Enjoy unlimited access to all forum features for FREE! Optional upgrade available for extra perks.

Valuing a forum board?

Discussion in 'General Board' started by Alien, Jul 11, 2011.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Alien

    Alien Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 2006
    Posts:
    6,029
    Likes Received:
    67
    Do you all feel that a forum board should be valued in a similar way to a website (or indeed that forum's associated website)?

    e.g. in terms of traffic, income details, how long established, (Page Rank?), standard stuff etc, etc?

    But how about registered members etc, what sort of price should an active member database carry? Any other factors that set a forum apart from a more standard site?

    Any thoughts welcome! Thanks. :)
     
  2. Domain Forum

    Acorn Domains Elite Member

    Joined:
    1999
    Messages:
    Many
    Likes Received:
    Lots
    IWA Meetup
     
  3. aquanuke

    aquanuke Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 2005
    Posts:
    2,040
    Likes Received:
    42
    Personally I would value a forum much less as have generally little commercial value and tend to be more expensive / time consuming to maintain.
     
  4. Alien

    Alien Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 2006
    Posts:
    6,029
    Likes Received:
    67
    Interesting, thanks aquanuke. I must admit in the early stages a forum can be very time consuming (most forums fail within one year), but in one very established one I have, it's not anymore and the moderators are superb too.

    Basically runs itself now. :)
     
  5. aZooZa

    aZooZa Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2005
    Posts:
    4,875
    Likes Received:
    253
    I would agree with Chris on this one. But there are two considerations:

    1. Backlinks are important. I sold a moody forum just for its backlinks a while ago for good money.

    2. Is the forum being properly monetised? There are many plugins (e.g. vB) for AdSense.

    I'd value it on current active membership, but take into account the above.

    Cheers.
     
  6. rob

    rob Founding Member

    Joined:
    Jan 2005
    Posts:
    5,966
    Likes Received:
    119
    I bought one recently on 9 months revenue.

    5000 members 100,000 posts etc

    PR 5

    Interested to buy them if the topic is right ie. nothing that could end up with libel / legal issues as thats usually more hassle than its worth :)

    Pop me email with info and prices :)
     
  7. jimm United Kingdom

    jimm Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 2008
    Posts:
    683
    Likes Received:
    13
    Forums! My area!

    Valuation depends on a lot.
    Revenue is important but so is potential. For example a car forum can easily be profitable by selling ad space to performance parts and users tend to be quite tribalistic where as in an area where there is less money will be worth less and users may be less likely to return.
    But then add in the traffic, active member base, inactive member base, competition, links, address etc etc.

    There isnt a formula which can deal with all these unquantifiable variables.

    Happy to take a look either as just a potential valuation or a potential buyer.
     
  8. Alien

    Alien Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 2006
    Posts:
    6,029
    Likes Received:
    67
    Hi jimm, thanks! :)

    I'll send you a quick PM if you don't mind. :D
     
  9. Alien

    Alien Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 2006
    Posts:
    6,029
    Likes Received:
    67
    Hi Rob,

    Did you get my last PM/E-Mail? :)

    Cheers!
     
  10. aZooZa

    aZooZa Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2005
    Posts:
    4,875
    Likes Received:
    253
    Rob likes to buy cheap :)
     
  11. Alien

    Alien Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 2006
    Posts:
    6,029
    Likes Received:
    67
    LOL!

    The site/forum has earnt good income from Adsense in the last 6 and a half years and has increased each year. :)

    Add traffic + member base, reputation, post content, future potential, quality of content, etc, etc, means I won't sell this one for under 50K at the lowest. :cool:
     
    Last edited: Jul 11, 2011
  12. rob

    rob Founding Member

    Joined:
    Jan 2005
    Posts:
    5,966
    Likes Received:
    119
    I am out at that multiple!

    Yes got last pm but saw extra sites appear on forum, thats why I was asking for definative list rather than odds and sods :)
     
  13. atlas Canada

    atlas Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2007
    Posts:
    1,747
    Likes Received:
    101
    So you're looking for 18 years earnings?!
     
  14. Alien

    Alien Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 2006
    Posts:
    6,029
    Likes Received:
    67
    No, valuation will be based on more than just AdSense earnings, if I sell. :)
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.