SpeedTalk for Sale

[GARY C]

Using an ad platform on a site can be done without using pasted in between posts and poop-up adds bugging the hell out of forum users. I just know sites like Yellowbullet, Racing Junk and others use way to many agitating adds like these types while users go into the forums and sub categories to read and post. Way to damn bothersome!and Annoying!

Probably why I never cared for either of those sites, I know racing junk is probably the best place to find and sell used parts but I can't stand the platform so I never even look there.

[Kenova]

Using an ad platform on a site can be done without using pasted in between posts and poop-up adds bugging the hell out of forum users. I just know sites like Yellowbullet, Racing Junk and others use way to many agitating adds like these types while users go into the forums and sub categories to read and post. Way to damn bothersome!and Annoying!

I frequent a similar site at H-body.org. It has the same format as Speed Talk and uses adds to support it. You see fewer adds if you register and the adds that members see really are not all that intrusive.
With so many Speed Talk members owning industry related businesses I'm surprised there is no option for paid adds.
Then there is the option of charging a penny a post in the Political forum.

Ken

[Dave Koehler]

I like that one. Penny a POst. Retroactive?

[John Wallace]

Charge the russian BOTs more?

[Shaner]

Question...

How much does it cost monthly to run a site like this?

Also, how much space do you need?

[donforeman]

I often wondered how much a forum could even make. It almost seems like a hobby unless you pop-up the hell out of it.

This is my take too. I sent a PM offering to buy the forum. I think it could be self supporting as far as costs go (guessing about $200 a month in costs) or at least 1/2 supporting, but don't think it will buy any groceries on top of that. Its not necessarily a bad thing, I think that's part of the draw, its not about money. The forum was setup for the members and its done that spectacularly for many years.

If the sale of the forum is about catching up on bills, the best upfront payday would probably come from selling the domain to a corporation with a worse or longer one. The owners of speedtalk.net, it looks like a communications project for speedcast. .net domains are usually secondary, Having the pair could be worth a lot to the owners of the company. speedtalkmobile.com may want a shorter domain too. If this happens it doesn't have to be the end of the forum. It can transfer to a similar domain along with the databases to preserve all Don's work. I would be willing to help in anyway, whether I owned the forum or not.

[CamKing]

I sent a PM to find out the cost.
I have an idea to make SpeedTalk pay for itself, without changing it, or charging it's users. It's just going to depend on the cost to buy the site.

[MadBill]

All the best with your negotiations Mike; it would be great to have you at the helm!

As I mentioned earlier, I'm sure many of us would be happy to pry open our wallets to help if needed.

[Shaner]

I've always liked an idea I had once, fill your forum wallet, when the "like" button is pressed it takes a set amount, let's say .50 cents, from your wallet and gives it to the person that made the comment you liked, with .25 going to the site.

The website could be done another way, users select a pay site box, even if just .25, when someone helps someone else. Kind of like charity but it keeps the site rolling.

One could add their PayPal account or bank too...just sayin.

[CamKing]

All the best with your negotiations Mike; it would be great to have you at the helm!

As I mentioned earlier, I'm sure many of us would be happy to pry open our wallets to help if needed.

We will see how it goes. I probably can't pay as much, as some of these large companies, that can fill it full of ads.
My idea would be to set up an area where companies can advertise specific products, at a discount for SpeedTalk members, and Speedtalk would get a small percentage of that sale.

Say Jones Cams advertises a 5% discount to ST members. Normal price on a Roller cam is $529.83. ST member gets it for $503.33. Jones Cams pays SpeedTalk $20.13 (4% of the $503.33). Jones Cams nets $483.20, and that's still more then Jobber pricing.

These adds would al be in a separate section, maybe called "SpeedTalk Deals". If the ST member isn't interested in buying any products, he can stay out of that section.

There's a few of guys on ST with small businesses like me, who can't afford to pay $1,000 a month for an ad on a forum, that may or may not generate sales, but can probably lose 8.8% off of their retail sales price to advertise to an audience of ST members, who will be on ST and other forums, spreading the good word, about the product they bought.

