While everyone was off on vacation last week, I was busy behind the scenes doing scut work on my websites. I rebuilt the Valiant Chicken site, added HTTPS, stripped out a dozen plugins I didn't need, and pinned down an intermittent bug that had been bothering me for months.
And most importantly, I finally followed through on something I have been wanting to do for years and years now.
I have removed the last ads from The Digital Reader website. This is now an ad-free site funded solely by donations, affiliate fees, and the services I provide to authors.
I have completed the transition I started two years ago when I announced the pivot. I have gone from being a news blogger driven by ad revenues to one who blogs in support of his day job.
And I have to tell you, it feels great. For years and years I've hated having ads; they're ugly, they slowed down my site, and they are a blight on the browsing experience. But at the same time there wasn't another good option for funding the blog that required so little work.
But now that I am working on the side, I don't need them any more.
I do need your support, though. If you like what I write here, please consider making a donation, or supporting the blog in other ways, perhaps by recommending my services.
Thanks for reading, and have a happy new year!
Still getting ads (from Amazon) on the front page. Reasonably discrete though, so not a problem.
I would call that an affiliate link, not an ad.
Yeah, well, Amazon calls it an “ad” right there in the bottom right corner of the affiliate block. I’m also not complaining but it does make for a confusing headline when literally right next to it is a block content that self-identifies “Ads by Amazon”
huh – I didn’t realize that was there.
The thing is, Amazon has an ad network – one that I cannot use. I got this through the affiliate network, so I always thought of it as an affiliate link.
Just as I was reading this the huge, and only annoying add I have seen on this site, for WordPress comes out and overs about 25% of the screen.
How wonderful your life must be if one newsletter pop-up – in the sidebar no less – is too much for you to bear.
Hi Nate,
Thanks for your blog. I’m really enjoying your Morning Coffee posts. Do you know any other blogs/websites who do a similar thing to Morning Coffee or blog about ebooks? I know the Teleread used to do a version. I’m creating a website for myself adding links to websites that have morning news summaries or are about reading, libraries, politics etc. Thanks again.
How do I make a donation?
Barry
To make a donation, there is a box on the right side of the page. It sets up a monthly donation via PayPal.
Or, you can make a one time donation through:
https://www.paypal.me/TheDigitalReader
It might be worth putting the one time donation link on your page too. I can’t make a monthly donation but I’ll send more when I can. Having the link there will make it easier.
Barry
I plan to rework the entire sidebar.
That’s a great achievement, Nate, and you should rightly feel proud. 🙂 I wish you all success in 2018 and shall pass your name around…in a good way, of course!
Nate, posts on Milo you showed the ability to thread the SJW needle between gay bashing and conservative dissing. How about a “sensitivity reader” gig to raise some bucks?
http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2017/02/how_sensitivity_readers_from_minority_groups_are_changing_the_book_publishing.html