Monetizing Online Forums

A Practical Guide to Generating Revenue From Forums - The Right Way

Pick a topic, an interest or a profession. Most likely, there are established forums dedicated to that subject, where members share their passion, exchange information and help each other.

Behind the scenes at virtually every successful forum is an administrator who works tirelessly to ensure that it runs smoothly and continues to grow and improve. Sometimes, these forums can grow so large that they require  a team of people to be hired on a part time or full time basis.

As a forum grows, so do the technical resources that it requires. From virtual hosting plans, all the way up to dedicated servers and server management, the bigger a forum is, the more it costs to keep it online and functioning at an optimal level.

To support the existence of a forum and the people who manage them full time, it is necessary to generate revenue. But, it's not easy because forums can be more sensitive to monetization than other spaces. You have to balance the need for revenue with the member experience.

"Monetizing Online Forums" is not about squeezing every last dime out of your forums. Instead, it is a detailed guide to making money the right way with the right methods. Over monetization can kill a forum - with this guide, we aim to help people monetize appropriately, ensuring the long term stability of their forums.