Websites that make money off forums/members and products?

[msaelim]

A site like bodybuilding.com is a community of people into fitness/lifting and bodybuilding.com just has products for sale and articles on fitness. Membership is free but I'm sure they're making some money off ads and products.

How do businesses start out this way? What makes one site popular? It seems hard to get one person to join a forum if you're new.

I would be interested in looking into this.

Similarly, my bf constantly goes in this g35 forum for car enthusiasts on the forums and looking at car parts.

I'm still searching for an interest of mine that I would like and something that wouldn't require my presence in time to make money. If that makes sense.

[Harold Mansfield]

A site like bodybuilding.com is a community of people into fitness/lifting and bodybuilding.com just has products for sale and articles on fitness. Membership is free but I'm sure they're making some money off ads and products.

How do businesses start out this way? What makes one site popular? It seems hard to get one person to join a forum if you're new.

I would be interested in looking into this.

It's not hard to figure out. All social media sites are this way. You can simply Google a company and most wikipedia articles will tell you how they started.
For instance, Pinterest started in 2010 with a $10 million investment in 2011, and then another $27 million later that year. They recently also secured another $100 million investment from Rakuten.

Pinterest was also created by people with experience and talent in the industry, and then brought on even more heavy hitters from Yelp, Bebo, EventBrite, and made some strategic partnerships.

So, with that said I'm sure you aren't looking to start something as big as Pinterest ( or maybe you are), but the moral to the story is sucess online doesn't just happen because you have a decent idea. Ideas are a dime a dozen and most aren't original. It's all about the execution, the marketing, and the talent behind the operations that make it successful. And all of that costs money no matter how large or small the scale.


I'm still searching for an interest of mine that I would like and something that wouldn't require my presence in time to make money. If that makes sense.
It doesn't exist. There is no such thing as something that doesn't require your time and money that will just make money. If it were that easy, everyone with a computer would be wealthy.

[msaelim]

It's not hard to figure out. All social media sites are this way. You can simply Google a company and most wikipedia articles will tell you how they started.
For instance, Pinterest started in 2010 with a $10 million investment in 2011, and then another $27 million later that year. They recently also secured another $100 million investment from Rakuten.

Pinterest was also created by people with experience and talent in the industry, and then brought on even more heavy hitters from Yelp, Bebo, EventBrite, and made some strategic partnerships.

So, with that said I'm sure you aren't looking to start something as big as Pinterest ( or maybe you are), but the moral to the story is sucess online doesn't just happen because you have a decent idea. Ideas are a dime a dozen and most aren't original. It's all about the execution, the marketing, and the talent behind the operations that make it successful. And all of that costs money no matter how large or small the scale.


It doesn't exist. There is no such thing as something that doesn't require your time and money that will just make money. If it were that easy, everyone with a computer would be wealthy.

Thanks for advice. I sort of disagree with you on the last part. I think you misunderstand me. For example, if I have a retail business and need to leave for one day I can still be making money if I have an employee to help out for that day. If I'm a personal trainer, if I leave for a day out of town, there's no way I'm making money unless I'm training that person. If that makes sense?

[Harold Mansfield]

Thanks for advice. I sort of disagree with you on the last part. I think you misunderstand me. For example, if I have a retail business and need to leave for one day I can still be making money if I have an employee to help out for that day. If I'm a personal trainer, if I leave for a day out of town, there's no way I'm making money unless I'm training that person. If that makes sense?
That's a better explanation. At first it sounded like you were looking for a "set it and forget it" opportunity. What you are describing is how all businesses run. Taking a day off here and there shouldn't affect business if you have it set up properly and plan accordingly.

[Harold Mansfield]

Do you have a list of websites which make money off forums/members and products?

Do you have Google? Just look up forums and social networks. The business model is basically the same.
This is how the world works. Membership, usage and views are the commodity.
Radio, Television, Magazines, Websites, Blogs, Search Engines, Social Networks...it's all the same business model and has been for at least a century.

[msaelim]

Do you have Google? Just look up forums and social networks. The business model is basically the same.
This is how the world works. Membership, usage and views are the commodity.
Radio, Television, Magazines, Websites, Blogs, Search Engines, Social Networks...it's all the same business model and has been for at least a century.

Thanks everyone for putting up with my questions of different stuff lol. At least I'm not diving in blind right?

[krymson]

I'm still waiting on my million dollar idea to evolve without my help... so far it's sadly gone nowhere... ;)

All good things take blood, sweat, tears, heartache, money, and stress... LOTS OF STRESSS... But thats why we do it, to see the end result and see something that we nurtured. Kind of like watching your kid grow up to be a famous football star. You paid for the coaching and the leagues. You took the time to go to the practices and the games. You went to the hospital when johnny broke his arm and you worried sick about him. You were there at the draft and shed tear for him that he made it... Growing a business is no different

[vangogh]

All good things take blood, sweat, tears, heartache, money, and stress... LOTS OF STRESSS

Yep. I think one of the biggest reasons businesses fail early is because the owners aren't ready to put in all the effort. It doesn't describe everyone, but unfortunately there are too many people who do think you can set and forget it and somehow make millions. It seems to happen more with online businesses too.


I'm still searching for an interest of mine that I would like and something that wouldn't require my presence in time to make money. If that makes sense.

All businesses are going to require some presence of time to continue to make money. You should be able to take a day off whenever you want (with some exceptions), but you don't necessarily make money on those days off. You want a business not tied to services. Services require you put in time to make money. Advertising and products don't in the sense that you can take a day or two off and still sell both. Digital products are especially nice, since additional copies beyond the first approach a cost of free and the time to duplicate a digital product is essentially nothing.

If you're looking to be able to take some time away and still make money that's more where you have to think, until you reach a point where you can hire others to do the work.

[msaelim]

Yep. I think one of the biggest reasons businesses fail early is because the owners aren't ready to put in all the effort. It doesn't describe everyone, but unfortunately there are too many people who do think you can set and forget it and somehow make millions. It seems to happen more with online businesses too.



All businesses are going to require some presence of time to continue to make money. You should be able to take a day off whenever you want (with some exceptions), but you don't necessarily make money on those days off. You want a business not tied to services. Services require you put in time to make money. Advertising and products don't in the sense that you can take a day or two off and still sell both. Digital products are especially nice, since additional copies beyond the first approach a cost of free and the time to duplicate a digital product is essentially nothing.

If you're looking to be able to take some time away and still make money that's more where you have to think, until you reach a point where you can hire others to do the work.
That's exactly what I meant.

[vangogh]

Glad I could help.

[MakingItNow]

You want a business not tied to services. Services require you put in time to make money..

That's well put. Time becomes a limitation without another person to add time.