The original post was an assembly of thoughts from the fantastic team helping to keep CTH level and steady. It was accidentally published prior to my review.. /SD.
The Treehouse previously operated on the WordPress/Automattic platform without a lot of fanfare; a genuine labor of love. At first it was just a blogging platform, but as technology became more sophisticated, things got better for you, the loyal reader and the admin team. Specifically, CTH was able to monetize the site with advertising, which allowed me to spend more time doing research, writing articles and managing the direct concerns of the readers. Running ads was a checkbox, we turned it on and it just worked.
It’s safe to say that we were unaware of the amount of technical value, managing day to day technical issues, that blogging platforms like WordPress.com delivered. That all changed when CTH was deplatformed by Matt Mullenweg’s WordPress.com.
Fortunately, the software that operated the site was “open-source,” which means we had the option of moving the whole site to new servers without a lot of TECHNICAL issues. It was was really the scale of content and the goal to preserve the decades-long library (w/internal citations) that provided the greatest challenge. However, keeping the machines running is a different game when every page view now comes at a cost.
Within the migration process we also discovered the dynamic of cost driven by the commenting system; the conversation on the porch about the stories, research and analysis. As we have often repeated: it is the conversation that matters; that conversation is your comments and fellowship.
These lessons about self-hosting a website have been very expensive. It turns out the popularity of the site requires a six-digit annual budget just to maintain the technical status quo. Independent server costs, the cache system, the CDN and bandwidth allotments, the auto-leveling needs for stability, the software licenses, the email notification system and the support developers all come with an expense. Those costs do not include all of the unpaid effort by loyal moderators, tech support and volunteers that are managing these things right now.
The initial saving of CTH and the relaunch (a great accomplishment by some fantastic tech support) was also expensive. CTH was blessed and thankful to have people that care about truth reach out to offer assistance; and CTH readers were generous in offsetting those emergency costs. Many people stepped in to help save our little corner of the internet and with a core tech team (scruffy but smart) we stand on solid ground again.
My task now is to find a revenue model that works best for the important people, you; the Treehouse readers.
Advertising seems like the obvious move, but like many nowadays, we have long been suspect of things like covert tracking (3rd party cookies); and we accept the entire content delivery ecosystem is in flux at the moment. Privacy has been our CTH priority for years, and recent events -which include our own targeting- affirmed the wisdom of putting privacy at the forefront of our discussion.
As we are seeing corporations are now openly operating their businesses with the intent to influence politics, their advertising money is now a weapon they can use to generate leverage over website content. Not only is Big Tech making ideological determinations over monetization, but advertising companies are now using their budgets to align with Big Tech’s ideological goals. This is not a good outcome. Corporate fascism is on the advance.
As Scott Adams points out in the tweet below, ad revenue is now determining the type of information we can find on the internet. Many “conservative” information websites and platforms are increasingly making content determinations in the same way that MSM cowers to the almighty corporate dollar. You might be stunned to know just how prevalent this is; I know I was.
It won't be long before consumers of ad-based news media are seen as mental slaves to ridiculous narratives while the consumers of subscription-based news are the only free thinkers remaining to preserve our system. @RubinReport @ggreenwald
— Scott Adams (@ScottAdamsSays) April 19, 2021
My priority with content has always been to stay steadfast to the motto: “The Truth Has No Agenda“, and CTH has declined financial offers because we never wanted to be in a position where outside elements have any influence on our content or conversation. Additionally, our crowdsourcing efforts not only produce great results, but our community credibility is our strength.
With all of the operational costs in mind, here is what we need to figure out: What is the best revenue model for the readers of the Treehouse?
I need to figure this out soon, or there is a slight risk there won’t be a Treehouse. Fortunately, software is soft, meaning we can experiment with models until we get it right.
We like the idea that we are in charge of our own destiny in that we are running our own servers and out of the reach of Big Tech, so while other “Free Speech” platforms like Substack, Locals and Minds look very attractive, it’s always going to be somebody else’s platform, making the enterprise dependent on their viability (remember MySpace?).
