areawe 0 Report post Posted July 14, 2005 I have seen quite a few web sites that are ad free and only have a small graphic in which visitors can click to take them to a Paypal payment page in which they can donate money. I have always wondered how well this would work - this is assuming the web site is content rich and well used.Have you ever donated to a web site? If so, how much and how long did you use the web site before you donated? I just have a hard time believing that web designers could make much money this way.In my opinion, ads make everything look ugly and I would rather do without. Would a Paypal donation box be a profitable alternative to gaudy advertisements? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
snlildude87 0 Report post Posted July 14, 2005 In my opinion, I think that you're wrong. I use ads for my site, and it's been very profitable. Each day, I make around 3 bucks, and I think that it's more than what most webmasters make with the donation box.To answer your question, I have never donated to anyone, but I have "accidently" clicked a few ads.Ads will not look ugly as long as you design it to match your site. That way, it will look like normal links, and people will click them, and you'll get money. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
9thcircleapostles 0 Report post Posted July 15, 2005 Yeah, that is true. Ads are a better way to make a little bit of cash. As with snlildude87, I've never donated any money to any site, mainly because I'm broke on my Paypal account . It also helps depending on what kind of ads you show on your site. Popups annoy your visitors and popunder ads...annoy them even more. The best kind of ad to show is a banner ad. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nashkwon 0 Report post Posted July 15, 2005 It is worth adding it because you truly don't know how many people might donate. I have never donated to a site, and the main reason is because I don't have a PayPal account. Even so, I probably wouldn't donate. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dodgerblue 0 Report post Posted July 15, 2005 I think that people will donate if your site is really useful. No harm adding it, after all like you said it's just a small box.What irritates me are sites which beg for donations. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nashkwon 0 Report post Posted July 15, 2005 I think that people will donate if your site is really useful. No harm adding it, after all like you said it's just a small box. What irritates me are sites which beg for donations. 161373[/snapback] Sites, which constantly ask for donations, are rather annoying. If every other news item that comes up on the main page is "We are hundreds of dollars behind budget! Please donate!" or "If you donate, we'll appreciate it!" then they're trying to rip you off. None of that stuff is true. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
snlildude87 0 Report post Posted July 15, 2005 It is worth adding it because you truly don't know how many people might donate. I have never donated to a site, and the main reason is because I don't have a PayPal account. Even so, I probably wouldn't donate. 161254[/snapback] Same here. I don't own a Paypal account because I'm not 18 years old, and even if I owned one, I'm not gonna donate unless I'm filthy rich. I think that people will donate if your site is really useful. No harm adding it, after all like you said it's just a small box. What irritates me are sites which beg for donations. 161373[/snapback] Well, what if you replace that box with interesting ads? People will surely click, and you'll get money. Sites, which constantly ask for donations, are rather annoying. If every other news item that comes up on the main page is "We are hundreds of dollars behind budget! Please donate!" or "If you donate, we'll appreciate it!" then they're trying to rip you off. None of that stuff is true. 161496[/snapback] Yep. And when sites tell you to click their ads because "they're getting a new server", that's a lie, too. Only <- snipped -> if they're appealing or interactive or both.} Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
areawe 0 Report post Posted July 16, 2005 Same here. I don't own a Paypal account because I'm not 18 years old, and even if I owned one, I'm not gonna donate unless I'm filthy rich. Well, what if you replace that box with interesting ads? People will surely click, and you'll get money. Yep. And when sites tell you to click their ads because "they're getting a new server", that's a lie, too. Only <- snipped -> if they're appealing or interactive or both. 161558[/snapback] It sounds like ads are the way to go. I never even thought about younger people that don't have a Paypal account. I've had a Paypal account for so long I just assumed everyone else must have one by now. lol But it sounds like a Paypal payment is more of a hassle than just simply clicking banners when you visit a web site you would like to support. Good information. Thanks for all the responses!} Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
midnightvamp 1 Report post Posted July 16, 2005 I don't think it can hurt to add a donate through paypal button. I mean, I've heard of people making all different amounts from donation buttons. Personally, I've never donated. I've only recently gotten a paypal account and am not all that familiar with it. Plus, I still have to do some things to get it verified, but I will eventually.Maybe if you have a large enough group of people who keep returning to your site, and find it very helpful, it can work, but not having one in the first place means there is no way that it can work. And the button is rather small, so it isn't going to look bad on your site even if it is just there incase.If you want money though, I'd suggest ads. I mean, we've all clicked them at one time or another, so I'd be more than likely that someone would come along and click yours. It's probably the best idea too, if you don't get many returning visitors. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
underworldskateboards 0 Report post Posted July 17, 2005 Normally i find that people that run their site on donations have to resort to ad's on their webpages. I have found if you have the little flash bannors that only create pop up's when you play the games earn your some money because people make you a little bit everytime someone opens it so people with pop up blockers play the games and then don't see the pop up's but it still earns you money. I would not try and make money off of a website if you are not selling a product because you will probley only waste your time putting them up on your site becuase they don't get you much money.If you have a donation box on your site exspect to not make much if anything. If you do have one on your site i would avertise like crazy and hope someone donates but it's not likely to happen. my cousin had one on his site for 3 years and he made 41$ total and he had over 4000 page veiws a day. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
snlildude87 0 Report post Posted July 17, 2005 [1]Normally i find that people that run their site on donations have to resort to ad's on their webpages. I have found if you have the little flash bannors that only create pop up's when you play the games earn your some money because people make you a little bit everytime someone opens it so people with pop up blockers play the games and then don't see the pop up's but it still earns you money. [2]I would not try and make money off of a website if you are not selling a product because you will probley only waste your time putting them up on your site becuase they don't get you much money. [3]If you have a donation box on your site exspect to not make much if anything. If you do have one on your site i would avertise like crazy and hope someone donates but it's not likely to happen. my cousin had one on his site for 3 years and he made 41$ total and he had over 4000 page veiws a day. 162239[/snapback] [1]Yeah, interactive ads rock because they work. I've played them before, and I'm sure a lot of my visitors will, but I can't get them because you need a top-level domain. [2]Not really. I put Google Ads into my site, and I'm making an average of 4 bucks a day (it was 3, but that went up). That means that I get $120 dollars a month, and the thing is...I'm not selling anything. [3]Well advertising like crazy tend to drive people away. I've been to sites that had pop-up ads, flash banners, and Google Ads, and I know that I have not been there ever since. One question...why didn't your cousin put ads if he gets that many visitors? I get around that much, and look how much I'm making.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites