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How Much Is Your Blog Worth?

By Jeralyn, Section Blog Related
Posted on Fri Oct 21, 2005 at 11:15:15 PM EST
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Via Discourse.Net, I found this net blog worth calculator. How much is your blog worth?

TalkLeft is worth $901,570.38. (Yes, I will sell it for $1 million)

That may sound like a lot. But consider:

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    How Much Is Your Blog Worth? | 17 comments (17 topical)
    Re: How Much Is Your Blog Worth? (none / 0) (#1)
    by Linkmeister on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:15 PM EST
    I found that over at Pharyngula earlier today. Mine's worth $63K, a good pick for value investors. ;)

    Re: How Much Is Your Blog Worth? (none / 0) (#2)
    by cpinva on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:15 PM EST
    hmmmm, are they saying that's how aol actually came up with the purchase price, or how they think they came up with it? the problem, as i see it, from an accounting standpoint, is that you are dealing with intangibles, as opposed to physical assets. were you to look at their balance sheet, i have a sneaking suspicion that there isn't much in the way of tangible assets to be valued, it's almost all concentrated in links to other blogs. the assumption is that these links bring in traffic, and that a % of that traffic then responds to the ads on the site. that is a more accurate measurement of fair market value in this instance, the net present value of the future anticipated ad revenue stream, plus the present value of the current ad contracts, plus the net value of whatever tangible assets transfer. having said that, i'll also be the first to admit that this is a new type of entity, with little in the way of precedence, and i have no special training in the area, so i could most certainly be totally off base in my analysis.

    Re: How Much Is Your Blog Worth? (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:15 PM EST
    Okay, I'll bite. What PRECISELY is the methodology used to calculate what would otherwise seem to be incalculable. I'm guessing that the margin for error in calculations is quite large (like greater than 20%). Just wondering. Still, Jeralyn, congratulations on both a PRICEY and a CLASSY forum. May your value(s) continue to rise!!!!!

    Re: How Much Is Your Blog Worth? (none / 0) (#4)
    by unbill on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:15 PM EST
    What does this legally mean? Are blogs assets? Does one have to pay taxes on the blog, or can one offset its losses in the tax return?

    Re: How Much Is Your Blog Worth? (none / 0) (#5)
    by Darryl Pearce on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:15 PM EST
    ...I'm so close to zero I am zero. Which isn't surprising.

    Re: How Much Is Your Blog Worth? (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:15 PM EST
    Wow. Who would have thought PoliPundit is worth $0.00? Nice calculator.

    Re: How Much Is Your Blog Worth? (none / 0) (#7)
    by squeaky on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:15 PM EST
    Jeralyn-I assume that the value has some relation to getting hits from 25,000 unique users a day. If you sold it, I assume that you would not longer be the Creator and Principal Author. I can not speak for anyone else but why would anyone bother to visit this site if it were not for YOU. Your interest, creativity, intellect, compassion and insight cannot be translated into dollar terms. The thing that makes the site valuable independent of how many hits you get in a day. That said, if you get any offers anywhere near your asking price, take the money and start another blog.

    Re: How Much Is Your Blog Worth? (none / 0) (#8)
    by dead dancer on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:15 PM EST
    Things to come: Jeralyn Merritt Living The New Jeralyn Show The Apprentice: Jeralyn Merritt Jeralyn Merritt Living :)

    Re: How Much Is Your Blog Worth? (none / 0) (#9)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:16 PM EST
    This is obviously a joke method of valuation. Unless one were irrationally exuberant, one would base a site's price on how much money they bring in, not on technorati's highly inaccurate number of links. The calculator says that springerontheradio.com is worth $0, boreamerica is $35,000, and lonewacko is $50,000. Yet, SOTR has more high-quality backlinks than I do, even if I do get more traffic than Jerry Springer does. If they had compelling content and better technicals, they could use that backlink power to get even more hits and be worth more.

    Re: How Much Is Your Blog Worth? (none / 0) (#10)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:16 PM EST
    Check out BlogShares, a fantasy stock market for blogs. You can trade them back and forth in cyberspace. This might be a neat idea for those who are into the financial aspect of blogging. Marie Therese News Hounds We watch FOX so you don't have to. www.newshounds.us

    Re: How Much Is Your Blog Worth? (none / 0) (#11)
    by cpinva on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:16 PM EST
    Okay, I'll bite. What PRECISELY is the methodology used to calculate what would otherwise seem to be incalculable.
    i just gave you the standard methodology, weren't you reading?
    What does this legally mean? Are blogs assets? Does one have to pay taxes on the blog, or can one offset its losses in the tax return?
    as the lawyers say, it depends: on what your intent is. if your intent is as a hobby, than it is not a business. under Sect. 183, your losses are limited to the extent of your income (general rule). the determination of whether an activity is engaged in for profit requires an analysis of the particular facts & circumstances of the entity. if it's a hobby, i wouldn't count it as an asset on anyone's balance sheet, and a bank wouldn't take it into acount for loan purposes. where the lines seem to blur is on sites such as this, which both sell ad space, and request donations. such donations are not deductible, for tax purposes, unless the site is registered as 501(c) entity, with the IRS.

    Re: How Much Is Your Blog Worth? (none / 0) (#12)
    by cpinva on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:16 PM EST
    That said, if you get any offers anywhere near your asking price, take the money and start another blog.
    unless the buyer is a complete idiot, they'd include a "non-compete" contract as part of the deal, restricting ms. merritt, and the other owners, from starting another, similar blog for a period of at least five years, anywhere.

    Re: How Much Is Your Blog Worth? (none / 0) (#13)
    by squeaky on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:16 PM EST
    cpinva:
    unless the buyer is a complete idiot
    As Lavocat said here on another thread: "Thank god for stupid people or else I'd have to find another line of work."

    Re: How Much Is Your Blog Worth? (none / 0) (#14)
    by erichwwk on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:16 PM EST
    It it's any consolation, the self-calculated "value" of the web log professing illegitamcy is at

    Re: How Much Is Your Blog Worth? (none / 0) (#15)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:16 PM EST
    Sorry, TL. I enjoy TL and know that it is subsidized out of your own income, but I don't buy it. Outrage over the disparity between Average Income and Executive Pay is over-valuation. Many Americans are having to commute insane distances just to remain gainfully employed and be able to afford a safe domicile (real estate over-valuation). In the 1990s, companies were insanely over-valued, eventually resulting in lay offs across our Economy (Corporate equity over-valuation). Indeed, the evil inherent to Enron/Worldcom/Anderson IS over-valuation. Over-valuation eventually hurts everyone. It is the dishonesty that skews Capitalism.

    Re: How Much Is Your Blog Worth? (none / 0) (#16)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:16 PM EST
    fuming mucker and polipundit, join the club. skippy's blog is worth exactly zero. they must have talked to mrs. skippy about it.

    Re: How Much Is Your Blog Worth? (none / 0) (#17)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:05:17 PM EST
    Oh my! I finally know how to retire early. So who is paying these prices for the blogs?

    How Much Is Your Blog Worth? | 17 comments (17 topical)