Additionally, from the outset I have always wanted to provide information free to everyone; that remains my priority. I do not like the idea that information comes with a cost; as a result a subscription based website was always a non starter for me. That said, I foresee coming up against pressure to find a revenue model (which pays for the expenses) before it’s too late.
That leaves CTH with a few paths forward to consider:
- Turn on 3rd party Advertising (we’re likely going to do that for now)
- Some kind of crowd-sourced sponsorship (PBS annual drives, Reoccurring PayPal or Subscribe Star)
- Subscription with tiered content (not all content is free) [I don’t like]
- Pay-to-not-get-what-you-don’t-want (Pay to turn off ads)
- Something else (because we are considering everything)
There also might be something else I just don’t know what it is.
As I look at the landscape I see in front of us, my goal would be to establish a proprietary system for revenue via ads that allows CTH to work directly with sponsors and not with 3rd parties. In that process we would have full control and retain 100% privacy. But to achieve that goal CTH would need to have seed capital to launch a business model and at least one person to coordinate it.
The Conservative Treehouse has always been about you, not me. For me the sharing of information is a labor of love; I truly enjoy the fellowship, the research and the writing assembly. Together with tips, crowdsourcing and research we put the information together and write articles about the ‘Occam’s Razor’ conclusions. Through the years CTH assembled a network of allies in the fight who form a deep rebel alliance of information. However, staying outside the reach of Big Tech and keeping the site anti-fragile to their attacks is a little costly.
So I turn to the experts… the people who really matter… YOU !
Before any decisions are reached I want to hear what scenario makes the most sense to you. Let me know, below.
Love to all,
Sundance
“No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.” [Isaiah 54-17]
I have and will continue to financially support the site and it is about that time again.
Perhaps you can tie posting to an ad view for those who are not financially supporting the site at some predetermined level?
If it were me I’d first turn on third party advertising and implement the periodic PBS fund drive model. Get a revenue stream started.
While that gets going I’d then work toward “the goal to establish a proprietary system for revenue via ads that allows CTH to work directly with sponsors “ so I could then cut out the third party. I’d like control over who can advertise.
(I’d start with Mike Lindell and My Pillow and research anybody that advertised with Rush. I think his model was similar to your proposed model.)
Whatever you decide I’ll be happy to contribute what I can.
First thing I thought was similar – consult with the E.I.B. Network, consult with the My Pillow people for how they handle both advertisers and ad revenue.
And the annual appeal – tons of us would be glad to contribute.
Maybe a MAGA Advertising Agency can grow from this – could be some good money in furnishing advertising and marketing services to people and companies that want to do business with other MAGA people instead of the corporate fascist uniparty.
After all – with 80,000,000 MAGA people, a MAGA economic system could be robust.
RM, I suggest start with those companies who have been cancelled, or attempted to be cancelled, they must be on our side.
Have you seen any of the so called crazy 3rd party advertising.
Great idea, Toolnut! I really like the Mike Lindell idea. I have been kicked off Twitter and Facebook, but I have been sharing some articles on Gab although it isn’t as easy as the other platforms.
And remember that Rush found a way to communicate his message directly in writing via his newsletter, The Limbaugh Letter. Which we paid handsomely for. Yet it contained wonderful patches clearly taken from his “busy broadcast schedule.” And that was OK because it was hard to listen fifteen hours every week and the newsletter gave us great things we had missed.
And it also featured wonderful, in depth interviews with many, many conservative folks who often were grateful to have a place to discuss their latest book. This was a canny way to end around his ban on interviews, yet make the wisdom of others available. (Exception for Presidents and occasional VPs.)
These ideas can feed on the voluminous content of the CTH without snatching away sundance’s valuable time.
