Is a forum worth it?

**tsdesigns** · Feb 20th, 2008, 6:40 am

I have a myspace layouts site (it's in my sig), getting pretty decent traffic and that.
I was thinking of making a forum for it (mainly cause I get frustrated with the group forums on myspace, they could be so much better).

Just wondering if it's worth buying a vbulletin licence for it instead of using a free forum like mybb or something? Would the advertising on it pay off the licence and more? I'd rather use vbulletin, i've used it before on mates sites, so I know how it works (to an extent).
I can easily get moderators (I have helpers on the site already), members and posts, well I say easily, I really mean that I won't have as hard a time as most forums do when they start up as it's a support forum for an already established site.

Thanks in advance,
TS

**Big Dan** · Feb 20th, 2008, 7:57 am

I'd definitely recommend vBulletin. Probably the new social networking type profiles in the upcoming 3.7 release will be a big plus for a MySpace site.

As for ROI, that's really on you, how much you time and effort you invest in the site and seeking advertisers.

**tsdesigns** · Feb 20th, 2008, 9:41 am

Well i've made about enough for the licence with the site already, so if it doesn't get my investment back then i'm not really that bothered, but it should if I find advertisers. Might run it for a month or so with just adsense up, till it has more members, etc.

**marsguitars** · Feb 20th, 2008, 12:37 pm

Will you get enough members to make it worthwhile? Seems like a pretty niche area.

Your news is a bit out of date, btw.... has nothing happened in the last 6months?

**tsdesigns** · Feb 20th, 2008, 12:50 pm

nah, a lot has happened, i'm just too lazy to update it, sites getting a complete re-design at the moment, so it'll be updated then, along with the launch of this forum and some other things.

I can get members quite easily (used to have 10,000 members in a MS group till it got deleted, and the new one is getting them back quickly, so even if only 1% of them join it'd be good)

**twenty4web** · Feb 20th, 2008, 1:50 pm

I think forums are a great tool for any website.

**Colleen** · Feb 20th, 2008, 4:29 pm

Personally, I'd start out with a free forum script, then if my forum were to take off, I'd invest in vbulletin at a later date and do a conversion, it's easy enough to do.

**reynaldoabc** · Feb 27th, 2008, 7:19 pm

If you have a great incoming of users and you think it worth the time, invest on it.

**Steve** · Feb 27th, 2008, 7:54 pm

a forum like myspacepros.com ? or different? Any how vbulletin is the way to go.

**Strike Strike** · Feb 27th, 2008, 11:54 pm

is vB way too expensive, because if you have it and not much people register, is it a waste of money????

**grim** · Feb 28th, 2008, 7:07 am

Originally Posted by Strike Strike

is vB way too expensive, because if you have it and not much people register, is it a waste of money????

It's not that expensive, $160 I believe for an owned copy.

**Steve** · Feb 28th, 2008, 8:40 am

Originally Posted by Strike Strike

is vB way too expensive, because if you have it and not much people register, is it a waste of money????

Any website is a gamble when it comes to ROI. But you have to take that risk if you ever want to earn money or even be successful online. There is no sure thing when it comes to webmaster income.

Theres different ways in going when you have a limited budget. You can always go with myBB and wait 2 or 3 months until you have generated enough revenue to where can get a vbulletin license.

or

you can browse the webmaster and vbulletin forums for someone selling their owned vbulletin. usually thet go for 80 - 105. Thats a steal and really the best way to go with a small budget.
example: http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showt...57#post6759068

or

you can create a CJ.com account and have your friend buy it from you on one of the sites you advertise. You'll get around 40$ back when the commissions come around. (black hat and naughty)

**grim** · Feb 28th, 2008, 8:42 am

Originally Posted by Gasmoney

example: http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showt...57#post6759068

Thanks, just offered BIN on that one

**Steve** · Feb 28th, 2008, 8:49 am

Originally Posted by GRIM

Thanks, just offered BIN on that one

awesome! make sure you invite me to the forum you put it on. I'de like to see what i contributed to lol

**tsdesigns** · Feb 28th, 2008, 10:16 am

Originally Posted by Gasmoney

a forum like myspacepros.com ? or different? Any how vbulletin is the way to go.

It'd more just be a support forum for my site, with maybe some other sections. Not how to make money from myspace or anything like that.

**Kryvast** · Feb 28th, 2008, 10:36 am

Originally Posted by Kalina

Personally, I'd start out with a free forum script, then if my forum were to take off, I'd invest in vbulletin at a later date and do a conversion, it's easy enough to do.

This one's a better idea try InvisionFree (Free message board hosting).

**jumpenjuhosaphat** · Feb 28th, 2008, 5:29 pm

I agree that you should start with a free forum. I would recommend Home of SMF: Free PHP and MySQL forum software for a great forum script. If your forum starts to grow, then upgrade to vB if you still feel the need to. I personally would only use vB in situations where my users were picky about the forum script, like in a webmaster forum. There are a few relatively successful forums that run using SMF, like phpfreaks and all of their sister sites.

**Bogart** · Feb 29th, 2008, 9:59 pm

Originally Posted by GRIM

It's not that expensive, $160 I believe for an owned copy.

That's cheap. Worth the money to get your feet wet rather than wasting time monkeying around with a free script.

**Garala** · Mar 2nd, 2008, 1:12 pm

vBulletin isn't that expensive, for me atleast. But if your budget is tight, why don't you start up with a Free Forum Software and then convert to vBulletin using IMPEX?

**010081** · Mar 9th, 2008, 8:09 am

damn sure will hit it, go for it.

**mrgee** · Mar 9th, 2008, 10:31 am

Why do you want to risk money? Do you so desperately need vB? Is it soo good forum script?

I would recommend you start with a free forum script like phpBB and then when it grows and earns you the money for the licence (so you know that it goes well), you can purchase vB and convert it, it's not that hard to do and you don't lose anything, unlike if you start with vB from scratch where you will lose precious (for me) $150+ which you can invest in improving your income streams even more. I see so many unsuccessful dead forums laying around... :lep-rolleyes:

**Bogart** · Mar 9th, 2008, 10:35 pm

Let us know when the forum is up

**neds75** · Mar 15th, 2008, 12:35 am

I agree with previous users, start with vb, and once you start earning money, and get more visitors you can switch to vb, as it have more powerfull management options, and it is much much more safe then phpbb. Also check SMF forum, it is also good.
I am not sure how much visits you will hae to mspace forum, but if you do good marketing on it, it could worth.

**twenty4web** · Mar 16th, 2008, 10:27 pm

Originally Posted by Garala

vBulletin isn't that expensive, for me atleast. But if your budget is tight, why don't you start up with a Free Forum Software and then convert to vBulletin using IMPEX?

Agreed! - You may find that you won't need all the bells and whistles at first. If eventually your forum reaches that state , then go out and make the purchase.

I say VB is cheap, it's not very often you can purchase a licence and then 30 versions later only pay 20 to update it to the latest. VB gives great support (well.. most times)