Incorporating a forum really worth it?

[Michael_]

I'm preparing to launch a new info site and due to the nature of the site and the angle I'm taking, adding a forum makes a lot of sense.

However, I know these things can be a TON of work. Managing and moderating a forum, dealing with the non stop spam/hack attempts, etc, seems like a lot of time that could be spent doing other, more profitable things. Approving and managing moderators can ease this pain but that only becomes viable with significant traffic and vetted members.

So, I guess my question is, since forums require such hands on maintenance are they worth that extra work in a passive income site model?

 

[dreamscape]

One of the hardest thing about forums is getting people to register... after that
the hardest thing is getting them to become active and post. Maybe consider
doing a Facebook page for your website. Facebook already has millions of registered
users and a lot of your visitors will most likely be on Facebook.

 

[Michael_]

One of the hardest thing about forums is getting people to register... after that
the hardest thing is getting them to become active and post. Maybe consider
doing a Facebook page for your website. Facebook already has millions of registered
users and a lot of your visitors will most likely be on Facebook.

I'm already planning to do a facebook page as a way to get updates since most people 'Like' pages simply to get updates into their main feed.

The forum would allows users to create/follow discussions that simply isn't feasible via a facebook page. I'm just wondering if the reward of an active forum is worth the work involved. And, if I'm attempting to build a passive income site, should I simply stay away from the forum idea as it goes against that very idea because I'll have to moderate it and maintain it on a daily basis until I'm able to acquire/hire moderators to do that work for me.

 

[thehobbster]

Forums are a pain in the ass. One benefit would be the tons of long-tail traffic you might start pulling. But really, it's hard to get people to join and interact. Everyone likes to lurk. Getting moderators is the easy part. Everyone wants mod powers, and many will abuse it. Staying in touch with the community to reduce conflict quickly is very important. Monetizing is a bitch. You might get return users, but they go ad-blind anyways.

Have fun! Been there done that!

 

[skohh]

Bloghue wrote a nice guide on doing this. I don't have the link but if you search for his name you'll find it I'm sure.

 

[Michael_]

Forums are a pain in the ass. One benefit would be the tons of long-tail traffic you might start pulling. But really, it's hard to get people to join and interact. Everyone likes to lurk. Getting moderators is the easy part. Everyone wants mod powers, and many will abuse it. Staying in touch with the community to reduce conflict quickly is very important. Monetizing is a bitch. You might get return users, but they go ad-blind anyways.

Have fun! Been there done that!

I would assume you're saying it's probably not going to be worth it for me then, huh?

I have also always thought that forums are a pain in the ass which is why I'm trying to find out if it's worth it or not. I just don't have enough personal experience to judge for myself.