And some folks have suggested in the comments today that weekly or monthly summmaries, of most of the material, be made available for (a) newbies to expose them to the rich spread of information, to the truth, and to logic and useful argument, and (2) available to those of us who are squeezed for time by demands from work, spouses, children, and the need for the occasional vacation or weekend off. Surely a capable, trusted editor and writer could head up a team.
Best ideas so far in my humble opinion:
An annual or semi-annual subscriber drive. I’ve sent $$$ but not regularly. Maybe the “banner” idea with a small monthly “sustaining contribution to the truth” with Gifts from $5 to $50 and more depending on personal circumstances.
Advertising by invitation with the right to scrub the list, provided also with an inexpensive ad-blocker feature.
An option to pay CTH without the internet via US mail, via money order or check. Our own bank?
Longer term ideas:
An online bookstore for a curated list of new and old books.
A curated list of excellent conservative magazine and editorial writing on an even broader range of ideas than CTH currently provides. I used to generate such a list twice a year for writing students to read, annotate and write about for my college comp classes. They saw things and read about their world in ways far removed from the alphabet newscasts. They were amazed how narrow their reading had been before. The CTH list could provide links.
We can facilitate commerce and trade within the CTH community.
We can sponsor festivals of truth and light, music and dancing during the warmer months under the CTH banner to solidify our common mission. Breakout groups for folks from the same states ??
I suggest this because I am so isolated from my upstate NY companions, by the necessary anonymity of the CTH comentariat, but also by the obscene overreaching of government at all levels, including public schools and higher education.
Thank you Sundance for your steadfast effort and inspiration in Obiden’s dark winter.
The original Dark Ages lasted for centuries because their was no hope. We need to avoid hopium but we must retain a positive and cheerful outlook. After all, conservative men and women are so much happier than liberal men and women. That was in the news today. Also in the news today were two full fledged academic studies showing that masks had no efficacy to halt the spread of the China Virus, and instead lead to negative health outcomes.
Rush Limbaugh never had a public comment forum. His business model was that of a terrestrial radio broadcast based solely on his content with frequent national advertisements. His website”Rush 24/7” was for paying subscribers. And his market was 20 to 30+ million listeners over a three hour window.
I think it’s an entirely different model than CTH.
I was referring to dealing directly with sponsors and cutting out the third party middleman.
In the early days of the internet, purists were outraged when commercial elements began to appear such as ads, now some are known as click-bait. Many still object to ads but the reality that people avoid can best be summed up as TANSTAAFL.
On a fixed income, every penny counts, so my first choice would be ads. As long as my identity is kept within the CTH community, I have no qualms with seeing ads or even responding to interesting ads by clicking them … I mean I’ve spent decades watching “free” TV while being barraged with ads and my mind hasn’t been turned to mush (Actually, I’ve found that ads have honed my degrees of skepticism about many products.) So, bring on the ads.
I find the idea of fund drives also a positive. The question is that of overhead in paying for a secure system for collecting monies. There’s also the option of a pledge, with the ability to mail in a check … might that be the cheapest alternative as far as site overhead?
Whatever options are pursued, there are multiple ones out there and it might be that it will take several approaches to keep this platform viable, so at least start with the quickest and easiest approach to start with and add others as things clarify.
I like the idea of mailing in money or checks . This way it is not so easy for prying eyes to track who is
paying..
Ditto. I dropped PayPal years ago due to security issues. Don’t like ads. I click right out of sites that demand that I turn off my adblocker. I don’t like paywalls, either. Once again they work by gathering and undoubtedly storing/selling my credit-card info. Where do I mail a check?
I second this comment.
I subscribe to Glen Greenwald on Substack and it is well worth the $60 per year. For TCT and Sundance I would pay the same and sponsor in another person for free and pay $120 per year. I am sure thousands of others would sponsor another member sho may not be able to afford a subscription.
Sponsoring a member would be a great feature!