[PackardV8]

I sent a PM to find out the cost.
I have an idea to make SpeedTalk pay for itself, without changing it, or charging it's users. It's just going to depend on the cost to buy the site.

Hi, Mike,
I've very seriously considered buying the site, but a 73-year-old shouldn't be buying green bananas, much less taking on a long-term internet project. If you or anyone else buys it, I'll help with the day-to-day moderation and bot-flushing at no charge.

[CamKing]

I sent a PM to find out the cost.
I have an idea to make SpeedTalk pay for itself, without changing it, or charging it's users. It's just going to depend on the cost to buy the site.

Hi, Mike,
I've very seriously considered buying the site, but a 73-year-old shouldn't be buying green bananas, much less taking on a long-term internet project. If you or anyone else buys it, I'll help with the day-to-day moderation and bot-flushing at no charge.

Thank you.
I really want to keep as much the same as possible. That would include asking long-time ST members to moderate. Why fix what isn't broke.

[BigBlockMopar]

I would be willing to help out and provide hosting-services for this forum for free if needed. Not directly interested in owning the domain, but would hate to see this turn into a possible adv-fest if sold to some unrelated company looking to make money.
I don't own or run a company myself so I have nothing to gain, I'm just a working-stiff at a Printshop.
Just for the shear amount of good info that's on/and still being shared on this forum, I find it very worthwhile to help keeping it online.

I'm running my own VPS hostingserver where I provide domainregistrations and webhosting/sitebuilding for local people overhere just to help them get online, but I have room to spare on the server. Also have a 15+ years of experience with running phpBB-forums.
I'm taking webhosting seriously and do my own regular server updates and maintenance, and strive to keep server-uptime as high as possible. Also daily backups will be made and saved online (and offline) in case of a mishap somewhere.

[Schurkey]

www.chevelles.com was a paid-membership site for years. I've got eleven annual-membership fridge magnets to show that I contributed. Of course, it got taken over by a megaforum company and run downhill--which is why the yearly membership thing went away in favor of a "lifetime" membership that cost half what the yearly dues used to be.

A quality site will not have a problem getting folks to make a yearly donation.

A horse-sh!t site will have no end of freeloaders and high-school kids.

THIS is a quality site.

[Dave Koehler]

All the best with your negotiations Mike; it would be great to have you at the helm!

As I mentioned earlier, I'm sure many of us would be happy to pry open our wallets to help if needed.

We will see how it goes. I probably can't pay as much, as some of these large companies, that can fill it full of ads.
My idea would be to set up an area where companies can advertise specific products, at a discount for SpeedTalk members, and Speedtalk would get a small percentage of that sale.

Say Jones Cams advertises a 5% discount to ST members. Normal price on a Roller cam is $529.83. ST member gets it for $503.33. Jones Cams pays SpeedTalk $20.13 (4% of the $503.33). Jones Cams nets $483.20, and that's still more then Jobber pricing.

These adds would al be in a separate section, maybe called "SpeedTalk Deals". If the ST member isn't interested in buying any products, he can stay out of that section.

There's a few of guys on ST with small businesses like me, who can't afford to pay $1,000 a month for an ad on a forum, that may or may not generate sales, but can probably lose 8.8% off of their retail sales price to advertise to an audience of ST members, who will be on ST and other forums, spreading the good word, about the product they bought.

Nice basic idea but add the credit card vig to that 4% and it can get a bit shaky on some items.
I think enforcement / accountability would be an issue also.

I thought about looking into this but I am not too far behind Packard and have too much going on as it is.
I don't have a gung ho kid to follow me so I leave this to the younger guys and gals.

Advertising:
I realize the future of adverting is now the web but I miss the point and advantage of forum ads from my side of the checkbook.
Other than DRO, Competition plus and similar sites I question advertising on forums.
I tune out forum ads like any commercial even if they are well done.
I just don't see them and I would not go back and try to find a companies info on one of those ads. That is Google's job.
I also get amazed at what some of them demand for an ad of a few seconds here and there.
Seem way overpriced. They will tell me that xxx,xxxx amount of people will see my ad per day. Sorry, I don't buy the numbers.
I just don't see forum ads as a good investment yet.