ADS OR NO ADS?!
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ADS OR NO ADS!?
So I'm debating on something right now. Every time I get ready to do ads, people say they don't want ads and I really don't want them cluttering up my site or magazine.
But no ads means I need subscribers and donations to support the community, magazine and blog. It's a "You can't have your cake and eat it too" problem.
The group and community doesn't manage itself. It takes real time and work. That time and work needs to be paid. I cannot keep doing it for free anymore.
Either folks support the community through subscriptions and donations, or I will be forced to do a bunch of ads that no one (including me) wants.
If you don't want ads, subscribe to my magazine here:
It’s that time again and I tried not posting this. Things are about to be shut off, phone, web server, software to run the blog and create the magazine, and my storage unit is late. My storage unit is my main concern right now because I’ve got some important things in there that I can’t afford to lose. I tried not to ask but I’m literally down to less than $1 and only a few sales of the magazine in the past 7 days. I hate asking because every time I do I catch flak from people who think it’s ok to disrespect and insult me for asking for support to keep the group and everything going, as if it just runs itself. “Get a job, loser!” is usually their ignorant response.
I have a job. This is my job. The magazine and this group, the blog and the page. This is my job.
I could be flooding the group and page and magazine and blog with ads, but I am trying not to go there. I could be making hundreds of thousands a year with affiliate marketing, sponsored posts and product reviews. This ain't my first rodeo. I know what I "COULD" be doing and yeah I know I'm sitting on a "gold mine" of an audience that is the largest in this niche.
"You're doing it wrong!" is the usual ignorant chide remarks I get from people who've never run an online business in their lives always trying to give advice on how to run my business and telling me I'm doing it wrong even when they've never done it before and don't know what they're talking about.
I choose not to do ads.
Which is why I have the magazine here:
FREE BACK ISSUES INCLUDED WITH LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP
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So...
Do you want a bunch of ads in the group? I could do that. I could post them all day every day non-stop. I could flood the group and page and the blog with ads, affiliate marketing and be making really good money right now.
I made my decision and I will shut the group down before I post a bunch of ads.
You guys have no idea how many vultures try to buy my group or brand and offer up insultingly low lowball offers to buy my brand, citing "well, you're barely making it, you make less than $1500-$2000/month, it's not worth much.
Yet in the same breath they tell me it's full of untapped potential and it's a massive goldmine.
So which is it? Not worth much or a goldmine?
The lying greedy vultures think I'm stupid and that I don't know what I have. They think I'm stupid because I refuse to flood my brand with ads and grab all the low hanging fruit that is advertising revenue. Maybe I am.
My business model was supposed to be subscriber-based and community supported. But...Facebook destroyed that by destroying my organic reach and locking my audience behind an advertising paywall where I have to pay to reach my own audience, people who've already chosen to join my community and view my content in my magazine and blog and FB page.
Now though, the only posts that get any reach are clickbait and ragebait shit-posts, people dancing or gyrating or doing stupid shit on camera. Lowest quality content and stupidest content gets the engagement and the money from Facebook.
I refuse to sellout to the same assholes that took my reach and destroyed my livelihood. I used to make damn good money before. It wasn't always like it is now.
So I sacrifice making good money to hold onto my principles. Is that stupid?
Maybe. Is it stubborn? Sure.
But do you really want ads in here?
If you want ads in the group, then don't sign up for my magazine to support the group you benefit from every day.
FREE BACK ISSUES INCLUDED WITH LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP
One Time Payment Only $49
If you want ads in the group, then don't donate to support the community you benefit from to keep it going.
If the magazine isn’t your thing please support by contributing a small amount to help me continue the mission to help as many folks on their journey as possible.
Use the links below to help out if you can. Every little bit helps. Thank you!
One-Time Contributions
Stripe: https://donate.stripe.com/bIYdUHbOj4Su4Ao6op
Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/EricWichman
CashApp: https://cash.app/$EricWichman
Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/EricWichman1
Yes, I’m homeless, but I’m out here creating content and going for my off grid dream. Not the best way to do it, but those of you who know why I’m homeless, also know I had no choice. I was in a toxic environment and situation and if I didn’t leave it would have come to a head so I left.
Now I’m out west looking for land for my off grid homestead and business because land here is cheap and I just need a place to work and build. I need the land to start the businesses I want to start.
For those that don’t know, I’m not in great health (only saying this because invariably every time I ask for support some folks tell me to apply for Medicaid or disability. I don’t qualify. I make too much with my magazine but not enough to pay for health insurance and all my bills too. As it is I’m short by hundreds of dollars every month (like now). I’m literally operating at a loss and have been for a while. The amount of time it takes to manage this group is a time suck and Facebook doesn’t monetize groups. The only way to monetize the group short of lots of affiliate ads that people don’t want here is to sell subscriptions to my off grid magazine and ask for direct support from my off grid friends family and supporters. My Facebook page is monetized but it doesn’t make anything. You’re lucky to make $0.50 cents on a post. So I don’t waste my time there. Which leaves the group.
Again, sorry to ask, but there it is. I’d greatly appreciate your support. Use the links below to help out any way you can.
Subscribing to my magazine is the best way to help.
I’ve worked hard for 11 years to publish a good product to help folks on the off grid journey while making a good living. Facebook throttles reach now so it basically destroyed my livelihood so I’m doing this to help make up the difference and just to survive. I’m in survival mode at the moment and it’s not fun. So any support you can provide I am grateful for.
If the magazine isn’t your thing please support by contributing a small amount to help me continue the mission to help as many folks on their journey as possible.
Use the links below to help out if you can. Every little bit helps. Thank you!
One-Time Contributions
Stripe: https://donate.stripe.com/bIYdUHbOj4Su4Ao6op
Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/EricWichman
CashApp: https://cash.app/$EricWichman
Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/EricWichman1
NOTE: If you can do it, please consider the monthly support at $5 or $10 or even $20 a month, everyone who does gets full access to the blog, the magazine, all the back issues free and notifications when I publish a new issue. It's really the best way to support me and the brand to keep everything going. If you do the monthly support option please message me and let me know and I'll send you the link to download all the back issues. Thank you in advance for your support, I sincerely appreciate it.
Monthly Support
$20/month (OGLS Full Member) https://donate.stripe.com/9B600j6460FK1Bp8ZW9AA05
$10/month (Pioneer): https://donate.stripe.com/00gcQD05B1Gi1oc7sv
$5/month (Supporting): https://donate.stripe.com/28o4k705BbgS2sg4gi
LIMITED-TIME: Lifetime Access. Never have to renew! + FREE BACK ISSUES – $49
Signup here: https://www.offgridlivingsurvival.com/off-grid-living.../
HAPPY OFF GRIDDING!
MAY ALL YOUR OFF GRID DREAMS COME TRUE!
Thank you to all my supporters. I'm grateful to be able to do what I love and know and what I'm passionate about to help folks on their off grid journey. I might be currently going through some hard times, but hopefully one day I'll be able to achieve my off grid dreams.
The pic is not me, just an image I like. Was once a dream of mine.