I paid The Epoch Times $77 for a year’s subscription. I’m living on Social Security, but I would be happy to make a choice. My year with them is up in September. Ads tick me off because if I don’t buy from those companies, they don’t want to advertise here. So I would rather pay you than have to buy products to keep your ads paying you. Which would you rather have paying you? Ads or us? If us, it would need to be subscription, rather than random donations, but for your tax purposes , I don’t know about that. Hmm, whatever you decide, I will comply, for sure.
The high price of sustaining this massive endeavor has to be huge which is why I set up my monthly autopay. I am in complete agreement about the fixed income. I contribute now about the maximum monthly autopay that I can. As for ads, I rarely to almost never look at much less click on an ad because of my low fixed income so I would be NO help there. Hopefully you would be able to change my monthly contribution to a subscription. Please give us an idea of what type of monthly subscription price you are thinking of that would be needed. I think having that would make it easier to figure what everyone could afford vs having ads. I trust y’all to do your best to keep our personal info personal and definitely NFS. The Pay to turn off ads is also a good idea to me.
With Crowdfunding only people who can pay donate. That way those who cannot afford annual or monthly keep CTH
The ads might not be necessary. Better to not let them in.
So much better if we all belly up and autopay some amount on a monthly basis. You don’t need permission to donate. You can set the amount.
All you have to do is take action and set up to autopay something every month. It’s so simple. Whatever amount you choose, do it monthly, even if it’s only a dollar. There is no shame in this. Only goodness and gratitude embracing genuine need.
I would go with ads and here’s how I would select the advertisers. Every time a company attacks Conservatives, I would try to find one of their competitors to advertise on the site. You could be the champion of those wronged by big tech and other big companies by providing access to alternative Liberty-loving companies.
It would take some work, but I think most of us would be OK with these kinds of ads. For example, My Pillow seems to be moving much of its advertising to conservative websites. You could have a sidebar that says Don’t use company X because (for example) they came out against GA’s voting law, use company Y instead.
I spend a lot of money on Amazon, but if I knew of companies that were on our side that offered the same products, I would certainly give them a try.
This might even be an idea other sites would like to get in on. Ten sites can drive a lot more business to a company than one site can. Maybe you could share the initial cost with other sites.
I’ll pay an annual subscription. CTH is well worth it.
Ditto if I can do it by mailing a check. NO PAYPAL. NO PAYPAL. NO PAYPAL.
On the air now,
and 2 hour movie at 8 pm CT Tues April 20
Nov 3, 2020 Election Interference (cyberattack)
Lindelltv.com
Seeking the whole truth….
…and sharing, what is found, with others…
Love thy neighbors
Faith and good works
James 2:22
….(HIS) truth is marching on… with many helping hands (us)…. (Hymn of the Republic)
There was obviously some very good info on the film (which I missed) but for me with ML interrupting and repeating what his guest had just said was just a bit too “Hannity/Ingraham ‘ for me – frustrating so I departed before I blew a fuse.
I am an ardent President Trump supporter and was looking forward very much to absorbing more info concerning the election fraud.
The best thing ML should have done was to introduce his guest and then let him fly.
I’m sure others who (attempted to) watched felt the same.
Javaloon
April 20, 2021 4:55 pm
A subscription is preferable to me.
Pay to ditch ads would be option two.
Just combine the two,that way if you got the money your good ,and if not you watch ads. Plus you[Sundance] control what ads you put on here.
Read what SD posted. Advertisers will control what Sundance posts.
CNN survives with no viewers because the advertisers approve of their message. Evil.
Also because when you pay for cable tv you support all of it, not just the channels you watch.
I come here everyday. Multiple times per day to get the truth and that’s what all treepers arrive seeking. The truth to me is priceless as this site is only one of a few that I completely trust. In that sense. I’m all in for any subscription based format at any cost. Thanks SD
My thoughts: if I read SD correctly, this site exists to bring people in, to feed the hunger for truth. As such it seems that those already here should work in whatever way they been gifted to that end. I found CTH from a link in the comments section on Breitbart. But for those of us who can, a regular donation keeps the candle in the window for those still out in Biden’s dark winter. Monthly support from those who can is part one.
