Adding a "Donation" or "Buy me a Coffee" button on your blog - is it lame?

I'd say it depends on your blog. If you have a lot of ads and other stuff, then I wouldn't do it. I know some people that use it with success, while others don't get a dime. I tried it and left it alone.

I would not do it myself nor would I ever donate. Maybe if it went to a charity I would but that's about it.

I don't think it's lame. It all depends on who you phrase it. I mean look at some of the most popular software - rather than ask for money for the software, they ask for donations for development.

Even sites like Wikipedia ask for donations.

Cheers,
Becky

I have a blog with over 6,000 subscribers and tried the "Buy me a Coffee" button. After a full year and tons of traffic I got a total of $0, from it. So yea, I'd avoid it if I were you.

I think that it actually devalues your product or information.

If you have great stuff on your website and fantastic information to share, then package it up as a course or ebook. Maybe even a 'Premium Membership" for your site or blog. Tell people what the value of your info is and they will believe you.

If you just leave it up to them and say..."Give me what ever you think it's worth..." well, I'm afraid you won't get much.

My two cents (proverbially...)

I know Steve Pavlina has a donate button on his site. He makes hundreds of thousands of dollars a month. I don't know how much is through the donate button but the amount of quality content he gives for free is incredible.

It probably depends on how you phrase it the donation button. If you're asking for a donation for development of your site or product, people may be a little more willing to donate or contribute to your cause! :-)

If you're offering something free you can put up a donate button. I saw a site that provided a free banner generator and had a donate button "if you found this site useful."
I don't think it's tacky. But I can't see a whole lot of people donating to a website unless it really helped them out a lot.

Kinda depends on the blog or newsletter...

Paul Myers or Michel Fortin? Not a problem.

Joseph Bloah from S. Dickweed, TX? Prolly a little lame.

If you found this post useful...

Agree that it not a dishonest way to make additional funds towards your site or business, but as long as you make it clear that your visitors or customers are not under any obligation it makes sense to me!

I've never seen a 'buy me a coffee' button (never even heard of the idea until just now). But it conjures up an image of a beggar on the subway holding out a plastic cup with a notice by the side that says 'I haven't eaten for 3 days'.

I think a 'donate' button is a fine idea, if you are offering a free tool (like the banner generator that Valerie mentioned) or a service that takes time, effort and money to provide (like this forum). I have made donations for those kinds of things if something has provided value for me or if I feel they are providing a great service which is obviously quite costly to provide or keep up to date.

But a blog, really? Do people really ask for donations for providing blog posts? I'm amazed. Perhaps I just live in a different century.

I don't consider it dishonest at all, just bizarre. What are they offering apart from information and opinions? If you have a product of value, then sell it. If it's good enough people will buy it, surely.

Tried it on a "over 6K visitors/month" blog, did not work for me.

TomG.

Here's something to consider... instead of putting it as

"Buy me a cup of coffee"

How about changing it to the tune of everyone's favourite
radio station - W.I.I.F.M.?

I haven't tested it (because I don't have such a button)
but if you re-word it to something else that would benefit
visitors... would that increase your chances?

Asher