Click Support Your Favorite Sites

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I am an ardent supporter of what many people find to be menace, web advertisements. CNET.com's YouTube channel starts all of their videos with 30 second Ads and without fail one of their top comments is always someone complaining about sitting through an Ad. Get over it people, those ads are what make that content possible and keep the web free, and for minuscule content creators such as myself, these ads are a minor way to receive some form of payback from projects we've worked hard on. For web-viewers there is no easier way to support a page you receive free content form than by clicking on an ad. 


For instance, one local blogger I really enjoy is Barefoot Angie Bee, in a recent post she opened up about her struggle with Multiple Sclerosis. Her post was well written, heartfelt and inspiring... and I could have done the easy thing and left a supportive comment, but instead I clicked on every sidebar graphic/link on her page. See many content providers get paid on a pay-per-click or pay-per-impression basis, and my clicks are a way to invisibly show support for their content. Maybe you see this as dishonest or borderline theft in some fashion, but those ads are there for a reason, give advertisers traffic and pay content providers for quality content. 




ReadWriteWeb, a website I read everyday, used to have frequent posts telling readers to click on their ads and support their advertisers, AND they frequently let sponsors write a post. Earwolf, a podcasting host for several awesome comedy podcasts, laces all of their shows with advertisements where hosts frequently tell their readers to click on site ads and use Earwolf as their Amazon shopping start point. This isn't dishonest, it's just good business to push your audience toward your revenue source.

Finally, let's kill the notion of selling out. Putting advertisements on your videos or blog posts isn't selling out. Product placements, in-post endorsements, and raving about something you don't use/care for/enjoy is selling out. Advertisements are just a way for content providers to get something back from their work. At some point a smart person will say to themselves "I need to make a living and if I can do that off of something I'm passionate about, I should do that."

What are my Click Support practices?


  1. If I am a frequent visitor to a website, or viewer of online media such as videos, I'll click one ad every now and again.
  2. If I find a post really makes me think or I want to share with others, I will click an ad.
  3. If someone makes a call for help, shares something very personal, or I know them very well I click.
  4. Finally, if I share something on an online social network, I click an ad. Not only do I want that person to gain eyeballs, I want them to continue producing.

So if you're someone who enjoys free, online content and want to support your favorite sites and help fight back against paywalls, click ads and click often.

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