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Putting a value on forums

by LIGHTWEIGHT
5 replies
What is the best way to value a forum? I have been trying to get a good grasp of what really good performing forums can bring in with a sale price. I have head 7 figures from multiple people but they are all just rumors.

Can forums be valued at 7 figures? What stats would they need to achieve to get a sale price like that?
#forums #putting
  • Profile picture of the author Steve B
    LW,

    You're asking a question that has no real or credible answers. Every forum is different. About the best I can advise is the following:
    • Older is better than newer (length of time online)
    • Larger is better than smaller (number of members and posts)
    • Targeted is better than general (subject matter)
    • More income is better than less or no income (generated by the site)
    • Consistent monthly earnings are better than random "feast or famine"
    • More backlinks is better than fewer (if they are from relevant sites)
    • Branded name is better than no-name
    • Growing membership is better than dying membership
    • Forum attached to a real authority site is better than a standalone
    I'm sure there are other factors to consider as well.

    As with selling/buying domains, a forum is only worth what a ready, willing, and able buyer will give you for it.

    Good luck to you,

    Steve
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    • Profile picture of the author LIGHTWEIGHT
      Originally Posted by Steve B View Post

      LW,

      You're asking a question that has no real or credible answers. Every forum is different. About the best I can advise is the following:
      • Older is better than newer (length of time online)
      • Larger is better than smaller (number of members and posts)
      • Targeted is better than general (subject matter)
      • More income is better than less or no income (generated by the site)
      • Consistent monthly earnings are better than random "feast or famine"
      • More backlinks is better than fewer (if they are from relevant sites)
      • Branded name is better than no-name
      • Growing membership is better than dying membership
      • Forum attached to a real authority site is better than a standalone
      I'm sure there are other factors to consider as well.

      As with selling/buying domains, a forum is only worth what a ready, willing, and able buyer will give you for it.

      Good luck to you,

      Steve
      Thank you very much. I will take these into account.
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  • Profile picture of the author Will Edwards
    I have a very simple way of valuing a website - forum or otherwise. You simply need to determine the annual profit and then calculate how much, in hard cash, you would have to invest to equal the annual profit of the site.

    I appreciate there are all kinds of different investments, but perhaps you might use a high interest investment account - the type offered by most major banks - as your yardstick. That figure (the amount you would need to invest) is the true value of the site in my opinion - others will disagree, of course

    Will
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  • Profile picture of the author WillR
    Yes, a forum can easily be worth 7 figures. This forum would easily be worth that. Considering the profit taken in by this forum would be close (if not more than) 7 figures per year, it wouldn't be hard to find someone who wanted to buy it for 7 figures.

    Price all comes down to one thing. What revenue is the forum generating and what assets (members, etc) does the forum have and how much are those assets conservatively worth.

    But as with anything, it's only ever worth what someone is willing to pay for it.
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  • Profile picture of the author Lokahi
    If your forum is highly ranked in Google Search for a very popular keyword or phrase, it might not matter how much or little your current forum earnings are. And, here's the reason for that. A new forum owner, might have more resources to monetize the forum than you. So don't limit yourself just because your forum isn't a big earner. Just concentrate on making your forum popular in search engines and a good buyer will find you.
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