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The Digital Reader is Now Ad-Free

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!

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Comments


max January 1, 2018 um 9:11 am

Still getting ads (from Amazon) on the front page. Reasonably discrete though, so not a problem.

Nate Hoffelder January 1, 2018 um 11:05 am

I would call that an affiliate link, not an ad.

Robert January 2, 2018 um 2:47 pm

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"

Nate Hoffelder January 2, 2018 um 3:40 pm

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.


Feda January 1, 2018 um 12:14 pm

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.

Nate Hoffelder January 1, 2018 um 1:25 pm

How wonderful your life must be if one newsletter pop-up – in the sidebar no less – is too much for you to bear.


Acacia January 1, 2018 um 9:05 pm

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.


Barry E Marks January 1, 2018 um 11:01 pm

How do I make a donation?

Barry

Frank January 2, 2018 um 9:48 am

To make a donation, there is a box on the right side of the page. It sets up a monthly donation via PayPal.

Nate Hoffelder January 2, 2018 um 10:11 am

Or, you can make a one time donation through:
https://www.paypal.me/TheDigitalReader

Barry E Marks January 2, 2018 um 12:56 pm

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

Nate Hoffelder January 2, 2018 um 1:56 pm

I plan to rework the entire sidebar.


Kaz Augustin January 1, 2018 um 11:18 pm

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!


Concerned January 2, 2018 um 2:09 am

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


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