Virtual Tip Jars: Bad or Good for Bloggers?
When you stop to watch a street performer, whether it be a woman with a guitar, man with a harmonica, or group of teenagers doing beat box, are you offended if they have a tip jar? Or do you simply drop in a few coins if you’re entertained? Do you feel pressured? Do you find value in their performance? Do you find inspiration in their words?
Recently, I’ve seen a few “donation” or “tip” jar buttons on fellow blogger’s sites. My initial reaction? “Well, that’s strange.” But then, I began to think of my own blog. The stories I’ve told. The lives I’ve touched through my words. Yes, I do it for personal satisfaction and fulfillment, but it’s also a way I practice my craft. I’m a writer. (That feels good to say.) And some might say writers are artists. So are we any different than our fellow musically-inclined friends? They tell stories with their words, their instruments, their actions. And sometimes, they can make a living by doing so. (Or at least pay their electric bill.)
I’m not saying I’m going to put a virtual open hat on my site, but I do want to open the topic for discussion. If I received only 1 cent per view, I could nearly pay my mortgage every month. And if I could do that, maybe I wouldn’t have to return to full-time work so soon, and I could keep doing what I love to do. Tell stories. Some fluff, but mostly just life. Stories about grief, child rearing, marriage, stuff that others can relate to. And maybe they’re helped by my words. That’s what I most desire. To help others. To let them know they’re not alone in their struggles.
When I did a little crowd sourcing on Twitter about “blogger busking“, I got very mixed reactions:
Pro:
Bring your damned harmonica and get on it! I have NO issue with the strategy.
Busking analogy is excellent. No problem with it on blogs, but also not sure they earn much. Need a real hat to pass 🙂Â
Con:
Not suggesting it is wrong – just that is is not effective. I’d suggest you: 1.) sell your story, or 2.) offer a subscription.
I totally condemn that. Will you give me $5,000? ;P For reals, depends on why.
It turns me off on any blog I see it. Ads don’t bother me, which accomplish the same thing. Just my opinion.
I think if the donation is for a good cause, sure. If not, get a job.Â
Now, I’d like to know what you think. Are you a blogger who has tried this? Is it effective? Are you a reader who has either a.) donated or b.) been turned off by this concept? Let’s discuss!
i guess i haven’t seen this… or i just don’t pay much mind if i do? i most likely wouldn’t ever do this, wouldn’t ever donate.
I didn’t know this was a thing!
Yeah … I have to say I would never donate either. Maybe if the site was written by a professional, like a doctor, who was giving advice…but just by someone writing for their pleasure or escape…nope don’t think so .. sorry 🙂
I’ve seen it and this is the dialogue I have with myself about it.
-Who do they think they ARE?
-I want to do that.
-Why do they deserve my money?
-I wonder if anyone would give me money?
-It’s so tacky.
-How long would it take me to add that in my sidebar?
-This blog isn’t even that well-written.
-I wonder if I would make any money?
I think that I like the idea of using sponsors and affiliates better. I’m not sure how much money you’d make either way, but sponsors don’t seem so obtrusive or offensive, and no one really questions why you’d have a sponsor. plus sometimes you can trade off with friends for that space so you get more readers, though not money. Those buttons also look pretty and you get money for sponsors whether anyone clicks on them or not. (You just might not get sponsors again if NO ONE clicks on them.) So I would think that is a non-debateable good way to get money. Check out other people’s sponsor rates based on their monthly hits and then decide on what you want to charge or if that’s a route you want to go. Just a thought!
I love your dialogue! It’s the exact same one I have. Ha! (When are we having that dinner again?)
I have seen them. And while I’d love for my blog to make enough to at least cover my costs, I just can’t bring myself to do it. Ads, I can do. Sponsored posts (occasionally) I can do…but it’s a different sort of thing than street musicians, in my humble (and broke) opinion.
I know. I took the time to consider all options, and I can’t do it either. I really don’t care if others do, but it’s not for me.
I found your post by doing a search for a virtual tip jar. I was first offended by people asking for tips when I first learned about it. Back then it was called online panhandling and the term reminded me of beggars on the street not willing to work.
It was brought to my attention about the “Save Karyn” site (who now blogs under http://www.prettyinthecity.com/save-karyn/) She racked up an extensive credit card debt of something like over $20K, and she didn’t show her face on the site. She blogged anonymously, other than her first name. She was an online panhandler and I was mad at her. LOL I thought…how dare her go out shopping, overspend, then ask people to bail her out! The nerve of her!
Yet, she was brilliant. People did bail her out. $1 here. $1 there.
As for street panhandlers, don’t be fooled. They too are brilliant and they don’t pay taxes. Are they really working? Yes. It takes guts and perseverance to stand out on the street and face hacklers, doing what they do best. Beg.
I am also a writer. My husband and I lost everything..and I do mean everything! I got caught up in the Corporate Rat Race and the corporations won, and shut down my company and stole my plans. I lost my home,land, business and everything I worked hard for. I lived in my car while I went through litigation processes in five courts for seven years. In the end, I forgave them and dropped the cases, because the Lord taught me the value of love, forgiveness and mercy. Still, it left me more than $100K in debt.
What else can I do for a living? I can write. So, write I did. I started writing about a journey to start a coffee house with zero capital. After all, still licking my wounds from not seeking justice, I had a huge debt and only a dream. One foot in front of the other.
When I put up a notice to collect donations, I gave a value to the investor. I needed start up cash and I doubled the value of their cash for goods from the coffee house when we open.
$500 was donated from just one person. $300 from another. A raised bed garden kit for the sign out front was donated. Bit by bit we are working towards our goal.
There is nothing wrong with asking for money for the work you do. Your readers enjoy your site, correct? Not everyone will help. Nor should it be expected. Blogs are another outlet for writing. So, you are not publishing a book for people to buy. But you are publishing a “book” for people to read and there is nothing wrong with asking for money.
Yes, you can make money from a tip jar online, because I do. I offer an open source business journey and allow people to use whatever I post for their own documents, etc. They don’t even have to give me credit. Just glean my site and be blessed. God knows Corporate America made me what I am today, and I want to help others by blogging about my journey.
For the hecklers out there…let them stew.
I stewed over Karyn for a while, and now I can laugh and say, good for you! I wish I would have done the same for all the years I did litigation blogging!
Wow, what a thoughtful, informative comment! Thank you for checking out this post, and for your input. And what a story you have! I don’t know that I’ll put out my virtual tip jar, but I have no negative feelings towards those who do. If you’re providing entertainment/diversion for others, why shouldn’t you receive compensation? Hmm…
If you decide to put up a jar, or if you don’t and you have a Paypal account, let me know. I’ll plant some seed money for your journey.
I just put up a tip jar on my blog The Cray Cray Culture, but it reads more like this: If You’d Like, Go Ahead and Buy Me A Book. I could literally live in a library if that were ever an option and feel right at home. I don’t expect too much money from it, just from those who’ve enjoyed my posts. I hope to turn it into a full-time hobby and come out with novels next.
I found it. I’m buying you a book today. 🙂 Be blessed.
I have noticed a virtual tip jar on very few websites, and I was struck not with horror, but curiosity. Just last week I put up the link to my own tip jar on my site. My subscribers are only around 1200 at this point, but like the “busker” analogy above – if people like what I post and want to toss a few dollars my way – I might as well give them the option. If you don’t ask, the answer is always “No”.
Thank you for writing this post and bringing up a discussion.