It is only effective on related forums.
You won't see me linking to one of my niche sites on this forum unless it is part of a related conversation.
Only ever put links in your sig, never in the message content unless you are 100% sure that it is within the rules (every forum is different).
You can include affiliate links in your sig on most forums, though it is a huge benefit to track/cloak them. Often sig files are limited to the number of characters. It helps to have short URLs.
On this forum you will get away with it if you are providing the link to be helpful, not using it to promote the site, and if it is a general link that isn't yours. You certainly can't use affiliate links in the body.
The more you contribute to the forum, as a consequence, the more you can often "get away with". Requests to critique a site can be looked on as spam if you are not a regular in many forums.
Forum Supertips is a very good read (and it is free)
> Write answers to peoples forum posts and put links
> to your sites.... I'm not sure if I know anyone who
> does that though? 
lol ... JK
