short version: this website needs an upgrade, and that means extra monthly costs for web hosting.
long version: I’ve been blogging since June 1999, having started journaling online before it was blogging. I’m an early adopter like that, love experimenting with new things that are free. I think it’s, at least in part, inspired by a verse in the Holy Bible to freely give as I’ve freely received. That’s almost 15 years of blogging without ads on the blog portion of my website here at djchuang.com, which is to say, there are some other portions of my websites that have run advertising, like web pages and listings and directories, the parts that aren’t the blog.
My thinking is that providing information based on my extensive research is okay by me to receive a small amount of money, as a small token of compensation for my efforts.
The blog is something I did not want to have money involved whatsoever, because when you take money out of the equation, it’s a whole different game. And my idealistic-self is to keep things free and open for conversations, in the case of blog posts, open for comments.
My idealistic-self would prefer to keep everything free, to live unencumbered by monetary restrictions, keep free speech free, but there’s this thing about reality that’s casting a shadow on things here. In recent months, the web service used here, Bluehost reseller shared hosting, has had an increasing frequency of down times, occasionally several times a day. That’s not good.
Thus, I will carve out a part of my sidebar for ads, above the fold, and that should provide enough funds to upgrade the quality of my web hosting, for more reliability and increased speed & responsiveness. I’m in process of researching for a different web hosting company, anticipating a switchover in the coming weeks.
I do not want to monetize my blog here to the degree that I earn a part of my living here, and that’s my prerogative, because to monetize this blog more “successfully” requires writing content that so many more people want to read, and unfortunately, the topics I believe are important to blog about do not match the topics that lots and lots of people want to read. My topics are still important and valuable to me and to my ideals informed by my faith, even if they currently are not deemed economically valuable. It is what it is. And, one day it could all change.
For those that want to know the why, I’ve spoken freely, there you have it. Sure there are many other ways to resolve this situation, and I’d welcome your comments. My mind can be changed.
Comments
3 responses to “Why ads now after 15 years without”
Hi DJ,
I totally support your move of putting ads onto your blog. I think it makes sense because you need to at least cover your cost of web hosting somehow.
I’ll always see your ministry as a labor of love because you always offer so much value to your audience through your incredible insights and the guests that you bring on.
If you’re looking for a web host, I moved from HostGator a couple of years ago to WP Engine. I really enjoyed being with WP Engine, my website rarely goes down and in the rare occasion that it does, the folks have really great customer service.
Additionally, there is this thing called a staging feature in which you can make a copy of your website and install plugins and make tweaks to that copy to test things out. That way your live site will never go down because of a plugin or a code that you added.
I hope you find that helpful DJ 🙂
Wish you all the best!
Hey Peter, thanks for the referral of WP Engine. I’ve heard good things about ’em. That staging feature sounds very handy!