For part two: Remember those Jerry Lewis telethons? (Hat tip Joe Dan!) We could have so much fun with it! Vote for best memes, best MSM TDS video clip, etc with a dollar a vote. Contests where treepers submit best impression of [whoever], make treeper merch and vote for treeper best add using that merch; get “cancelled” fellow travelers to participate by making spoof PSAs. Auction awesome things that are donated but also auction off silly stuff that makes a point, like a case of Goya black beans or a box of masks made by My Pillow (left wants us to forget about that!). We Live our best lives in front of the world and raise cash and awareness at the same time. Live stream our telethon and then post it later and it becomes another way others can find the last refuge. Part two is once per year.
I’m in for the case of Goya black beans, lentils, or rice! 🙂
Charge a monthly fee for all content.
Mark Steyn (Steynonline) sells memberships – $150 U.S. per year. He has members from around the world. He offers tiered content, like you suggest. The restricted content is mostly poetry readings. I’m a member, and I never listen to the poetry (Ha!). I merely want to keep another conservative voice active on the internet.
Townhall is trying to sell memberships, but they were Never-Trumpers, and they can rot in hell.
I’m sure a nudge (kick in the ass) will get more people to donate, Sundance. Now, I go to give to the Treehouse.
Keep reminding people to donate as they are able. Fund drive for specific needs. I appreciate the conversation about cost. A conversation you don’t particularly like. “What can we do?” Well, funding this site is a start. I found the recurring PayPal button. Everybody can give something.
I notice the people who solicit donations, like PBS, suggest amounts but never specify. That’s the problem with selling memberships. Always assume the people who give $5 are giving the most they can, and God bless’em.
Sundance–I’m not looking for a pat on the back. As I’ve said before I don’t do donations anymore, well actually very few. It has never been much but you are actually the only real on-line monitary donation I made last year and maybe for the last two years.
I do well did a lot of volunteer when the mandates were not around. Will chip in for specific items at some local charities I trust.
However, when I realized the hundreds of billions spend on campaigns yearly I was totally done with political donations. I will work phones, booths, mailings and whatever people volunteering needed for politicians I like but no cash.
Sundance, if we need to do some type of subscription blog to keep the truth out there I will support however I can. We all do realize that with these new times things have become tougher for many of us, especially those of use who have lost jobs and/or retired, which actually I happen to fit in both.
Just my rambling two cents.
Advertise Sundance. I will click and buy products.
I will donate as needed – let us know.
You may want to take a look at signing CTH up for Brave Rewards. If all us Treepers use Brave Browser (a good one), we can collect credits for viewing web ads across the web, then donate the accumulated cash value to CTH.
I have Brave. Don’t care for the Chromium engine, but would switch to support CTH.
Tell us how to do this. I’m a Brave browser user.
Annual subscription.
~> I’m in.
I think everyone should be able to see the content – there have been times when $2.50 a month would have been a challenge for me. I can do more now, and I’m very grateful that I can and I’m willing to support CTH so that others can view for free, too.
I really like the sponsors idea, fund drive challenges and voluntary subscriptions.
That would be my first choice also.
I say we take a fraction of every transaction that google does and we make a holding account that brings that fraction to the Treehouse. Then we clear that every day and use that income to fund……oh wait they did that already.
seriously what ever you come up with will be fine. I would support however is most convenient and lasting as the Sundance gang determines is right.
If voluntary donations and subscriptions don’t work, let’s pray it does, then take the next step to keep us informed. We will follow no matter what.
I vote for PBS annual or semiannual funds Drive or pay for what I don’t want… Which is Advertising. Advertising has polluted and infected everything -you cannot drive down the road no matter how far in the country you are, or turn on the radio or open up almost any website and you are a bombarded with advertising. It’s noise noise noise. Thanks for all of you CTH insiders/admins/Sundance and for all you do and have done.
