Debate Forums

[Mark]

Hi Rosalind
I have a quick qustion:
I see a lot of debate forums on the web,and I wonder how they can create a profit, because there are so many of them. I know that they all have ads, but can these ads, really create a profit that makes these sites worth the efforth??
(PS. love to spend time on your site by the way, so many relevant info's )
Best regards
Mark.

[Rosalind Gardner]

Hello Mark,

Happy to hear that you enjoy the site. Thanks for sharing that.

Interesting observation about the debate forums and how they do (or do not) make money.

I did a little checking around and most of them don't even have advertising... so, they're definitely not making any money.

UGH!

Of those I came across that did have advertising, the majority were showing Google Adsense ads, relevant books from Amazon, dating services (i.e. Military Singles Connection) and the ocassional PayPal donation button.

Are they making money?

I suspect that only the most active are earning a decent amount, but unless we ask the webmasters directly, it's impossible to know for certain.

Why? Are you interested in starting a debate forum?

Cheers,
Ros

[Mark]

Hi Rosalin
Thank very much for your input - GREAT!!
But as I understand your input, you say: don't start a debate forum at all (or maybe I’m wrong??) - because there’s no money to earn in this, am I right??.
I am thinking about this because, I feel there could be some sense in it, but as a completely new beginner, what do I know ?? (Nothing at all ), that's why it is great to be able to join this "debate" forum, and get some straight answers.
All the best
Mark.

[Rosalind Gardner]

Hi again Mark,

I wouldn't "don't start a debate forum". However, I would caution you to do your research carefully and consider how your forum can be monetized with affiliate products in addition to using Google Adsense and other contextual advertising.

For example, you should have no problem making money if you started a 'green' forum - there are tons of green products out there.

With a political forum though, I suppose there are only so many Political T-shirts, Bumper Stickers and Yard Signs that you can sell as a CafePress affiliate (Commission Junction merchant) and mostly during election years. Not sure that you'd want to limit your income that way.

Cheers,
Ros

[Mark]

Hi Ros
So great to get your answers so quick - love it!!!
OK I got your very relevant point, BUT I have seen some political debates with a lot of people responding, and if they spend time on your site, couldn't there be a small chance of getting some of them to buy some of the stuff, for example some "green stuff" - witch is very "political popular" right now??? - My point is: If you have "customers in your "shop", there is a chance to sell stuff to them - right (maybe I'm dead wrong about this, just a felling).

An other thing Ros, when you write "carefully research" - could I persuade you to tell me, in what way you would do a research within this area ( if you could see me now, I am lying on my knees, begging!!!! )

I'm exhausted, there is so much I have to learn, and I haven't even build a website yet !!!!!! (I must be quite stupid to get in to this business at all - but it all fascinates me so much)

Looking very much forward to hear from you regarding this.

All the best to you Ros - and of course a lot of smiles .
Mark.

[seemediet]

Mark,

You're a real smiley guy

I'm enjoying your posts back and forth with Ros.

LOL
~Nikki

[Mark]

Hi Nikki
Jep can't deny that
- And of course lots of smiles to you as well
"The Mark-mann"

[Johnny]

People come to debate forums to bash each other's skulls in, so they're unlikely to click away or buy anything. If you want to make money off a forum, either make one with lots of potential customers and affiliate links or one people are inclined to click away from (IE: badly designed) with PPC ads.

[heblife]

From what I can tell, political debate may not generate dosh... but if there's a particular focus, say 'poultry keeping', and diversifying the income - adsense, amazon, or a forum section on 'marketplace' or 'auction room'... that stands a better chance. But having said that... from what I understand about one forum I'm in, they only get enough to keep the hosting going with multiple monetization methods - and no more, despite having over 2000 regular users. Before they went to 'paid' forum hosting, the problem with the free phbb forums is that a lot of 'fake' spam users would take up a lot of time with the admin having to delete literally hundreds of them per day as well as having no control on the advertising (or getting revenue from said advertising).

[Jim Hutchinson]

Just a thought here. If you want to start a debate forum using phpBB and are considering monetizing it, there is a plugin (hack) that can show Google AdSense as Second Post

What is does is put AdSense ads as the second post in every topic. Since AdSense is relative to the conversation, the ads should be related.

Using that plugin you could essentially monetize virtually any forum.