What Kind of Tipper Are You?

Years ago, I remember reading a great little tip from my friend Char on alternatives to placing Google Ads on the front page of a multi-topic blog. That post is no longer available, but I’ve never forgotten the lesson I walked away with.

One comment stood out and really stuck with me – while not verbatim, the comment was something like:

Keeping ads off the front page gives people who hate ads a chance to read your front page without leaving instantly, and if they like the content they may stay anyway.

Granted, as a former waitress and bartender — I know those people are out there and most likely they’re the ones that leave a $2.00 tip on an $80.00 tab.

For the longest time I took advantage of the enormous amount of information the internet provided. I’m constantly amazed that at the end of my fingertips I have an endless supply of helpful advice, tips and support and I acted as if they were all just whipping this information out, hand-over-fist, JUST FOR ME!

It wasn’t until I began working from home, developing my own sites and blogs and supporting my family with the money I make from these efforts, that I truly began to APPRECIATE other webmasters and bloggers for the amazing amount of time and energy they put into bringing their valuable resources to the web.

I think it’s easy to tell when someone takes their work online seriously and I’d hate to think that the $2.00 tipper is benefiting from the efforts of my favorite bloggers and webmasters only to go on badmouthing them for the “ADS” that appear on their sites.

I always try to make it a habit to visit the SPONSORS of the blogs I SUBSCRIBE to as a way of leaving an appropriate tip for the services they are providing. And even more, if I’m looking to make a purchase online – I purposely seek out affiliate links of friends to make my purchase through. My thoughts are – I’m not losing anything by clicking their links and if someone can make a few bucks off my purchase, Why NOT?

Maybe it’s the waitress/bartender in me from years ago!

My Question for YOU:

I am curious though as to how some of you feel about ads on websites? Do you visit your favorite bloggers sponsors? Do you utilize their links to sign up under them for programs that you enroll in?

What are some of the efforts you make to keep your favorite bloggers blogging by supporting their efforts?