TV used to settle for a large total audience. Now the advertisers study the demographics – a fancy word for rich people. They want an audience of affluent city people (Democrats), they don’t want country people (Republicans). Even Fox has to shape their message to mollify the ad buyers. Truth is for sale.
Okay I don’t know if this would be possible but I’ve seen several sites use something similar. Basically you put up a BUDGET TICKER that shows where we are in terms of meeting the monthly budget. And you have the DONATION button right there so we can all see EXACTLY where we are in terms of funding the site.
If you want to see an example, go to http://www.ancientfaith.com and scroll down, you will see the “please help us meet this month’s budget” ticker thingee on the right side a little ways down.
I like this idea. “We’re at 80% of our goal” kind of thing then we can see the adjustments in real time as donations roll in
Was the MD toteboard buried along with Jerry Lewis?
Free Republic does this and hasn’t missed yet…..been reading for years
Seems to me Sundance would need to know up front what his income is and it is none of our business otherwise. Because the ticker thing encourages flakes who are polite;”Not me, this motnh. Someone else can raise that ticker.” “Oopps, not me, I had to pay for my dog to get his stomach pumped because he ate my poison sugarless gum, and then the vet made me pay for blood tests of Beasley’s liver TWICE! Someone else has to keep Sundance afloat this month.”
A yearly subscription seems to me the most stable way to keep Sundance from having to negotiate with Adverisers rather than wrting articles thgat often are our only route to TRUTH.
What can I say, Melh? I’ve been here a few years, and I believe that my fellow treepers are, for the most part, what some would call … “cheerful givers.”
🙂
My first thought is that you do not want barriers or paywalls stopping /discouraging people from reading your content.
More people need to read this common sense site..the more available the better.
But of course, I would be willing to donate….
I just signed on to Mark Steyn on a quarterly basis, see how it goes…mostly to listen to his audio , Tales of our Time..just to help me sleep !
Reach out much like this post with simple direct request for support.
Repeat as required.
I’ve savored this site’s content for years, yet this is my first comment.
I’m a media consultant selling advertising for four government IT brands. This year we made the switch to a partial paid content model for one site which already carried advertising. Stories on the home page are free, but “Insiders” subscribe for full access and quarterly research. It’s worked quite well for us.
There are certainly ways to minimize intrusive banners, by not accepting popups or interstitial units for example. Monthly site sponsorships with fixed placements and spots in newsletters might be considered.
Finally, you can find great independent media sales reps through The National Association of Publisher’s reps (an org to which I belong), who will work on straight commission.
My feeling:
What ever gives you the most flexibility & independence.
Combination of seed money/subscription?
I’m in.
What ever gives you the most flexibility & independence.
And whatever method gives CTH the most protection from the big tech companies.
I’m in.
– turn on advertising
– pay a fee to turn off the ads.
patreon.
subscriptions based on pay what you can afford
advertising THAT CAN BE EFFECTIVELY BLOCKED BY ALL PLATFORMS AT USER LEVEL NOT REQUIRING LEVEL 1 TECHNICAL SKILL.
vetting advertising that DOES NOT ALIGN AND FINANCE TECHNOCRAT BOG CORP CONTROL, CENSORSHIP, SHADOW BANNING, OR A RADICAL LEFT CORRUPT DEM OR GOP AGENDA.
choose wisely…it’s one of those moments where treepers will be of keen interest how this new path is selected.
God Bless Aneruca
Ads or pay to not have ads would be otay with me, SD!
Annual/monthly (if possible) subscription.
Let’s try a fundraiser first. Give us a goal number and let’s see if we can accomplish it.
Consider this as a source of income to keep CTH going:
Have a Store Front where you can sell merchandise. A tab at the top, and a banner that separates each article.
Mention new items etc at the beginning (or end) of articles.
Merchandise?
