Participating in forums has many benefits which I’ve covered here in the past. There’s the knowledge, recognition, and backlinks that you can gain, as well as the satisfaction of helping others.

With all that said, there may be some other reasons why you choose a particular forum over others as your first choice. I think it’s safe to say that each forum has its own benefits, but what makes the forum you spend the most time in so great?

This topic came up just recently in the Evan Carmichael Entrepreneur Forums, and I thought it would be nice to get some of my readers’ feedback on the issue.

Most agreed, including myself, that our number one reason for spending the most time in a particular forum is due to the friendly atmosphere. Everyone is willing to help another out, including newbies. I was a newbie once, and still am in many areas. It feels nice to be treated like an equal and given help without facing ridicule and harassment from those more experienced.

The Bible verse that says “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” quickly comes to my mind here. I’ve been disrespected and spat upon in the past from forum members who thought they were the bigshot. It’ doesn’t feel good at all and makes me leave and go somewhere else for answers.

I would say that most people have been treated like this at some point in their lives, whether in real life or online. It’s no wonder why this subject comes up often when this same attitude is portrayed in various forums. People like myself usually avoid them at all cost, never to return.

However, those same forums are usually full of valuable information. Because of this, I will usually lurk around and gobble up as much of it as possible, but if I have a question about something I read, I’ll ask elsewhere.

You want to know what my favorite forum is? I have two favorites for two different reasons. One is of course the Evan Carmichael Entrepreneur Forums because of the very friendly and helpful atmosphere. The other is the PIPS Support Forum which is part of the Warrior Forum because I’m always on the lookout for new marketing strategies to build my online business. If you’re wondering what PIPS is, you can learn more about that here.

So, the question for you is, what makes the forum you spend the most time in so great? It can be for any reason at all. Feel free to also list the forums you participate in.