Online Promotions: Usenet

Updated June 3, 2008

To effectively use a medium of communication, it first helps to understand it. I don't mean the ones and zeros, or computer protocol, or anything like that. What I mean is, understand the people behind it, and the people who use it. They are, after all, your audience.

In the case of UseNet, it might help to know a little bit about its history and the people that it was built for and by. UseNet was originally founded in 1979 as the Unix User Network, and was originally established by computer enthusiasts at universities located across the United States as a way to share information freely on various subjects.

For the first seven years, UseNet was a very small, tight-knit group of students and professors. Slowly, over time, it grew and by 1986, a little formalization was needed. This event is now known as "the Great Renaming". UseNet naming schemes were re-thought and set up as they currently are, but the overall mood of UseNet has always been the same. It was never intended for commercial use. UseNet has always been about communicating useful information with people who share similar interests.

That said, UseNet can still be a very viable and useful commercial resource. You just have to remember where UseNet came from and how it should be used: to share useful information with other people that share similar fields of interest. Adding commercial content must simply be done in this context.

First and foremost, make sure that the information you are passing along is useful. "Useful" should not be defined here as "money-making" or "lead generating". Useful should stand in relation to the reader, not the poster. You would not expect a favorable response playing hard rock in the middle of an opera. For the same reason, do not expect a favorable response to any posts in groups that are not related to your business area or field of interest.

In other words, dog enthusiasts have no interest in making money by working at home and recruiting their friends to help them in an elaborate multi-level marketing program. Dog enthusiasts would, however, find value in an online store that sells pet supplies. They may also want to sign-up for your pet-oriented business newsletter.

Also of note is that most every group has a set of rules that can be found in the FAQ for the group. Quite often, the FAQ is available to you as soon as you sign up. It is always important to read and understand the rules for the newsgroup.

Secondly, always remember that you will never sell a product on UseNet. The most you can hope for is to grab someone's interest and maybe direct them to a place where you can actually sell them something, such as a web site or phone contact. For this reason, keep it simple. The UseNet community is very aware of SPAM, which is quite abundant on UseNet. In order to successfully use UseNet, you must avoid the mark of the spammer. If your posts are too lengthy or exactly the same every time, it will be quite apparent that you are merely posting to the list for commercial goals and have no real interest in the community itself.

The best strategy will demand a little more time and energy to be effective. Read the newsgroups and respond to questions or requests that are posted by others. Personalization is as important as good manners. Quite often the most appropriate and effective way to promote your company is by sharing knowledge and including a signature with your company's name, web site, and email address in it. This gives someone an easy, no pressure means of contacting your company if they may be interested in your service. You will also represent your business as an informed, aware source of information.

Lastly, it is always important to remember that UseNet is not just a bunch of computers, it is a group of people. Just like any other community, there are rules about what you can and cannot do and what will be viewed as polite or impolite posting behavior. Understanding the society of UseNet will help you use it effectively.