How to create a forum with the intention of selling it later?

[lludawg]

I am interested in creating a forum and selling it in the future after getting some traffic to it to make some quick cash. Is this a good idea? Have you done it before?

 

[wasi90lk]

I have never done it before, although I believe it can be done. It really depends on what niche you are focusing on.

 

[Sam1]

No I haven't... It is also unwise to advertise your intention to build a community to sell. The majority of forum sales, and I'm making an educated guess here, see the forums activity go down (at least for a period of time). Members don't want to waste their time on a forum if it is going to be sold.

That being said, I do notice that successful forum flippers:

- Use a premium board software like Xenforo, vB or IPB. Seriously. That seems to add around $100 to a forum if the license is "not included".
- Use PostLoop and other methods to boost forum activity during the sale period.
- Ensure that there is a good amount of search engine hits to the froum.
- Purchase a good domain.
- Try to get accepted into BSA. That adds a lot of value to a forum as well.

 

[Rihtar]

I think it'd be wiser to flip a blog with a few articles than a forum. It'd be a quicker sale as well, because there's little to no interaction with the blog users and therefore you don't risk users leaving due to the sale.

 

[milksheikh]

Most forums are made because the owner believes it can last, and they are sold because the owner has lost interest or the activity has lessened on the forum.

 

[lludawg]

No I haven't... It is also unwise to advertise your intention to build a community to sell. The majority of forum sales, and I'm making an educated guess here, see the forums activity go down (at least for a period of time). Members don't want to waste their time on a forum if it is going to be sold.

That being said, I do notice that successful forum flippers:

- Use a premium board software like Xenforo, vB or IPB. Seriously. That seems to add around $100 to a forum if the license is "not included".
- Use PostLoop and other methods to boost forum activity during the sale period.
- Ensure that there is a good amount of search engine hits to the froum.
- Purchase a good domain.
- Try to get accepted into BSA. That adds a lot of value to a forum as well.

Thanks for the info. So I am guessing it takes time and patience to create an actually good forum before it can be sold. How long would you think? I am guessing months, maybe a couple years before buyers would be interested.

 

[Sam1]

Thanks for the info. So I am guessing it takes time and patience to create an actually good forum before it can be sold. How long would you think? I am guessing months, maybe a couple years before buyers would be interested.

Not really. You could possibly flip forums after building them up for a month provided you get around 2000-3000 within that time period. However it wouldn't be all that profitable... You *might* make $50-$100 after expenses.

 

[lludawg]

Not really. You could possibly flip forums after building them up for a month provided you get around 2000-3000 within that time period. However it wouldn't be all that profitable... You *might* make $50-$100 after expenses.

By 2000-3000 do you mean visits/views? Anyways, I am a fan of taking risks so it could be worth a try! I am guessing the best types of forum to flip would be a promotion forum huh? I mean, I would love to create a music forum but I feel like it would be much harder to gain members compared to a promotion or maybe general forum.

 

[Sam1]

By 2000-3000 do you mean visits/views? Anyways, I am a fan of taking risks so it could be worth a try! I am guessing the best types of forum to flip would be a promotion forum huh? I mean, I would love to create a music forum but I feel like it would be much harder to gain members compared to a promotion or maybe general forum.

I mean posts sorry. I'm not 100% sure. Generic promotion forums are unlikely to fetch a great price on sale.

 

[iPhonefreak]

Forum Hour has seen its fair share of owners. What is it on, its 5th one?! It is unreal, though.

I never open a forum with the intentions to sell it. But, sometimes it just happens that you have to sell it.