Who told you forum and social media is useless? I think your marketing materials is not attractive. Another factor is the niche, if you post bitcoin related ads to food, or celebrity no one will click your ads.
Which is the best way to promote products or refferal links? Social media and forums is total shit,no one interested in this.
Maybe that guy when he posting in social media he's product not click or her producti is not attracted or people ignore his products that why he's telling social media is useless,for your information mate social media is the very effective way to endorse your product because how many million people using social media that's why social media is very useful in endorsement,and if you see mate many many investors using social media to endorse there business and also in bitcoin why we are using social media,to attract more investor and people to make a investment with them and that is your useless mate.
For me the best to promote is links because of this day is very hightech because of computers and cellphone and people adopt it because of fast promote or fast to transact.for me the social media is the effective to indorse a product maybe your product to indores is not a attracted in people and social media is very useful because of people use it.