Do your members...

[bahawolf]

Do your members donate? I didn't think mine would... But since I needed money for the designer, I tried it. Its been 2 days, and we have recieved about 20 dollars in donations.

[phenom]

I've gotten probably over $100 since I went live in January. I try to return the favor to those members that own sites as well.

[bahawolf]

I've gotten probably over $100 since I went live in January. I try to return the favor to those members that own sites as well.
Sounds good... I didn't think members would try it. But, they see it as an oppertunity to improve what they have. So, its an investment. :)

[vB3Dev.Com]

:(

Mine don't :(

But I never asked for donations... :D

[filburt1]

Mine do...I've made a significant amount to fully cover operating expenses (how much I'd rather not say).

[qxh]

I haven't really asked, but if someone wants to donate to me, PM me for my paypal. ;).

[0ptima]

I asked my members to donate for VB, which they did. On top of that, I have enough for 2 more years of support.

Now if I could cover my hosting fees.....

[Mark Hewitt]

I've never asked. But things get complicated with money.. If I start getting some, no matter how small, then people will start saying they deserve a share too, then the members who donated want to know where the money is being spent when the server gets overloaded etc..

[Chris M]

If you are spending the money on wavering costs related to the site then thats all you have to say;)

Satan

[Kathy]

Yes. There are quite a few threads (here in chit chat) that are discussions about ways to involve your community in helping with financial costs.

I do it and find that increased member benefits is successful for our niche.

I would caution that for some communities this wouldn't work....and could run off the members.

If the site is new or very small, the money issue could get into the way of building the community.

But for larger sites that are already busy places, donations/subscriptions can be handled properly.

I stopped calling them "donations" on my site as a member was warned about breaking TOS wanted her donation back.

At that point I changed the wording to be "subsciption for upgraded membership" and added info regarding TOS for subscribers: TOS is required and if they lose their membership because breaking TOS, refunds of subscriptions are not given.

More complicated than you were asking...but donations can be used...but just be aware of the pitfalls.

[0ptima]

Yes. There are quite a few threads (here in chit chat) that are discussions about ways to involve your community in helping with financial costs.

I do it and find that increased member benefits is successful for our niche.

I would caution that for some communities this wouldn't work....and could run off the members.

If the site is new or very small, the money issue could get into the way of building the community.

But for larger sites that are already busy places, donations/subscriptions can be handled properly.

I stopped calling them "donations" on my site as a member was warned about breaking TOS wanted her donation back.

At that point I changed the wording to be "subsciption for upgraded membership" and added info regarding TOS for subscribers: TOS is required and if they lose their membership because breaking TOS, refunds of subscriptions are not given.

More complicated than you were asking...but donations can be used...but just be aware of the pitfalls.
BE carefull, there is one thread on how someone made their site pay only and everyone stopped visiting

[Chris M]

What you do in that case is make there be certain advantages to being a paying member - Ability to have a larger avatar, ability to use the PM system, ability to have an email like *username*@yourdomain.net if your site is yourdomain.com (assuming you can buy .net and .com), ability to use attachments and things like that:)

Satan

[bahawolf]

What you do in that case is make there be certain advantages to being a paying member - Ability to have a larger avatar, ability to use the PM system, ability to have an email like *username*@yourdomain.net if your site is yourdomain.com (assuming you can buy .net and .com), ability to use attachments and things like that:)

Satan

I wouldn't reccomend things like attachments and such... because if you do that, people won't stay.

[Chris M]

I know, but the point is maybe allow larger and/or more attachments to be posted;)

Satan

[bahawolf]

I know, but the point is maybe allow larger and/or more attachments to be posted;)

Satan
How would you handle the size or ability to post attachments?

[Chris M]

Modify the vB3 code to include a group-based attachment size, and add a usergroup setting to control the number of attachments allowed per post;)

Satan

[N9ne]

My members would not donate a penny. My community is strong, but it's full of immaturity, and 'me me me'. Half the members complain on a daily basis, quarter of them have nothing but bad things to say, the last quarter are hush hush, so they're harmless but too quiet in some cases.

Lately i've become a little tired of my community, as I give all I can but most of the community show no appreciation and never have most of them appreciated the cost of maintaining it letalone the time i've put into it.

It seems like a waste of time to me now, it's weird, I've sat here giving it my all for a whole year, doing all I can to help it, and it's grown to almost 8000 members and is highly active but now I just want to disconnect it...is this a normal feeling? I have a very strong feeling about it though, not just a little one/two day thing where I just want it all to end, this time I'm feeling quite serious...

[greenchicken]

I have a Premium Membership fee of 4.99 per year



Premium members get avatars, upload ability, download ability and a big pm box


Basic members can only post and read, no search no nothing


I have about a 10% Premium Member base

http://www.truckingboards.com/trucking/upload/index.php?

[HexOnxOnx]

A few years ago I did that with a board. The first month I received about $70. After that month it was quite a bit less. I had one guy who would donate $20 every month though.

[greenchicken]

A few years ago I did that with a board. The first month I received about $70. After that month it was quite a bit less. I had one guy who would donate $20 every month though.
Well you have to give em something in return to keep them coming back and renewing you lose a few of course but somebody else usually steps up to the plate and with how easy it is to set up the subscriptions and to activate paypal to work with it there is no guessing at all or work you have to do to keep up with users.

[Ryan Ashbrook]

My members would not donate a penny. My community is strong, but it's full of immaturity, and 'me me me'. Half the members complain on a daily basis, quarter of them have nothing but bad things to say, the last quarter are hush hush, so they're harmless but too quiet in some cases.

Lately i've become a little tired of my community, as I give all I can but most of the community show no appreciation and never have most of them appreciated the cost of maintaining it letalone the time i've put into it.

It seems like a waste of time to me now, it's weird, I've sat here giving it my all for a whole year, doing all I can to help it, and it's grown to almost 8000 members and is highly active but now I just want to disconnect it...is this a normal feeling? I have a very strong feeling about it though, not just a little one/two day thing where I just want it all to end, this time I'm feeling quite serious...
I'd say so, I think you should just deal and leave it. My opinion though. :)

And no I've never recieved any donations...

[tgillespie]

I have had a lot of luck with donations. At the moment I could probably pay for the entire site's costs with donations. This is because my community has a decent group of mature adults that arn't all about themselves. They see that I have put lots of work into forming the community, so they see the need to give me something back. I do things to encourage donations, such as monthly game/apparel give aways, a no banner/donation forum template, and Contributer status which gives donators more forum rights.

I have had some success getting the younger members to donate because of the monthly drawings, but other than that, they could care less if what I've done.

[qxh]

Old thread.

[filburt1]

Old thread.
Still very useful, though.

In my experience, offering donors anything special (although I offer an icon in their postbit, should they choose so, some don't) does not work. All of my large donations (I mean $100+) are always out of generosity. Some have said that without my forum, they would not have their job anymore, so it was their way of saying thanks.

Good content and non-child/non-teen members makes a huge, huge difference. Trinkets will never bring in enough money to stay online.