WordPress MU

Hello,

I have decided against having Google Ads be displayed on my blogs, as I don't have as much control to make sure the content follows their TOS.

Another option I have thought about is possibly adding a donation button to the blog home page. Any thoughts on this? Sometimes I think Donation buttons are tacky, BUT I am offering this blogging system as a free service, without ads, and with personal help and blog design.

So, what are your thoughts on including a donation button? Tacky, or not tacky...

I have on on my not-for-profit MU install. People have used it from time to time. :)

I don't think it's tacky and I think some people like it more than having ads.

I know there's a mu install that to verify that it's an actual person behind the signup, they run a $1 charge through paypal. That may be something you may want to think about. It's not much, most people wouldn't think much about a buck.

You'd have to code it though.

Really? Is that so apparatus?

I heard something like that too.

i agree on the part of a buck not being much, altough if you don´t have a paypal acc, or if you dont have any money on your acc, it would be atleast a day before you could register on the site? im almost possitive that you loose alot of potential members that way altough its probably super-efectiv e against spam

That sounds like a good way to make a few bucks, especially if a lot of people were using your blogs; but it wouldn't fit my blog hosting. I think in my market I would loose a lot of potential customers.

I have decided to put the Donation button on my blog center home page, and who knows, maybe a couple people will drop a few bucks into the bucket. Here is a link to where I put it up: http://www.sleddoggin.com/blogs/ All I would really want to accomplish is to ultimately have the donations help pay for hosting.

Question: Do you think that it's too large or obtrusive? I think it's okay right now, but I would like to hear your opinions.

Looks fine.

yeah looks good

Awesome. Thank you for all of the thoughts everyone! Happy Halloween!

Another suggestion is that if and when you get someone who donates, make sure you make mention of it and provide a link. Either through a main blog post, a special Page within the main blog, or even a text widget in the sidebar.

Make them feel special.

Okay. I could easily do that. Maybe just contact them and ask if they want their name added to the list of donators?

Yep, that works.

And occasionaly letting people know you've got a donate button is good too. Not once a week, but just long enough for them to forget (3 months or so)

I also have let them know when we've had plenty of donations to keep running and we're all topped up. :D

Thanks for the thoughts andrea_r. I just got done posting a little blurb about being "ad free" but having the donation button in case anyone felt the urge to support the system.

I think this is a much better route for the blogging system, then having Google ads on each blog.

On a small niche network, I think donations and no ads go over a whole lot better.