| How To Use Message Boards/Forums |
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Those of us who have lived more than a few decades know that there is no substitute for knowledge and experience. Yet, no individual has extensive knowledge and/or experience in all the different aspects of life. That's why sharing the experiences of others is such an empowering endeavor. And, that's exactly what Internet message boards or Forums were created to do. Message boards (sometimes called discussion forums or bulletin boards) are places on the Internet where people can go to ask questions, find answers, and share their own thoughts and proficiencies. These boards are generally geared toward a specific topic. For instance, right now nxtConcepts.com has a variety of message boards. Each one deals with a different topic. All of the nxtConcepts.com boards are free and easy to use. You will find many other free message boards scattered throughout the Internet. All serve the same purpose yet, the look and format used in these boards can vary widely. One message board may look entirely different from another. Yet, since they all have the same functionality, they are similar in how they work. In this article, I'll be explaining how the nxtConcepts.com Message Boards work, but much of this information will be applicable to other message boards as well. Navigating the Boards Links to all of the nxtConcepts.com message boards or Forums can be found on the Home Page or on the Forums page. Messages that are put on the boards are called "posts". To read the posts you simply click on the forum of your choice and scroll down the list of subjects. Remember that active message boards like those found on the nxtConcepts.com Web site will usually have many pages of topics to look at. At the bottom of each page you will find a link that will take you to the next page of topics. Click on any topic and read the posts. Remember that each topic may have several pages of posts. Posting a Message In order to ask a question or post a comment on the nxtConcepts.com forum or message boards you must first "login". Click on "login" at the top of the page. If you have previously received a username and password, you can simply enter them here and you will be logged in. If you haven't yet applied for a user name and password, click on "Create a new account" and you will be led through the simple process of obtaining a user name and password. Some message boards allow what is called "anonymous" postings where you don't have to login. However, it is much more enjoyable to use a board like those at nxtConcepts.com where everyone has a name. Once you have received an e-mail saying that your account has been created, you can post your message on the board. 1. First go to the main page of the message board, click on "login" and fill in your username and password. 2. To post a new message, go to the main page of the message board and click on "Post New". 3. Fill in a title for the discussion you wish to start, type your comments in the box, and click on "Post". 4. Within minutes your post will appear on the board for others to see and comment on. 5. If you want to add your comments to a discussion that is already underway, just navigate to that discussion, click on "reply" and add your comments. If you are starting a new discussion, it is important to give your first comment a meaningful title. Remember that whatever you type as the title is what others will see on the discussion list. Also be sure to follow the rules of the discussion board. The rules of the nxtConcepts.com boards can be accessed through the menu at the top of the message boards. In the same area you will find Terms of Service and the Privacy Policy. You will also find Frequently Asked Questions. This is a list of answers to questions that are often asked about the message boards and this area will give you excellent information about how to use the boards. Navigating and Searching No matter what posts you are reading, you can always get back to the main page where you started by clicking on "Discussion List" on the top of the page. In the same area you will search a link labeled "advanced search". Use this to find messages about subjects that you may want to research. My Preferences The nxtConcepts.com Forum Message Boards are very complete and very powerful. Look around and you will see many other options. One of these is called "My Account" and is found at the top of the page. Click on this link and you will be taken to a page where you can change your contact preferences and/or password. In this area you can also create a personalized signature and add discussions to your list of favorites. You can also change the way you view the boards. You can set the number of messages that you would like to see on each page. Try each of these different views to see which one you like the best. Subscribe When you are viewing a discussion you will see a "Subscribe" button. Use this button to receive an email notification every time someone posts a new reply to the topic you are viewing. This is an easy way to find out immediately when some new information has been posted relating to the topic you are interested in. Visit the boards often and you are certain to pick up other ideas and tips on how to use the boards. If you have a question about how to use the boards you can post it or contact us. Need help implementing a new sales or marketing program? We've got two suggestions:
a) Check out our free marketing templates and tools on this site. There's ton's of them. You might want to bookmark the site now, you could be here awhile.
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