Creating connections online is one great way of gaining visibility for your own website or business. A great way to do this is to actively participate in an online community related to your areas of interest. Involvement in your online community can pay off in several ways including making you closer to the other members as you become important resources to each other throughout your business’s growth.

Here are nine specific ways to help you take positive advantage of membership in an online community.

1. Introduce Yourself – Usually all communities offer a way for new members to make an introduction to other in the online community. Start out on the right foot by introducing yourself according to the rules of the group as soon as possible after joining.  Be sure to understand the rules of the online communities as some prohibit sharing of URLs or advertising. If this is the case, make your introduction so intriguing the members will want to take the time to look you up on their own to learn more about you.

2. Ask Questions – Asking questions is always a great way to generate conversations with others. Once you’ve made your initial introduction to the group start a conversation by posting questions to get discussions going with the members.  Show interest in what others are doing, ask for guidance on a relevant issue, or ask for an opinion. This is a great way to get to know who is involved in the community.  When you get answers to your questions, be sure to comment back and thank them, then continue to add to the discussion.

3. Answer Questions – When other people ask questions that you have an answer to, you have the opportunity to be helpful and show your expertise. Jump into appropriate conversation to answer questions you have information on honestly and openly. Remember not to make your intent to sell anything as this could be against the rules of some online communities so be sure to know the guidelines. Give of your information freely and you could be seen as one of the community experts, which increases your reputation and interest from others.

4. Comment on Stories – When others provide an introduction or tell a story, take time to make a comment to them. People want to be acknowledged for what they say and post, so be open and generous with your response. If you have special knowledge of the topic that was posted, this can be a great opportunity for you to highlight your experience which could lead some members to want to learn more about what you do. Also pay attention to informative articles and comment on those too, pointing them out to others in the group for reading.

5. Create a Good Signature Line – Most groups allow you to have some type of signature line that has a link back to your website. Be sure to provide a specialized link just for that group that offers specials for group members if allowed. The signature line can be highly informative in just a few words and is vital online real estate for the savvy marketer. As always, be sure to stay within the guidelines of the community.

6. Fill Out Your Profile Completely – Most online communities have a profile area where members can highlight their background. Be sure to upload a nice headshot and fill out the entire profile with as much detail as appropriate. This is a way to let the online community learn more about you. Others can easily see if there’s a connection between you which could start a new professional partnership.

7. Invite New People – When you know that the group would be a good fit for someone you meet elsewhere, share the online community with them. New people help to keep the online community alive and fresh with new ideas, knowledge, and comments. You’ll also be encouraged to remain active as you become more active in enhancing the well-being of the community.

8. Be a Resource to Others – Be open to being a resource within your area of expertise through discussions. People are in online communities for many reasons, one of them is to learn new ideas and improve their opportunities or business growth. If you want to be known as an expert, show that expertise within your conversations to online with others. You could develop a following that leads to people looking up your website to see how to work directly with you.

9. Start a Subgroup – Some online communities allow members to create a subgroup inside of the main group. If this is permitted in your online community consider starting such a subgroup, one you’ve become well known and people start coming to you for more advice in the main group. If permitted, you could help the online community grow and retain members by providing another line of discussion and area of interest.

By fully participating in your online community, you have the chance to highlight your expertise, market your business without overstepping the rules of the community and can help to retain other members. You could become known as one of the most valuable members in the group, and others might visit the community more often just to engage in conversations with you. This provides a win-win for everyone involved. It can also be a great way to gain potential clients for your business as you build real relationships with the people in the group. Some may even  refer you to potential clients and you in turn could do the same for them. Being a part of an online community is a two-way street with great mutual benefits.