Looking for input on having a single banner ad

[Stuka]

PLEASE do NOT click ads just to click them. This can get counted as invalid traffic and have ads here disabled. If you see a product that you like, you can click it. Just don't click an ad every time you see what to "help the site", as this will get detected and can result in ads being disabled here for invalid clicks.

For the last decade (Longer if you consider the first version of the site before the crash), I have fully funded the site, its been entirely ad free, and with no payed sponsorships or anything. I don't run this site as a business, I run it because I like Jeeps and like providing a place for us to come together and post about them.

However, over that ten year period, the cost to run the site has gone up quite a bit as it has grown to utilize more resources. So I am considering adding a single Google AdSense banner ad to help fund the site. I doubt a single ad will fully fund it (especially with ad blockers built into browsers), but it should certainly help out. And there is still the FSJN shop, but it doesn't bring in that much as we have a pretty limited audience.

And because I know it will be asked, I have considered other options such as donating and such. But honestly, unless I set this site up as a business, the tax side of that sucks. And frankly, the site is not nearly large enough to go through all that work.

Anyway, before I go through and just do it, I wanted to get the thoughts of the users.

[SJTD]

Sounds fair to me.

"AdSense". What does it sense and how? If you don't mind splaining it to a feller that isn't knowledgeable on this stuff.

And another area I no knothing about: Could you set it up as a trust rather than a business?

[HowardT64]

Sad thing about society, it takes money to do EVERYTHING. I dont see an issue with what you are proposing. Thank you for funding the job yourself for so long!!

[Stuka]

Sounds fair to me.

"AdSense". What does it sense and how? If you don't mind splaining it to a feller that isn't knowledgeable on this stuff.

And another area I no knothing about: Could you set it up as a trust rather than a business?

AdSense is Googles branding for their ad platform. They are the most widely used ads on the net. If you have ever gone to search for a product, and then gone to another site and then see an ad for the item you just searched for, that's AdSense at work. Its all done through tracking cookies which nearly every site on the internet uses. You can fully disable them, but you may lose some features that are nice to have on some sites.

I am not sure a trust could be used in this case. The two options that I know of are a commercial business, or a non profit. Both require more work than they are worth.

[Chubbinius]

First, thank you for funding this site on your own.

Second, as for an ad banner, I think that would be fair, Stuka. Even if most folks registered run ad blockers, you'd still generate some revenue from those who pop into the site but don't sign up. Plus, I'm sure many of us would be willing to "friends and family" a few bucks your way each year if you had a paypal address...don't think there would be taxes or paperwork for that.

[Jagged]

First, thank you for funding this site on your own.

Second, as for an ad banner, I think that would be fair, Stuka. Even if most folks registered run ad blockers, you'd still generate some revenue from those who pop into the site but don't sign up. Plus, I'm sure many of us would be willing to "friends and family" a few bucks your way each year if you had a paypal address...don't think there would be taxes or paperwork for that.

I concur with Chubbinius here. I'm cool with the banner, but I'm even more cool with donating in a non-taxable way.

[Lti57]

I concur do what you need to offset your costs
I myself would not mind contributing to the site
Thanks for keeping it alive

[oregonphil]

I OK with that. Sorry, I do not understand how AdSense works to actually benefit $$ for you ? Not apposed to supporting the web site in some way.

[Stuka]

I OK with that. Sorry, I do not understand how AdSense works to actually benefit $$ for you ? Not apposed to supporting the web site in some way.

If you have ads on a website, you get paid any time its displayed, and then you get payed more anytime somebody clicks on it. Its a very small amount for each impression, but get a few hundred thousand impressions, and it can be enough for the site to pay for itself.

[rstep]

I think it just makes sense to do it.

[j10builder]

1. Thank you fro sponsoring this site. It's been a wealth of information that far outweighs a stack of Chilton's, Haynes, Factory service manuals and 3 grizzled old mechanics sitting in a corner drinking beer and making fun of you while you work. So much info here.
2. Thank you for asking, most sites would just do it.
3. It just makes sense
4. I'm headed to the shop to buy something as soon as I post this.

[66stepside]

A thousand thanks for setting this up for the modern age; I say set up the banner, as it is a small thing to do where the benefits far outweigh the hassles.

It would be super cool to get Mopar, Quadratrac, 4wd Parts, or some other Jeep-related company would pony up the cash to advertise/sponsor, but I know it doesn’t work that way.


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[66stepside]

I’ll even click on the ads to help generate money!


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[Lti57]

I’ll even click on the ads to help generate money!


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Heck yeah me too

[cpfeifffer]

I’m good with whatever. I have saved tons of money, time, and frustration by tapping into the brain trust on this site. I’d be glad to donate, click ads or whatever.

Thanks for all your hard work!


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[Chubbinius]

I’ll even click on the ads to help generate money!


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Heck yeah me too

Haha, me three!

[iharding]

I have a single banner ad on my cobwebsite gmpartswiki.com. It pays for an EC2 instance and an RDS Postgres instance using reserved instances.

I suspect there will be more clicks on a community site where people know that clicking an ad once in a while puts a dollar in your pocket.

I say go for it.

[sirrus]

Absolutely support adding a banner or two to help pay for the site. I’ll disable ad blocker and will click it when I don’t forget.

It’s an amazing community here, with lots of friendly and knowledgeable people - thanks for keeping it going!

I didn’t know there was a shop, now I definitely need a t-shirt and some stickers

[sonoraed]

You have my support


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[Renodemona]

I support you fully man! I assume it displays ads based on some algorithm or something so I'll click on T shirt ads or whatever.