1. The sites own: t-shirts, mugs, flags, stickers and anything you can figure out. A small premium applied.
2. Member items: members pay a fee to have their things in the Store and pay a ‘cut’ of the price to the site. Books (digital or solid) would work. Selling video tutorials and classes would be awesome: as in how to use a program like Blender or a course on the Constitution that people can buy to have their kids learn.
This idea needs refinement and someone to manage it full time.
I would even consider developing a Social Media site like Parler or Gab where members pay for perks while the rest don’t. You’ve already proved you can do an independent site. There are enough smart readers who would join it, I think. You can use such Social site as an ‘organization’ tool State or Local-wise. I can think of a myriad ways to use it to select candidates and primary RINOs. Boycotts or pressure campaigns can be brought out of there… All the while it generates income at multiple levels.
I have too many ideas, but these are just a few… I would love to collaborate on ways to bring meaningful and profitable change here for all involved.
Pay to turn off ads? I don’t know if I’ve ever been on a site that has that. Interesting.
youtube “has that”
and yes, IT DOES NOT WORK!!!
you still get ads..
Duolingo has ads for free use of the site to study many languages. Annual subscription gives me all the content without ads and a few other perks. I like that model a lot.
Some places have pay-to-comment. if you are a subscriber, you gew to comment. otherwise you only get to read and the site is set-up so that readers get the first few lines and are blocked from seeing the remainder of the article. I think WSJ opperates like that.
Ads, but choose wisely (my pillow, ammo/gun sales, Tom McDonald albums, etc.). All are here for the education they receive, but not all have the tuition dollars. Add in an option to pay for no ads. Finally, retain your ‘donate’ button, for those who wish to donate more.
I’m with SD and his team, whatever is decided.
That said, I believe the best option to not be dependent upon, or being obligated to, others may be to self fund with quarterly fund raising (possibly providing the opportunity for optional automatic, periodic payments).
Logistically, although not very knowledgeable in such matters, I believe this also should be fairly easy to implement.
I’m confident any quarterly goals will be both fair and easily reached.
Thank you for everything that’s been accomplished. I’m looking forward to many more years of CTH.
RZ
Advertisers would always be susceptible to the woke cancel culture, wouldn’t they? How about offering the information free with the voluntary choice of paying a yearly or monthly subscription fee? We have done that to help support the sites we love, and it also allows others who cannot afford it to get the information too. The information is the prize…to get it and to share it. That being said, do what must be done in the short term to keep moving forward. All you can do is all you can do at any given moment in time.
I will gladly pay a yearly subscription. I do have a problem with using pay-pal as they can ban anyone. Gab.com is one they have banned.
Just tell me how much, Sundance, because I can’t start my day without you and my fellow treepers!
I am sitting here in my Sofa and just used PayPal to make a donation.
If PayPal cancels The Last Refuge, I will cancel PayPal.
Simple.
admirable but paypal doesn’t care
What ever model you choose,I am willing to support.I’ve always have been amazed that you provided such great journalism gratis .
I’ve eliminated my exposure to almost all my former news sources ,because I am so sickened by the events of 2020 and beyond.
However,I still view CTH everyday because you do not filter the truth.
I’d be willing to pay for a subscription but it really depends on the cost.
I like the two tier idea: subscribe, no ads; otherwise free access means ads. That may mean costly development.
Only allow MAGA advertisers on the site if possible. I don’t want to give a nickel to corrupt corporatists.
Time for a parallel economy.
My preference is a subscription service but someone will be needed to run it, too, I think.
I have been remiss in helping with consistent support for this site. I count on CTH for daily truth, and would be completely lost if it went away!
I will happily set up a recurring payment for the services. I feel it is imperative that Sundance and Menagerie have the time to do the appropriate research in order to write and publish the very valuable articles they currently provide.
There are also other ways of sponsoring sites; hats, t-shirts, bags, pins, etc., although that kind of revenue may not be enough. It would be too cool to have some CTH merch.
