Valuing a forum board?

[Alien]

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.

 

[aquanuke]

Personally I would value a forum much less as have generally little commercial value and tend to be more expensive / time consuming to maintain.

 

[Alien]

Personally I would value a forum much less as have generally little commercial value and tend to be more expensive / time consuming to maintain.

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.

 

[aZooZa]

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.

 

[rob]

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

 

[jimm]

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.

 

[Alien]

Forums! My area!

Hi jimm, thanks!

I'll send you a quick PM if you don't mind.

 

[Alien]

Pop me email with info and prices

Hi Rob,

Did you get my last PM/E-Mail?

Cheers!

 

[aZooZa]

Rob likes to buy cheap

 

[Alien]

Rob likes to buy cheap

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.

 

[rob]

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

 

[atlas]

LOL!

The site/forum has earnt around £18K 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.

So you're looking for 18 years earnings?!

 

[Alien]

So you're looking for 18 years earnings?!

No, valuation will be based on more than just AdSense earnings, if I sell.