CVRPG Fans, please read...

[Darkmoon]

Recently, I was invited to join up with a webcomic group. Basically, as it works, it's like a voting block. The group will approach advertisers and garner ads to place on sites. Then, the webcomicers will then pick the ads they are comfortable with, and place them on thier site.

I have thoughts on this. For one, putting ads on my site feels like selling out. Of course, I sold out somewhat when I put a tip jar on my site, but you all foiled me by not donating! Bwaha!

Additionally, I'm not sure how the core fans would feel about having a banner ad of some sort on the site. Obviously, there will be those that are vehemently against it for whatever reason (Destina). I expect that.

On the flip, a little extra cash would be nice. I wouldn't update any less if ads were on the site. Likely I'd update more (ditch the whole donations scheme and just start updating 7 days a week likely -- at least, I would if the ads made money, cause if they didn't, I'm not handing out free comic-cookies ).

These are all things to think about. But... I just kinda wanted to test the waters on it. I'm more flattered by the offer from the comic group than I am serious about accepting.

Tell me what you think.

[Damaris]

I think chocolate chip cookies sound good.

[Destina Faroda]

I think you misunderstand...I have no problem with ads as long as they don't bust my computer.  In fact, I infinitely prefer ads to donations.   An ad doesn't direct money from the users to the comic creator, whereas donations do.

[Gabi]

Only if the users want to pay the author, which is what th're for. Anyway, I tend to ignore ads in general, except ads to other webcomics, which I sometimes click on. As long as they're discreet and don't mess up the layout, I think they're ok, and I see nothing wrong with webcomic authors promoting their work and each other's.

I see nothing wrong with donations either, but sadly my country is at an economical disadvantage, so I can't help much. Amber gets more money through donations than I do combining my 2 jobs.

[Darkmoon]

Yeah. Amber sucks.

See, I know how I am with most places that have ads. I just block 'em with Firefox... So there is that fact as well. How likely is it for the ads to even be worth the effort?

I really don't know how I feel about it, but hey, at lest you guys don't seem to care.

[Destina Faroda]

The difference between ads and donations can be summed up as this -- ads are a tool of the system, donations make the system worse.

If you attract many visitors and need to offset the cost of hosting, then you can get ads to offset the cost.  The thing about ads, though, is that they're not desirable on either end unless you're a BIG website that can make a lot of money.  If people don't like the ads, then there will be fewer visitors and be a reduced need for ads in the first place.  If people do like the ads then the people who pay for the ads are getting their money's worth, and traffic is directed to their site.  Either way, a user's click is no different than another user's click.   It's a check and balance system that does not make an even playing field, but doesn't deepen the levels of inequality.

If you, on the other hand, attract visitors and put up a donation jar, then immediately there are two camps -- those who pay and those who don't.  Not only that, but there are levels within the peple giving out money, as there are neither caps nor minimum requirements.  As a result, a fan is given worth by the system based on how much he or she contributes.  Given that the resource of money is far more tangible resource than, time this only creates an additional level of stratification.

A person can click on ads on a site, or may click ads on all the sites he or she visits, or none at all.  Hoewever, clicking one ad does not preclude one from clicking on another ad.  On the other hand, a person who donates to one comic may not be able to donate to another.  Also, with the ads, there is no herd mentality -- it is truly your choice if you want to hit the monkey.  On the other hand donation jars are never kept secret -- after all, you want to get in on the fun of donating money too, right?  And as a result people tend to give where there's already money in the jar than where there's no money in the jar, which only further entrenches the cycle.

If donations are successful, then this system self-perpetuates.  Indeed, a donation jar is a status symbol, an appeal to vanity.  If donation drives are not successful, then instead of abandoning it, many people don't give up the jar -- unlike ads, it doesn't cost as much to have a donation jar.  But the very public nature of the loss is devastating.  You might not know that your site is getting as many hits as the next guy, but you do know the next guy is making more money.  Worse yet, it encourages a mindset that someone should get paid for essentially being a volunteer.

And that's what troubles me most about donations -- the fact that donations were once the realm of charities and churches, that people gave out of the goodness of their hearts to orginizations or people who could not make money for themselves.  Now charity has been changed from a mere aftereffect of a hierarchal system into a way that the gifted can obtain even more gifts.  Isn't there something wrong with the idea that someone who likes to do something should be eleveated because others cannot do it?  Or should we treat people as inherently unequal, and thus inherently deserving of different rights?

[Darkmoon]

I was with ya on teh first half of the rant... However you do raise good points as far as ads and the undesirability of them...

[Gabi]

Would it be possible to make annonymous donations? That wouldn't cause stratification.

Anyway, if anyone were to donate anything to me, I wouldn't have them in higher regard that those who don't. I'd feel grateful, yes, but I'm aware that not everyone has enough money at their disposal, and there are many other ways of showing you care.

Actually that's why I stopped reading Accidental Centaurs, the author became really nasty, demanding donations as if the world owed them to him, and then making the strip black and white for everyone who didn't donate. We didn't hire him to make his comic, and if I did have the money to make a donation to a webcomic author, I'd give it to someone with a better attitude.

[Darkmoon]

That's the reason I handle donations the way I do on the site. I'd rather people donated because they want to than donated because I made them feel like they had to or made it so you only got the comic for real if you paid for it.

That said, on the subject of ads, I'm really just not that comfortable. Donations are so much easier to look at and deal with.

[ilpalazzo]

very small ads, in the void of the site, that should get the work done...... and if you did cut donations, what would I do then?

[Destina Faroda]

Give me your money.

[Hilary]

I don't mind ads at all, frankly. As long as the comic's still there and still funny, it's all good.  Simple-minded me.

[Castle Pokemetroid]

I hate ads. They're too annoying. But on the bright side, we'll get more comics! Too hard to decide.