"Donations" to site upkeep?

this site ranks very high on google .... get the members to donate, but start looking at large landscaping companies/suppliers renting advertising space on this forum .... they will queue up to buy space

that what happens on many forums, and thats what generates income to run and promote a site like this (and generate a profit to the people who own and manage the site)

 

I think I am on annual subscription,how do I check also as a bonus to supporters you could have a secure unit just for members a bit like anything goes but hidden from Ispy and the non members.
Just an idea I dont have them often so dont shout I might get upset!!!!

Found out how to check payment and done it now I wasn't on annual!

 

Right OK, but you dont get a reminder when your sub runs out.
I paid one some time back, but I dont have a clue how much or when, its not top of my list of things I need to remember.

So a gentle reminder would not be out of place, you dont need to send the boys round, just flag it up somewhere discrete, like the middle of my screen, with a delete button if you like.

 

I think it will be hard to tie people to subscriptions and donations for that matter. For those who are unemployed it would prove difficult and embarrassing for them to find the spare cash to give towards the site and when they can, they may only be able to contribute a small amount when it's available.

These same people may feel inclined to leave the site if they feel pressured to contribute.

 

Dim is right. Its big business. Facebook has been valued recently at an obscene amount, yet it is free to use. Google is another one. Ridiculous value, but free to use. Most of the revenue in both cases is generated by advertising.

I'm not saying there's a problem with the idea of donations to fund the site, but I think the owners can make a swift bob or two beyond the running costs, and its always nice to see people do ok.

The small companies that will have appeared asking to advertise and then ran at the suggestion of a donation are not the type of company that would ever generate much revenue anyway. They are the ones whose companies will never make it into the mainstream because they are spending far too much time flogging dead horses by spending hours searching the web and registering with every forum they can find in the hope of getting very minimal coverage. More successful companies will know that you spend a few quid to get an advert out there, get it targeted at the right audience, and then move on. For example when you place an advert on Facebook you spend maybe 30 minutes configuring the ad, then set a price limit, and let Facebook do the work, showing your ad to people that match the profile you've specified in the criteria. Google's AdWords is very similar. The kind of company that runs away at the suggestion of a small donation is the same kind of company that wont spend £50 on a Facebook or Google AdWords promotion, yet both of those things turn profits in the multiple millions.

 

Since the profile and transparency of the 'donations' system has been improved it looks like the level of donations has significantly increased. I'd suggest that site admin delays making any further changes for a month or two to see how things continue before considering alternative funding methods.

GC is a marvelous "free" resource for anyone interested in horticulture - there's a massive knowledge base and it's a very sociable and entertaining site too. While I'd be quite happy to stump up an annual sub I wouldn't like to see a mandatory sub result in a reduction in the member base as this would reduce the 'value' of the site in-so-far as the 'value' of GC is determined mainly by the number of participants.

 

At no point was I suggesting it should be mandatory, I just want a gentle reminder.


"That's why people donate willingly and don't begrudge helping with the costs of running GC, because we're all in it together."

If that was the case, we wouldn't be having this conversation, or this thread.

 

While we are on it.

We want those of you who haven't got any spare cash to carry on being members and NOT feel guilty. Your contribution to the site is just as valuable as the next persons, its the wealth of knowledge & good banter that make GC what it is, simply the best.

Gardeners Corner has looked after me in times of need, and believe me, i've had a few of those in the past few years.

God bless all of you and for the non believers just bless