Hi some of you know that I do a lot of Fly fishing, will it might surprise you to know that I do some thinking also, so when fishing was slow yesterday, and then the river turned to chocolate milk, gladly we were on the right side of the river when the tidal wave came down, I thought of this…
First I LOVE THIS FORUM, it was the first one I joined, it is the first one I go to for straight information, it is invaluable to me!!! it is priceless…
So following the “FAOL what is it worth to you” got me thinking.
If I was in the owners waders how would I secure the Forums future… what little thing have I missed.
Then it hit me like a PETA tofu cream pie… no single shaft of sunlight beamed on me , but I think this one of my brighter moments…
I have noticed the links on many many Forums members signature , that little link to Joe Bloggins home spun trout fly . com and the I love fish . blog. they are very effective free advertising for the Member and some of them have been around for a long long time…
So how does this help Lady Fisher well how about this ( this is where folks have to pay attention) I have a couple of options to purpose -
1)Mandatory $10.00USD a year fee for signature link, no if ands or buts… link to be removed if necessary. ( personally this one is heavy handed and more like me and not the Ladyfisher)
$10.00USD a year fee, for signature link, Please.
Fee for the link based on what link owner works out with Forum owner.
$100.00 fee for link, per year, again this is more my thinking…
Voluntary fee for signature links to be voted on and agreed on by the Forum owner…
so there is five options, Plse critique, vote, chase me down and stone me, but lets figure this out and help FAOL.
Told you it is bad when fishing is slow and I start thinking… hope the rivers clear up by the end of the week!! I need to go fishing again…
Just so you know, flyfishfairwx did run this by me before he posted it. I think it is a wonderful idea, and does just what he says it does - and it sure seems to be fair. I’d like you input on this, please?
I started a blog in 2009. Maybe I’m doing it all wrong…but I don’t make any money from it, and wouldn’t really know HOW to. It wasn’t the reason I started the blog. More, it is just another repository/record of what I love to do (fishing), and it gives me a way to share it with others that might be interested. I think most of what I post on my blog, I usually end up posting in the FAOL forums anyway. Most of the people that publicly “follow” my blog don’t visit FAOL.
So…to my way of thinking (which is probably way wrong, just ask my wife) having personal blogs linked to FAOL enriches this site by giving our FAOL community access to additional info if they are interested. You’re asking those that make personal blogs available to PAY for that which benefits all of us for free. Although I’m all for providing some way to ensure the continuance of FAOL, I’m not sure this is the solution.
It almost feels like charging folks who wish to submit an article or FOTW…cuz isn’t having an article posted here sort of like “free advertising” for the author?
I don’t do the blog thingy or have a site, but I would gladly subscribe to this site to be a member. As I posted in the other thread, if we, as members, all just approached one local shop with the info about sponsership for here, it probably would help trememdously. That said, I would vote for a small member ship yearly fee, $20 or so, and be extremely happy to pay just to keep this place.
I have had several people that I have introduced to this sight that they are amazed at the info available even to those who are not members.
Betty, the blue thingy in your signature the lets people go to a web site of your chosing.
FishinDave has Central Iowa Anglers.
Oh, wait a minute!! It’s like the Project Healing waters, or the Iowa anglers that show up in the sigs to take you to those sites?? But not a referral, like to point out where someone finds tying materials that aren’t promoted by our members? Like “oh, I found that at Cabelas.com/blah.blah.blah”. Am I trying to say privately owned by member site? Brain drain today … sorry!
Ya … I think that’d be a great idea! A mini sponsorship.
Plus, I can always order up more hats!! That brought in some pretty good monies for the site!
Byron … thank you! You were modifying your post while I was posting mine! Man, we’re good!!!
Theoretically, if we were to put the FAOL.com in our signatures, we could each do a mini sponsorship? Where we would do what we could? And not worry about anyone else who can’t?
Good point on the Blog, it is a personal Blog, no money gained, but and there is always a but, the Central Iowa Anglers web site if it is not a recognized sponsor here is profiting from it and you are linking to it, there by they are getting free and very good exposure for their site, they have sponsors on the site and those sponsors are profiting… The only one who is not benefiting in a monetary way is FAOL and its owner(s) …
Not picking on any one person or Link this is just the example that first popped up…
I agree with you maybe personal “Blogs” could be exempt if they stay just that personal Blogs, E.G. “I did this today and did this then what do you think?” No money gained and no services provided for the person with the link.
If however you are selling something ie rods, flys, tying material, etc… from and with your blog then I think you’re taking advantage of the very good free advertising from the link.
Perhaps you could run two types of accounts. A free account and a paid account.
I am not against charging for the signature links but I think there are other ways to raise revenue that are more effective.
Lets start with really pitching the Friends Of FAOL idea. What is a Special Friend of FAOL and how does one become one. Perhaps we could do some different things to draw people into donating different levels to Friends Of FAOL like the current $25 gets you a patch, $50 dollars gets you a hat with, $75 dollars gets you a t-shirt, etc…all with the Friends Of FAOL art work. Also I would really like to see the acceptance of cash donations via Pay Pal.
How about some type of 50/50 raffles or some type of revenue generating drawing in addition to the free drawing on a monthly basis?
Good Idea and a possibility but and there is always a but, not all may agree, it is “friends” sort of like the “friends of a Hospital” one time thing and that is it. got the patch and done. I believe it becomes something else when repeated and/or mandatory…
Oh, I see what you are saying. I hadn’t thought of that. I don’t own Central Iowa Anglers, and it is a non-profit organization, but we have/had folks that wanted to advertise on that website. I don’t recall the club ever getting cash though, it was usually some product, that we could give away at various fishing clinics for kids and so forth. Still, I see where the companies might profit by Central Iowa Anglers being linked to FAOL. I will remove it. I had linked it because it was a fishing resource that folks in Iowa or visiting Iowa (do we even GET tourists??? :lol: ) might be interested in.
I’ll think it over. I’m on the Board of Directors for the Club, but don’t have authorization to spend money on their behalf. So…if I’m going to contribute to FAOL (and I really DO LOVE this place!), I’d feel more comfortable doing so as an individual, not as a Club representative. Does that make sense? :rolleyes:
PS … I’d hate to see Deanna and Trav become “stuff” sales men!! I did the hats strictly so they wouldn’t have to … with their approval. I’d be happy to do them agin, and seeings as I own the artwork I had done up for the hats (the site owns the copyright, I just own the artwork I had made for the hats), I could have it applied to shirts too … but, gotta say I’d rather just do the hats!!
I’d be campaigning hard for the adoption of options 1 or 2, because there is a proposed option 4… and you just never know !
That seems more than fair, whether the link leads to a personal blog which is personal promotion or a small commercial site, it’s advertising and advertising carries a price.
$10.00 a year for thousands of target audience specific leads, which are fairly up to date, thanks to the recent account culling. That’s got to be the promotional deal of the century.
Seriously, many have been telling this lady how much this site is worth to them. Here’s a chance to pony up and it’s a pittance when compared to the potential.
Another thought, allowing individuals to gain access to free advertising via a signature link, somewhat dilutes the ability to convince sponsors / advertisers to stay on board.
Why would a company choose to pay for a board sponsor link, when anyone can register as a member, add a signature link and post as often as they’d like, to as many threads as they like, gaining reader views and link hits for free ?
( Actually it’s never been free. Free implies it wasn’t costing anyone anything, one way or another it’s all been on LF’s dime. )
I’m surprised that this is even an issue. A short tour of other F.F. boards would find that on some boards, any promo’s outside of those of paid sponsors are forbidden.
Where we would do what we could? And not worry about anyone else who can’t?