I recently started a tech review blog. Besides doing reviews (when I can afford the gear), I write helpful guides and comment on tech news. I’ve got Amazon affiliates and WordAds (through WordPress), but I also added a buy me a coffee button using Ko-Fi.
I’ve read around, and it looks like AdSense doesn’t allow mixing with other monetization methods, so I didn’t use them. My ads are small and sit at the end of posts. Compared to others in my niche who cover their pages with big, animated ads, I think my setup is a lot less annoying. Plus, I’m not doing this to live off it—just hoping for some extra cash on the side.
What do you think? Do you have any experience with this?
I don’t think it’s tacky. I’ve seen it on other blogs and thought of adding one to mine too. Some people might want to say thanks with a small tip if they find your content useful. I’d do that if I found a guide really helpful.
@Reynolds
Yeah, I feel the same. It doesn’t feel like begging, more like giving people an option to tip if they appreciate the content. I try to keep the ads minimal and focus on helpful, free content. Plus, buy me a coffee sounds chill, not as intense as a ‘donate’ button.
It works really well for niche blogs, especially if readers come back often to check your posts. I run a football blog, and I’ve gotten donations through buy me a coffee that make 3 times more than what I get from AdSense or affiliates.