If You Find My Work Valuable, I Need Your Support
The internet felt free because it was ad-supported. But without support, the content we rely on won’t survive.
The Internet Was Built on "Free" Ad-Supported Content – But If We Don’t Support What We Value, It Won’t Last
For years, we’ve been conditioned to expect everything online to be free. Need a solution to a tech problem? Just Google it, or even ask ChatGPT. Want to read an article? Click a link. Looking for a how-to guide? Someone’s already made a free video for that. And most of the time, we don’t have to pay a dime.
But here’s the truth: the internet was never actually free. It was built on an ad-supported model. Websites made money by showing ads, and those ads paid for the content we consume. As users, we didn’t see a bill—we paid with our attention.
When Ads Became the Problem
That system worked for a long time, but then, websites started getting greedy. Pop-ups, autoplay videos, and aggressive tracking. Companies started collecting everything they could about us. People got fed up, including me.
Ad-blockers have became the norm, a way to push back against invasive advertising. But there was an unintended consequence: when people block ads, they also block the revenue that keeps websites running.
We Stopped Paying With Attention—But We (Mostly)Didn’t Start Paying With Dollars
And that’s where things started to break down. People are boycotting ads, but only a fraction are willing to pay directly for content. Paywalls went up. Subscription models took over. Those who aren’t very loyal and frequent visitors of certain websites settled for what they could get for free, or found it elsewhere for free.
Now, I find myself facing the same challenge. I made a conscious decision to NOT plaster my website with ads. No pop-ups, no trackers, no autoplay videos. I wanted to create a space where people could actually focus on the content—whether it’s my blog posts, my tech advice, my newsletter, or my videos.
But here’s the problem: too many people still expect all of that for free. And I can’t sustain my work without support.
If You Find My Work Valuable, I Need Your Support
If my content has helped you solve a problem, saved you time, or given you useful information, then it has value. And if it has value, I need your help to keep it going.
If you’ve ever read my blog and walked away with an answer you needed…
If you subscribe to my newsletter and enjoy the content I put out…
Then I’m asking you to support my work. Because the reality is, without your support, my home business will not survive.
I’m going to start making regular videos. My goal is one per week, 5-10 minutes long. So hopefully that will help.
In many cases, people are creating content with little expectation of making money, either as a hobby, or to bring attention to a project, or their day job. This helps build trust and community around their work. It can be the best form of marketing with minimal cost, besides the time it takes.
I tried offering remote support and drop off computer repair, but there wasn’t much interest. Obviously I have a website and blog posts to build trust and credibility. I figured it came down to a lack of videos, and some aren’t comfortable dealing with a home business. Most tech issues that people have these days are minor, perhaps solvable by asking Google or ChatGPT, which again, costs nothing.
The internet is changing. The old ad-supported model is crumbling, and creators like me are left with two options: either start monetizing aggressively wth ads and tracking, which I refuse to do, or rely on community support.
So if you value what I do, consider contributing. Share my work with others. Because if we don’t support the content we care about, it won’t survive.
And I want to keep creating content that helps you. I just need your help to make it possible.
What Kind of Content Do You Want To See?
Do you prefer to read my newsletter? Do you enjoy my blog posts? Would you prefer to watch short videos (mostly 5-10 minutes long)? What topics would you like to see me cover?
If I were to offer paid content, what would you be willing to pay for? And how much?
I would appreciate your input. Please reply to this email with your comments.
Please Support My Work
I offer my newsletter and sub-newsletter (blog post teasers) on Substack for FREE to promote my home business and website blog posts. I will never financially support Substack. Please consider supporting my work directly for $5/mo or via one-time options, as noted on my website. Your support makes my work possible.