I am happy and honored to support CTH and the Treehouse community.
I hate “subscriptions” and usually eschew them, but I am OK with occasional donations which likely total up more than what a subscription would cost. So, I would prefer that you, Sundance, just ask your readers to make occasional donations, as needed, and see how that works.
Pay to comment?
zackly! I’ve suggested that on a few occasions over the years…might cut down on the obvious trolls as a side benefit. That being said, after Donald Trump won in 2016, I canceled my subscription to the Weakly Standard and began sending that money to CTH. It was $120 a year or, for those of you in Rio Lindo, 10 bucks a month. Question to SD: is that enuff to keep ya going (multiplied, of course, by thousands of others)?
I paid $12 for one of these fancy juices a few weeks ago ( small one) as I wanted double shots of ginger. I would gladly pay this monthly for access here.
That’s largely Mark Steyn’s gimmick. You can read most everything, but you pay to comment. Worked on me.
I strongly object to being forced to pay to make my voice heard.
Ads, I understand the difficulty but never discount the easiest option. Tweaking accordingly.
Donation drives, semi annually… I think everyone understands.
Do combine paid subscriptions to avoid ad’s.
Never discount merchandising, both for promotion and revenue. (If the numbers work, if not avoid it).
Tell me where to send my resume if analytics could help.
We’ve had a social community idea in development for 6 months now, our long term revenue plan is to incorporate social plus digital and physical goods market place for long term funding.
Many lessons have been learned watching the CTH plight. Including avoiding funds from other entities and data protection.
I wrote what I would like, and now I’ll do what I won’t like:
1. Adds. Destroys the look and cleanliness of the site. Makes it look cheap. Takes real estate off the phone where many are reading this from. A bad user experience leads to people coming here less and staying on less.
2. Subscription. It automatically reduces readership. If the goal of this site is to reach as many people as it can, then a Subscription model would do the opposite. Make it a donation button with a gamified bar to show how much you need every month. Ask those who would subscribe to help with a recurring donation like it’s done on Patreon. But – keep the site free. And yes, I know, “no free lunch”… but then accept fewer readers too.
Use the grandma birthday method. Everyone send $5 bill in a greeting card to Sundance once a month.
That would work set up a PO Box and we could (snail) mail you donations..
Tiered annual subscription. Paid monthly or yearly with a savings of x%.
You don’t want to leave out the casual reader or those on fixed income from your most important discussions or topics though either.
Read free with ads but not all content
Read Comment with ads = X dollars monthly with x% savings with yearly subscription
Read Comment no ads = X dollars monthly with x% savings with yearly subscription
Exclusive discussion (with and/or without ads) = X dollars per discussion includes commenting but with x% savings with yearly subscription
Im in regardless
Those who can, cover those who can’t. Those who won’t will self-select out, sooner or later. Don’t push the river.
Agreed. I think any ads are a slippery slope. Non-profit, Thanksgiving meal style, let’s us “sponsor” a subscription.
Paypal still works for your site?
I wouldn’t rely on it long term, but it might give you some breathing room.
Just used it.
Great. I’ve used it every so often to help out.
We got to put our money where our mouth is.
Sundance you still have to deal with the Tier 1 networks like Level 3, Sprint, Qwest at the lowest level internet infrastructure that can still stop your traffic if they become woke and some already are like Verizon and ATT
They can not do that.
Doing so will open them to lawsuits.
And breaking the law as they are infrastructure and utilities. They are, after all, Telcos. A highly regulated industry in the USA.
Make it simple for us geezers… annual donation. Back in the day, most of us who thought we were getting legit news, had yearly subscriptions for various newspapers which were delivered to our doors by kids on bikes.
Oops, been a little remiss — donating now!
For recurring donations for people who don’t want to use credit card or paypal, mail 12 postdated checks. Sundance can store them in file boxes and deposit them on the first of each month. Old school. LOL