Premium Memberships - Do You Define Parameters Early?

I just started my forum but I definitely plan on monetizing it. One of the ways I am thinking about is to create a premium membership. Its WAY too early to think about implementing something like this, but I was wondering, should I define what the premium membership would be early so that I can constrain what is available to members now?

I'm thinking that a premium membership would mean
- you can post more pictures
- ability to create more groups
- no ads
- and more to come.

So lets say for images the free membership gives you 25 images but premium is unlimited. Should I limit people to 25 images now, even though the premium membership doesn't exist yet?

My thought would be that this would be a good way to gauge need and create demand. How have other people gone about this?

 

I set up premiums before I even open the site.
I want members to wonder what premium members get that free ones don't get.
Like all the things Brandon mentioned.
And a forum specially for their input into the direction of the site.

 

This is a great topic. In short... here is what I did. Our forum is currently betwee 15 and 20% premium members, and they are by far the most active.

You NEVER want to take away features for members. Adding benefits for premium members, sure. Read the book "free", you can get the audio book for free online on their website. It talks about freemium. In any case, I digress.

Our Premier members get:

1. Access and ability to list items for sale in the marketplace. This keeps the riff raff out.
2. Ability to post in the "politics" section. We do not allow politics anywhere else on forum. It WILL RUIN your forum if you let random people do that. No matter the forum topic, allowing a general section or worse a politics section, 85% of your new posts will be those.
3. Ability to post in the "premier lounge", where people will typically know all other posts, and can discuss more in relaxed atmosphere. We do not moderate that section.
4. Ability to post in the newly added "Not Safe for Work" topic. usually it is pics of chicks with guns.
5. No banner ad.

Regular members see one ad at the top of the page, and after first post. That's it.

For a new forum... if it has under 500 members and there are already google ads, or banners, I will not join the forum. First of all, I hate it. Secondly, it tells me the person cares more about making money from the community than the community itself.

I view advertisements as a way to cover my expenses. When your forum is a $10 a year shared host... you don't have any expenses.

Same way for premium memberships. Yes... there is too early to start it. Most of all, what of value do I get for paying?

For a new forum, the success story is...
1. Focus on providing content and value.
2. Keep it clean, that means no fawking advertisements.
3. Ask for donations or have it readily avail. This way, if I find value, I will.

I would get donations anywhere from $10 to $200. Once we instituted our premier paying member system, donations went down to $0..... ok, I lied, we got one for like $20 in the last 2 years.