“The Future Of MPN” thread discussion

[Dave Bryce]

Hi, guys - 

 

I started a somewhat important thread in The Keyboard Corner forum yesterday.  I’d love to get your input if possible, as it will probably affect you.

 

It grew to four pages pretty quickly.  If you could please try to read through as much of it as possible before responding that’d be greatly appreciated.

 

Click here.

 

Thanks,

 

dB

[Caevan O’Shite]

I just signed-up and made a $10.00 payment through Patreon, and will continue to do so as I can, when I can (monthly payments should be be fine, I just might have to juggle things from time to time).

How about optional subscription? (Maybe Patreon is basically just that?) If it's reasonable, I'd subscribe annually, and I also wouldn't mind at all if other Forum Members couldn't or wouldn't or shouldn't. Maybe offer some perks for paid subscribers, maybe not. (Sideways tangent while we're here- maybe offer some easy way to post notation and tablature to display in posts? Or school me if there are already ways to do that?)

I kind of like the idea of soliciting ads from topically-related entities- such as Fender, Gibson, Marshall, various pedal makers, string makers... I'm sure it's not so simple, though! Strings and Beyond, perhaps? Brands and products that many of us would be occasionally buying anyway would be good...

Forummites might need to be reminded that it's beneficial to occasionally click on active promotional banners and the like to effectively say, "We're here!", and paying attention to the ad content of sponsors...

Pop-up ads and the click-bait crap would be horrid, though. Some sites are difficult to read through all that garbage!

[o0Ampy0o]

Not a good idea carrying on a separate discussion here. This thread here is an announcement and there is a link to participate where the discussion is taking place. Also, you posted that same thing in two places so $20 total right? 😉 (See how things get redundant?)

[desertbluesman]

I have to think on it a bit and see what others say as well. I don't mind pop up ads but I am not into clicking on them.

[Larryz]

@Dave Bryce "To everyone who is asking how much we need "to keep the lights on":  that's not so easy to figure out.  Basic operating costs aren't the core of the issue - it's more about having our hands tied any time we want to try and add value like paying folks to cover trade shows, do videos, do reviews, curate press announcements, do PR to try and drive new traffic to the site, do the maintenance that the forums/site need on a fairly regular basis, run the MPN Store and more.  Most of that is being done for next to no compensation currently.  Not ideal.  

 

Also, please be assured that we've been trying to figure out how to make MPN work from a financial standpoint for a few years now, including how to do that as inexpensively as possible (of course). 

 

The bottom line here is that we're more trying to get a gauge of whether the community members are inclined to help support the forum's existence; and, if so, what would be the best way to do that.

 

dB"

 

I don't think a pay for view site would work for the Guitar Players forum as we have few active members.  However, we have tons of viewers and we provide reviews, advertising, etc., for many gear providers.  If the whole MPN needs to be financed "to keep the lights on", I think ADsense makes the most sense, even though I'm not a fan.  As you indicated in the Keyboard comments, it would be easy to turn on and get funded for the basic costs.  This would keep the site free and attract more forum members as it's more of a free blog, than a business.  I'm not a fan of sharing credit card info and using auto pay. Also, using the money for anything other than forum maintenance (as specified above), may not be what we are interested in.  Just a few thoughts...thanks for listening and putting this out there for discussion!  😎👍

[surfergirl]

@Larryzalso not a fan of sharing credit card info or auto pay. I thought about a prepaid visa for this only, but turned out to be more complicated than I thought. The reloadable cards have all kinds of fees and the gift cards only have a small purchase fee, but the ones I looked at couldn't be used for monthly payments. 

[Larryz]

@surfergirl, @desertbluesman, @Dave Bryce, If MPN would post a donation address on this site, I would send a non-tax-deductible $25 check each November to help support the maintenance costs associated with running this site.  I make donations to several tax-deductible charities and 3 other non-tax-deductible organizations by check each year.  I would have no problem in including MPN with my Thanksgiving donation checks to avoid pop up ads...😎

 

ps. I have seen a few comments by others willing to send checks on the Keyboard discussion thread.

 

[Dave Bryce]

I’d rather not post my address, but I’m happy to PM it to anyone who wants it.

 

Larry, check your PMs.

 

dB

 

[Winston Psmith]

I have to say, I'd rather make the occasional contribution than anything else. All the issues previously addressed regarding credit cards, etc., but this site is valuable enough that I'd want to help keep it open. Some of the best people I know hang out in here!

[Dave Bryce]

We’ve also made it possible to make occasional/one-time donations via the MPN Store. 😎

 

dB