics (time on site, bounce rate)
- Backlinks gained from forum participation
- Conversions attributed to forum traffic
Step 11: Strategic Focus
Double down on what works-
- Increase participation in high-performing forums
- Reduce effort in low-engagement communities
- Test similar forums to successful ones
Step 12: Advanced Strategies
Once established-
- Offer to write guest posts for forum blogs
- Participate in forum AMAs or expert discussions
- Collaborate with other respected forum members
- Create forum-specific resources or tools
You May also Like:- Srmehranclub Review- GPL Plugins and Themes for WordPress
What Forum Submission Can and Can't Do?
What Forum Submission CAN Do-
- Generate Qualified Traffic- My testing shows forum visitors convert 3x better than average website traffic because they’re problem-aware and solution-seeking.
- Â Build Quality Backlinks- High-authority forums provide contextual backlinks that search engines value, especially when placed within helpful, relevant content
- Establish Industry Authority- Consistent, valuable contributions build recognition and trust within professional communities.
- Â Provide Market Research- Forums reveal exactly what your audience struggles with, providing content ideas and product development insights.
What Forum Submission CAN’T Do-
- Replace Core SEO Strategy- Forum links are one component of a comprehensive SEO strategy, not a magic bullet for rankings.
-  Generate Overnight Results- Building forum authority takes months of consistent participation. Expect 3-6 months for a significant impact. Work
- Without Real Value- Forums quickly identify and eliminate self-promotional spam. Success requires genuine expertise and helpfulness.
- Scale Through Automation- Authentic forum participation requires human insight and relationship building that can’t be automated.
You May also Like:- PluginsforWP Review- Best Site For GPL Plugins and Themes
Conclusion
Forum submission works, but it requires patience, authenticity, and genuine value creation. It’s not a quick fix, but it’s a sustainable strategy that compounds over time.
The businesses that succeed with forum marketing treat it as relationship building first, marketing second.
Focus on helping others solve problems, and the SEO benefits will follow naturally.Â
Understanding what a forum submission in SEO means, recognizing it as a long-term relationship-building strategy rather than a quick link acquisition tactic.
When done correctly, forum submission becomes a powerful component of your overall digital marketing strategy, generating qualified traffic, quality backlinks, and industry authority that grows stronger over time.
The key is focusing on community value first, business benefits second. This approach not only delivers better results but also builds sustainable relationships that extend far beyond individual forum posts.
