Webmasters: Are you looking to increase your Google PageRank? It’s common knowledge that PageRank is all about backlinks: The more pages on the web that link to your page, the higher your PageRank will be… And if those sites linking to your page have high PageRanks themselves, that’s all the better for you. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, check out Wikipedia’s page on PageRank.

Anyway, one way of getting backlinks to your site is by posting in forums. I don’t necessarily mean joining a forum and just making posts that have your links in them - But by putting your links in your signature. Not only is this easier, it will tend to be less frowned upon than the aforementioned method, as it seems to be an accepted practice (at least on some forums, to a certain extent).

Some forums require you to meet a minimum number of posts.., I’ve seen forums where you are unable to post hyperlinks until you have made at least 20 posts, but come on, it’s not that hard to do, is it? Find a forum that genuinely interests you. Check that forums PageRank. If you are happy with the PageRank (I’d say anything with a PR of 3 or higher is a good start), become a contributing member. Take part in conversations, and even start new threads. If you show up, make two posts, and then start spamming links, you will most likely have your links removed and/or be banned without a second thought. But if you become a contributing member, and make some relevant posts, a forum moderator won’t be likely to ban you for having a couple links in your signature.

Another general rule to consider is to keep it relevant. Don’t join a Christian Forum and post links to sites about death metal bands. If you are advertising proxy sites, try and find a site that would be frequented by high school teens. Think bands like Good Charlotte (ugh) and maybe a Honda Civic tuning forum. This seems like it’d be common sense to me.

Don’t expect to see immediate results. PageRank has been said to be updated roughly once every 3 months, so put some time into this, and then sit back and wait. Hell, you might forget about it entirely, and then one day a few months down the road it will be a pleasant surprise when your PageRank has suddenly jumped from 0 to 4.

I have not verified that each and every one of these forums does not have nofollow, and that they allow links in signatures - But I feel that most forums do allow this. Pick one (or ten) that interest you. Sign up and make some posts. After you make 20 or so posts, introduce the links to your signature. This is a simple and effective way to get quality backlinks.

Music Forums

Slumz of Boxden (Rap Forums)   PR: 3
Megadeth Forums   PR: 3
SMN Forums   PR: 3
PA Hardcore Forums   PR: 3
Sputnik Music & Musician Forums   PR: 3
The Noise Boston   PR: 4
Bravewords Forums   PR: 4
Official Linkin Park Forum   PR: 4
Ultimate Metal Forum   PR: 4
SOHH.com Forum (Rap   PR: 4
Realest Niggas (Rap)   PR: 4
Hip Hop Universe Underground   PR: 4
OnSmash Forums (Rap)   PR: 4
RapFlava Forums   PR: 4
RapBasement Forums   PR: 4
Siccness Network (Rap)   PR: 4
Guitar Tab Universe Forum   PR: 5
Music Banter   PR: 5
LiveDaily Community   PR: 7

Teen Forums

FaceTheJury   PR: 3
TeenSpot Message Boards   PR: 4
Bored of Studies   PR: 4
RateMyBody   PR: 4
LiveWie Teen & College Forums   PR: 4
Nexopia   PR: 4
GovTeen Forums   PR: 4
IdolForums (American Idol)   PR: 5
The Student Room   PR: 5

Video Game Forums

TSR: The Sims Resource Forums   PR: 4
XS Gaming Forums   PR: 4
Final Fantasy Shrine Forums   PR: 4
Game Addicts Forums   PR: 4
GTA Forums   PR: 5
IGN Forums   PR: 6
Neverwinter Nights Forum   PR: 6

Web Design Forums

Dev Shed Forums   PR: 6
DigitalPoint Forums   PR: 6
SitePoint Forums   PR: 7

Automotive Forums

Bimmer Forums (BMW)   PR: 3
Civic Forums   PR: 3
AudiWorld Forums   PR: 4
C6 Corvette Forums   PR: 4
E46 Fanatics   PR: 4
Ford Truck Enthusiasts   PR: 4
NASIOC Forums   PR: 4
Car Forums   PR: 5
Automotive Forums   PR: 5
VWVortex Forums   PR: 5

General & Misc Forums

Catholic Answers Forums   PR: 5
Christian Forums   PR: 5
HipForums   PR: 5
Ask An Expert   PR: 5
JREF Forums   PR: 6
Anandtech Forums   PR: 6
DPReview Forums   PR: 8

Obviously, this isn’t all of the forums out there. There are thousands more, and it’s likely that I missed a lot of the big ones. Do some searching on your own and find one that suits you and the site(s) you are trying to market before you spend time making posts. Good luck!

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