To Cenn, Sexy, Braveheart and Farangk

Given that it is costing you to provide the board you might want to consider monetising it i.e. making a little bit of money to pay for running costs etc.

There are two main way to do this with a forum and if you want to consider it and need any help just let me know.

1. Run a newsletter. When someone signs up they can be automatically opted into the email newsletter (though you MUST give them the option to opt out each time a newsletter is sent). This can sometiems be contentious but I am sure no-one wioll mind PROVIDING the opt-out option is rigourously applied. The newsletter can then include links to "news" and also to advertising especially on an affiliate basis. A good example is the ThaiVisa.com newsletter which uses YMLP, a cheap and simple newsletter programme.

2. Adding Google Adsense - you can even set this up so that all revenue from Google is directly "shared" by members if you are not too comfortable with just four of you making money. Adsense revenue is often calculated at $1 per day per 35 pages on forums. It would be small beer now but eventually a forum can have many many thousands of pages generating good revenues.

If there are any issues with it becoming "profitable" as opposed to just self funding - there are LOTS of great kids charities here in Pattaya.

This is how I make my money - feel free to pick my brains and/or use my expertise at any time. My direct email is in my profile.

I hope no-one is offended by these suggetions, it can be binned as easily as it can be suggested

No problems with anyone suggesting something. We've talked about a few things without dwelling on anything specific too much so far. We're still in the building process at this point and it's something we might well consider when we feel we are prepared for it. thanks for the advice. :001_XMas_Cheers:

Yes Thank you for your suggestions, the cost isnt much and at the moment we see it as a hobby.

The site once built up can be a good tool if one of us were to open a tourist related business.

I am aware of adsense and adwords, i have used both extensively.. i used to pay £70-80 a day for adwords!!

We have just started advertising on www.mangosauce.com (advert at top right)

Personally i would rather spend a little and not hound people with adverts. We have discussed rotating peoples adverts for free at the top. We wanted to steer away from being another site that hassles people with adverts.

From previous experience i realise its better to sell your own product rather than advertise someone else's so i think that is the best route to follow, and i think we can pull it off easily. But your right adsense is a good starter.. saying that i think mangosauce now makes more money with there advertising arrangement rather than before with adsense.

And of course maybe our effort will pay off once we get to pattaya and businesses realise we can do an advert for them if they treat us nicely. Of course our own advertising program has to be continued.

We are uploading more and more to youtube, google video and metacafe. We are getting 1000's of hits and a few signups from that.. but most importantly our url is now on at least 8 decent pagerankiing sites which has now given us an extra 8 votes for google to listen to our content.

Braveheart has been extra busy adding extra content to our area that we let google read. When you type in pattaya addicts into google, the site comes first.. which is a start!

I have been thinking about the charity thingy and the others have also. I'll get that added today, then i'll discuss it with the others which ones we should have for now!!

Thanks

FarangK -I totally accept your points re adverts and advertising. I suggested Google Adsense because (as I am sure you are aware) they have a revenue share system whereby any revenue generated on forums can be shared by, and paid directly to BMs and not only to the board "owners". That way everyone can benefit thus going some way to reducing the annoyance of advertising. It also encourages posts as each BM can only earn revenue from his own efforts.

Leave in your capable hands

Andy

Thank you Andy i didnt know that! I will look into it thanks for the info.. the good thing about having a forum is that it opens so many avenues. i.e a Pattaya addicts book might be out in a years time, you never know!! There are a few ideas dieing to get out my head.

I'm not sure if this is the same thing, but another board I used to post a lot on started using google advertising and they now call the shots big time, the board has become heavily moderated as a result and you can't say diddly squat anymore without the threads being deleted.

They finally had to introduce a level 2 to keep some long time members happy as they were fed up with seemingly harmless posts disappearing regularly. Overall, the board has gone downhill, many past members don't bother to log in anymore.

Advertising is not always a good thing.

I think you mean that it lets google read all the pages and it ranks them, this then needs no profanity and good quality posts. Any they dont want flaming. The site you talk about sounds like orient expat forum. We let google in the public area only, thats the only place we ask for no swear words and non bar girl talk. (the last one to stop thailand censoring our site) One of the beauties about Pattaya forums is the privacy we get. Our youtube advertising campaign seems to have paid off, just hope other people dont start copying hehe

Great ! Who do I give my bank account to transfer the money to ??

Actually Bryan I think you meant the Public forums and not the Member's forums.

thanks corrected

That is how I found you, well done great idea.

a Pattaya addicts book might be out in a years time, you never know!!

If this was downloadable (for a fee or not it would be ideal reading material for the flight to BKK. Crafty advertizers would have the first crack at the new money in town .