It might not increase your chances of ranking up (due to low merit) but it can earn you some merit. I have gotten merited severally for providing answer to questions asked and link source of information in the process, also I have personally taken my time to search through user post history to merit their decent post just because they practice decent posting habit like avoiding quote spam or off topic replies and If I  remember clearly, jet cash has merited all those that commented before him on a thread without unnecessary qouting OP.

What I'm trying to say is obeying forum rules can also help you in ranking up as well as avoiding ban.