Curious what everyone does to marketing their services:
Wrote a blog post about the value of do follow links on niche directories and forums. Let me know if not ok to post here:
https://www.thewebnexus.com/blog/why-industry-specific-directories-matter-more-than-just-local-listings-by-the-website-guy-–-lino-lakes-mn
This forum is No Follow. On purpose.
Advertising (even for SEO purposes) isn’t permissible here, but I approved your post because it leads to some thoughtful, on-topic information. However, PrintDriver is correct; all hypertext links on the forum to off-site locations contain nofollow attributes.
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) and marketing work together to increase a brand’s online visibility and attract potential customers. SEO focuses on improving website ranking on search engines through keyword optimisation, quality content, and technical improvements, while marketing promotes products or services through strategies like social media, email, and paid ads. Combined, they help drive traffic, build trust, and boost conversions effectively.
I think the key point is that relevance matters much more than simply whether a directory or forum link is “dofollow.” A link from a site that is genuinely connected to the subject, audience, or industry can be useful for discovery and referral traffic even when it doesn’t pass traditional link equity.
For example, if you’re marketing a local construction or renovation business, I’d rather have a legitimate mention in a relevant architecture, construction, home-improvement, or local-business discussion than dozens of generic directories. A company like Herzog Bau GmbH is a good example of why context matters: if someone is discussing renovation or construction services in Frankfurt, a relevant company reference makes much more sense than placing the same link on an unrelated general directory.
The surrounding context matters too. A useful answer or case study makes the mention feel natural, whereas dropping a URL into unrelated discussions can easily look promotional.
I also think directories should be evaluated individually. Things like editorial standards, whether listings are actually maintained, topical relevance, real users/traffic, and how much spam the site allows are more meaningful than simply checking whether the link is follow or nofollow.
So I’d treat niche directories and forums primarily as relevance and visibility channels, with the link attribute being only one small part of the evaluation.