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First Steps
 

Create your own discussion or help group.
Post often and promote your group wherever you can, because the more members you have making posts, the more content for search engines to index.  Make sure that in each relevant topic you have at least one of your own posts with a linkback to your site tactfully and discreetly woven into your posts.  If you write articles, submit them not only to article sites, but also upload them to your group.  This makes your group an authority, content-rich, and gives people a reason to join and post comments.  These in turn invite more comments, and more people join your group. 

The members of your group are all business contacts and at some point may become potential customers.  As you answer their questions, provide direction, moderate, upload files and links to help them with things they need, you become a respected authority.  If you use a particular program, review it, and recommend it, chances are that your group members who also need such a program will buy the one that you yourself use and recommend.  It helps you even more if you are an affiliate of the products you recommend.

My webmaster and marketer help group is HERE.
I do recommend you join MY GROUP, because I have uploaded over 100 files and links to help in your webmastering and marketing efforts.  I have many more files that I will be uploading in the days and weeks ahead.  I am also constantly finding new information from various sources, which will also be uploaded into this group.  It's free to join, and no matter how long you've been a webmaster or marketer you will most likely find helpful information.  I just created this group and am still in the process of transferring files from my old group and from my hard drive.  As soon as I get a few more finishing touches on it, I will be promoting the grand opening to get new members, but it is available to join now.

I chose to create my group on Yahoo, but I could have just as well chosen Google which also has a high PR.  The main reason I chose Yahoo is that I created my original group as a webmasters help group in 2001 when there was no Google.  I was already familiar with Yahoo format and web interface.  Since Yahoo groups has been around longer, it stands to reason that there may be more members.  I also answer questions on Yahoo Answers.  Many times I am able to tie an answer to a referral to my group as a source for my answer.  As an Answers member, I have also posted my URL and a brief summary of what I do, in my profile.  There is another inbound link to my website.

Post at others' groups.
Posting at other peoples' groups is very similar to posting on forums, but they are usually focused on a narrower subject or range of topics.  The rules are determined largely by the moderator or owner of the groups, but they usually follow the same general guidelines as forum rules and etiquette.  Now you may find a group that allows you to make posts which are nothing more than ads, but chances are that nobody reads them.  People read group members' posts because they are interesting and informative, not because they are looking to buy something.  Instead, they would use a search engine for that.

Some places to create a group (Highest possible PR is 9). 
    (PR 9) google groups  Sign in to your Google account, or create one free if you do not yet have one.
    (PR 8) yahoo groups  Near the  'Find a Yahoo Group' search box, click the link 'Start your group.'
    (PR 6) scribd  Create a group, a blog, or submit your documents for the world to see.

Have a short but powerful signature at the bottom of your posts (one line is best, or two at most).  Offer a free report, make a powerful claim, etc., or drive people to asqueeze page to claim their freebie.  Be sure your URL is in your signature.  When posting, SEO the title and, if possible, the post itself.  This will bring those who are searching on search engines for your topic to your post.  Since your post also has your signature, some of these people could also end up at your website.