Financing Zerogain

We're about to launch some new features on Zerogain, with articles and system galleries hosted by ZG.

We've been monitoring the bandwidth use since the changeover of servers and it has been slightly higher than expected. With images in articles and galleries it will go up quite significantly.

So, the question of how to pay for this comes about. We're not looking to make a profit is the first point, and however money is to be raised we want it to have as little impact as possible on the use of the forum.

There are several ways to go about it, and we need input from everyone who uses this forum as to how you'd be happiest.

The first and simplest way of doing things is advertising. Everything about the forum stays as it is now with the addition of google adsense (context sensitive) adverts at the top right of the forum page (and possibly lower right as well, both places where there currently exists empty space). ABSOLUTELY NO POP-UP ADVERTS. These adverts pay per-click so we would need to rely on users doing so (in other words we'd need you to do your bit once in a while).

The second method is like that used by photo.net (although they have adverts as well now), in that we hope that some people here find the forum useful enough/pleasant enough to make a voluntary donation towards the costs of the site. Everything remains open to all users this way also.

The third method is to have a subscription system, whereby only paid users can use features like the forthcoming system gallery. Another possibility is to require subscription in order to be able to place items in the classifieds section.

Alternatively, these things can be combined. If we were to put adverts in, we could set it up so that adverts were not shown to subscribed users, so that you have the option.

So, please give us your views!

 

Google ads gets my vote, they really are non intrusive, being text only and not in eye-wateringly bad colours either.

A paid subscription 'deluxe' membership sort of thing I feel would turn the forum into a more cliquey and elitist community, something which IMHO is hardly a good thing, hell the hifi industry and enthusiast community often seem that way as it is to my eyes! It may also prevent the site growing in size - I for one will rarely pay to use a website service, and would definitely not pay to use a forum or pay to see pictures of someone elses hifi.

Going for google ads would allow you to finance the site more effectively without deterring new members by trying to charge them, or by making the community more insular and isolated which is what I feel having a paid membership option would do. Voluntary donations could still be accepted of course, theres no reason why you shouldn't allow those who want to contribute financially the opportunity to do so

My 2p

 

Here's an example of how the ads will look:

 

that looks ok to me too.

 

yeh looks fine

 

Looks pretty good to me

 

theres a gap at the top of the page anyway...may as well fill it with that

 

Hows about having a donation scheme - when people have donated a emblem appears with their avatar. Like a name and shame for those that dont give a donation.

just a suggestion - i dont mind the google ads either.

 

lamboy - that's exactly the way photo.net works. I guess it wasn't too effective since they instituted adverts as well.

 

Google ads like you've shown above Isaac look fine to me. Just make sure they stay horizontal like this and not constantly down the side as on HFC where they're really irritating. How does money get generated by these? Is it a flat payment, or does it depend on how many times they're clicked on?

After that (if more money is needed) I think a fee to advertise in the classifieds (+other new stuff) would be worth a try. A fee to everyone might put off new members so I reckon that's best avoided if possible. Whether this would work or not I'm less certain, as people might just choose to just stick stuff on HFC instead. The one advantage ZG has here is the feedback system.

 

Google ads pay per click. Amount paid depends on the advert... if it's something common (The example I was given was Crazy frog ringtone) then it might be pence or fractions of, but if it's something less common (hifi perhaps?) then it will bring in more. We don't know what the figures will be until we try it... and we'd hope that in place of donations or subscriptions regular users would do their bit to click on the ads for the sake of it once in a while.

 

Charging people to advertise will probably just kill the classifieds room.

I would suggest either not implementing the new bandwidth-heavy features at all, or pay for the forum by raising money from member donations. Advertising sucks, even if it's discreet, and nobody with any sense clicks through anyway, so it's unlikely to raise much revenue.

-- Ian

 

I agree with Ian, except that I wouldn't write off advertising completely.

 

Unobtrusive advertising qualifies for a definite YES.
By all means request donations but do not rely on it.

Premium membership has been known to work in financial forums such as ADVFN and Hemscott. Worth a try for a weeks to measure response. Charges for classifieds might make people go to other forums where it is provided free. However, a request for voluntary contribution when advertising could get a positive response from the regulars.

Another source of revenue could be sponsored "Manufacturer-specific owners' forums".
avforums.com do this. Users and experts from the company exhange helpful info and advice. If the 'flamers' are kept in control this feature will also enhance the quality of the forum.

 

I don't mind the adverts as they seem unobtrusive.

I would be happy as well to give a donation. How about relying on donations and if there is not enough coming from that, then initiate the adverts. This also lets people know when donations are needed.

What sort of money do you need to raise from donations to keep going?

 

Groovehandle initially and then ZG were intended to be non-profit, advertising free zones.
Accepting advertising, whether obtrusive or otherwise, signals a major shift in this forum, and not a particularly welcome one IMHO. There are plenty of audio forums with advertising out there, one of ZG's USP's is that it is clean...
I'm with SSB on this, rather than lard the forum with new and rather pointless features, pare the features back, clean it up, make it faster, more responsive and keep it ad free.
Offering members the opportunity to become a "friend" of ZG seems like a good solution. This is above all a community, something that gets the community more involved in the running and general scope of the forum is a good thing.
That said, it's not my forum anymore, it isn't Michael's, either, and if the majority want/passively accept advertising, so be it.

 

Another vote for keeping it ad free and using a friendship/partner system for donations. What kinda monthly cost are we talking about here anyway? Maybe one member could sponsor a month at a time, therefore this month ZG is brought to you by.....

Just my 1Kr worth

 

Advertisements can be annoying and if they are out of the way how many will click on it ?

Having used this forum to sell gear I'd be happy with a donation scheme. How much would be needed ?

 

For keeping donations fun, how about the idea of an 'Avatar charge' ?

£5 if you want an avatar next to your name!

 

Marge is worth way more than a fiver