When I had donate buttons, I literally had someone tell me I was panhandling the internet. Tip jars are a better way to signal "It took work to create value here and compensation is appreciated." It has gotten a very different response from people.
I am glad your strategy is working for you. But, if you are interested:
http://micheleincalifornia.blogspot.com/2015/11/how-to-make-...
Re:We’re dropping Google Ads
by username223 on Wednesday April 12, 2017 @05:44PM
(#14102048)
Thanks for the link. I may give this a try and see if people use it. I think I have more drive-by readers than regulars, so this probably makes more sense than Patreon.
BTW, kudos for writing the "Survival Guide." I ran across it at random awhile ago, and it has some great advice.
It would be great to hear (via email) if the tip jar works for you. So far the only data I have is my own.
I think people donating on Patreon get the whole "predictable income makes an artist's life an awful lot easier" thing, if you're looking for a tactful way to approach the topic.
Saying that you'd like to be able to make it your full time job is a very reasonable thing as well, and I imagine people get that you need some kind of salary to do it.
Both of these are things that I, if I were a frequent visitor to your site, would have a pretty good incentive to make happen.
I've contemplated this kind of thing, but it feels like panhandling, and I'm reluctant to go there. I would do it if I thought I could do so tastefully and respectfully.
I'm a (non-tech-related) "content producer," and I absolutely refuse to put up ads or be a shill or "native advertiser." Instead, I wrote a book, and if people want to support what I do, they can buy it. It's not enough to be a day job, but it probably could be with day-job levels of time and effort, and my "content consumers" appreciate my integrity.