Bike Forums Membership...hmmm?

[blue_neon]

Dont get me wrong here.

Even though it is only $25 for 10 years i just dont see why people should become members. I'M not saying dont do it, your helping out the forums by supporting to them and donating.

Its just the reasons why you should donate, more message space, who would use more then what is it 10,000 messages? Larger Avaters, only a little bit larger and a red star, nothing to loose sleep over. Its just dosn't seem like a good way to phrase it, because all it really is, is a donation.

[Dannihilator]

Those donations help keep the site running.

[blue_neon]

Um yes, thats what i said.

[Dannihilator]

The donations aren't mandatory.

[blue_neon]

I know there not mandatory, but it dosn't phrase it like that.

If has 'why join' reasons and it has nothing about keeping the site running. the reasons are for extra maessage space, little red star, no ads ect ect. But i didn't read anywhere it saying, donations help keep the site running.

I just feel the reasons for joining should include how it helps the site.

On another note, you still make money from the advertisement dont you?

[Joe Gardner]

This is why:


Document Document Date Document Type Amount

INV00077834 10-01-2004 Invoice $693.00
INV00087345 11-01-2004 Invoice $693.00


Thats my monthly hosting bill, for this forum only. Just shy of $700 a month. The ads on the forum come very close to paying the monthly bill, upgraded memberships usually put me just above the forum costs each month.

I'll edit the subscription page when i have some free time, your right, it dosent mention a thing about keeping the forum up

[Raiyn]

This is why:


Document Document Date Document Type Amount

INV00077834 10-01-2004 Invoice $693.00
INV00087345 11-01-2004 Invoice $693.00


Thats my monthly hosting bill, for this forum only. Just shy of $700 a month. The ads on the forum come very close to paying the monthly bill, upgraded memberships usually put me just above the forum costs each month.

I'll edit the subscription page when i have some free time, your right, it dosent mention a thing about keeping the forum up
Yeah the "Donating Member's" make the payments on your new Ferrari. :roflmao: How'd you come out after the Kryptonite bandwidth explosion?

[blue_neon]

Thats fine about the membership thing, just wondering.

On another note, if you pay $700 / month , how big is your site?

[blue_neon]

Yeah the "Donating Member's" make the payments on your new Ferrari.

Thats you ;)

[Joe Gardner]

Yeah the "Donating Member's" make the payments on your new Ferrari. :roflmao: How'd you come out after the Kryptonite bandwidth explosion?

It cost me $800 out of pocket for the 2nd server and time off work... but I am sure I'll make it up in ad revenue in the long run, google has been sending thousands of guests a day to the site, part of me thinks its due to the new links to the site from some of the really big sites that covered the story. Heck, a few of the guests even click on ads... :)

blue_neon: How big is the the site? Um, This site is rather big, 21K members, 100 new each day, 2000+ posts each day, 1200 - 1400 concurrent users in the afternoons. In the afternoons we max out the server, and its not a small box, dual 2.8Ghz xeons, 4 gig of ram, scsi raid HD's... Over 200 gig of bandwidth transfered each month... It costs alot to keep big sites running.

[Joe Gardner]

BTW, I have never cared to push the upgraded memberships, I figure the people who get some value out of this site will find how to upgrade there membership in time. This site will never make me rich. My goal for the site is to have a nice self-sustaining community were anyone that rides a bike can feel at home.

[DnvrFox]

Hi Joe, thanks for keeping the forum going. I know that on an hourly basis, you are likely making about negative $50 per hour!

Curious:

1. Do your advertisers request any further demographic information besides the fact that this is a bicycle forum? I.e., ages, sex (M/F), average frequency of individual use, racial stuff, incomes, contacts and hits in each of the forums, etc.?

2. How do you get an advertiser to advertise? I have always been a "contributing" member, so have never even seen an ad.

3. Some user names are black, some are red. Why?

[mirona]

3. Some user names are black, some are red. Why?

Oooo I can take this one!

The usernames in red signify that the user is online and browsing the forums. The black is for users that are not currently browsing the site.

[Dannihilator]

Or choses to be in Invisible mode.

[Joe Gardner]

Curious:

1. Do your advertisers request any further demographic information besides the fact that this is a bicycle forum? I.e., ages, sex (M/F), average frequency of individual use, racial stuff, incomes, contacts and hits in each of the forums, etc.?

2. How do you get an advertiser to advertise? I have always been a "contributing" member, so have never even seen an ad.

Google sales the advertising for me, the same ads you see when searching google are placed on the forum via there "AdSense" program, so I don't have contact with any of the advertisers. However, some time next year I plan on selling advertising directly. When that day comes, I'll be asking members for demographic information.

[drumbum]

Ever thought of adding some contrast to the Adsense ads, like a border? You might get better results if people could find the ads alittle easier.

Also, have you ever considered using the Google co-branded search (through Adsense)? That might make alittle revenue as well. It wouldn't be too hard to add a Google search box on the search.php page.

[Jessica]

Joe,
this may strike some of you funny, but I joined the forum because I want to support this place that is so useful to me, but I miss the ads. Could my account be set up to receive them, as if I did not join? The information in the ads was useful to me before I joined...

[Joe Gardner]

Jessica, let me know if that works, you have all the benefits of a donating member, but will still see the ads between the 2nd and 3rd post only. :)

[blue_neon]

Well this post should conclude the thread about 'Bike Forums membership?'. I have noticed that new ads on the site have indicated where the donations will be heading into supporting that large hosting sum..... :)

[CRUM]

Joe - I have been a member for over a year now. The $25 bucks I sent in has been money well spent. Great forum! Thank you.

[hi565]

Yes, Joe, I thnk you do an amazing job at what you do. I really acknowledge you for having something out there to have me do something instead of watching t.v. The fact that you do all this and going strong and having no problems is ****ING AWSOME (sorry for the swears) When my mom stops freaking about how im giving all this information away ont he internet crap, i will hopefully be a donating member.

[blue_neon]

Also Is the membership for 10 years or a lifetime. I've read two different things on two different pages.

[[bEn]]

Same i've seen that and was confused.....10 years or lifetime?