Comparing AdSense with PayPal donations

How much can one make through donations compared to AdSense

[sven1977]

I know that my question has not that much to do with AdSense. But AdSense is such a nice estimate for a webpage's value that I would like to ask this quesiton here:

Has anyone tried to make money with PayPal donations? And if yes, how do the earnings compare to AdSense earnings (same site, same traffic, etc..)?

[PalX]

if you have a forum you can use donations, since forums are communities and active members sped hours on the forums daily.

But don't put the donations button forever, put it every now and then.

[greatstart]

I never received a penny with PayPal donations. Just stick with AdSense, way better.

[turtlehurricane]

usually if u want to be succesful with paypal u gotta offer something for people to buy

[jetteroheller]

I have a site which should be good for donation asking.

After the first days with AdSense, I removed the donation page.

AdSense vs donations:
2000:1

[piatkow]

I run a a site for a regional arts organisation and fund the site through a combination of Adsense, Amazon and donations. While donations are few and far between the value of each is at least an order of magnitude higher than an Adsense click.

If I had known the figures in advance I wouldn't have bothered with a donations page but it brings in just enough to mean that I may as well leave it there.

[paul2yall]

I've run a niche theatre reference site for 3 years that receives about 4,500 unique visitors and 15,000 page views per month. My "Donate" button has generated two $10 donations, both from the same person.

I've read that adding an actual "pitch" for donations is more effective than just a button, but I've never tested it.

[BigDave]

If there is a real reason to donate, then a few will come in if it is a community site. AdSense will almost always bring in more money.

[creativepart]

I make exactly twice as much from donations in a year as I make from Adsense. So, I think they both are good on forums. Most of my donations come from a once a year fundraiser. I keep a donations button on the page year round and less than $1000 a year from the button, too.

[creativepart]

I've read that adding an actual "pitch" for donations is more effective than just a button, but I've never tested it.

YES! A once a year "pitch" works very well. Turn it into an event with prizes and you'll be pleased with how many donations you get. However, I have over 10,000 members and it's rare to have more than 400 donate during the fundraiser. But most will donate $25 or more.

Also, if you are upgrading to a new server or adding some new expense, a request for donations will bring in more revenue for a short period of time. It just has to be an actual benefit for the members of the forum.

My fundraiser runs 3 weeks and culminates with a drawing for prizes donated by vendors.

[maxgoldie]

I agree with jetteroheller 100%. People on the Net can be notoriously cheap.

[stapel]

To some extent, I think the nature of your site may influence how effective a "donation" button might be. My site, for instance, is educational, and I have had users grateful for the assistance it provided. I also offer the option of receiving my content on CD, for a certain donations above a certain minimum. This has led to a steady stream of donations.

That said, AdSense topped the donations almost as soon as the ads started appearing on my pages.

Eliz.

[jetteroheller]

I also offer the option of receiving my content on CD

For how much?
How many?
What % of visitors do this?

I thought myself about a CD version.

I have since years implemented in my CMS
the possibilit to burn several domains on one CD.

A link from

theme.example.com/folder/file.htm to
other.example.com/folder/file.htm

Is on the CD version

<a href=../../other.example.com/folder/file.htm>

[stapel]

stapel said: I also offer the option of receiving my content on CD

jetteroheller said: For how much? How many? What [percent] of visitors do this?

I ask a minimum of ten dollars, in order to receive the CD.

I've sent out 224 CD's so far this year. (My site is educational, though, so I expect the "summer slump" to hit any time now.)

Taking "sessions" to mean "visitors", the above translates into about 0.07% of my visitors. It isn't much.

Eliz.