Since starting this blog all the way back in 2011, I've avoided asking for donations or monetizing the site with ads. I hate obtrusive internet ads, and I want my readers to have a pleasant experience that isn't bogged down by ads. I also want for them to hopefully come away with the understanding that I share my genuine opinions and thoughts out of a true love and passion for the topics that I write about, rather than writing fluff pieces and click-bait for the benefit of multi-billion dollar international corporations.
The only ads that you've ever seen on this site (aside from ads that are in videos embedded from outside sources like Youtube) are the occasional Amazon Associates widgets. I have full control over what products are being advertised, and where and how frequently they are used. I always place links to products that are relevant to the post, whether it be a link to purchase the game that I'm reviewing, a movie that I'm recommending, a book that I'm citing, or so forth. I do this more to advertise products for the benefit of the reader, rather than as a revenue stream, since the revenue generated through these links is minuscule.
But this blog isn't free for me to operate. I'm not posting to a free public platform like Youtube, Wordpress, Squarespace, or Wix. I have been paying, all along, out of pocket, for the domain registration and hosting. Myself (and a small group of friends such as Chichian) are responsible for all the customization to the underlying blog engine, bug fixes, and content creation. It's a lot of work, and it's all done on my own free time outside of my full-time 8-5 job.
The monthly cost of operating this blog is roughly $100. At the very least, I'd like to earn enough to cover that expense. That way, the website would be guaranteed to continue operating, even if I were to lose my job or have my income reduced. If I could earn more, then I would like to branch out to more time-and-work-intensive projects. For example, if I were to earn somewhere between $500-$1000 per month, I could realistically reduce my work hours in order to spend at least a full day per week on content creation and research. This could allow me to move into creating video content, having a more regular timeline for strategy guides, producing more analysis posts, and maybe even creating more mods or my own small indie games. I doubt that I'll ever reach the prominence of some of my biggest inspirations, such as SuperBunnyHop, Errant Signal, Yhatzee, Jim Sterling, VaatiVidya, and so on, but I wouldn't mind giving it a try.
Most importantly, I'd like to thank -- in advance -- anyone who enjoys my content enough to contribute. The availability of crowd-funding has made it possible for more people than ever to be able to have the financial security and independence to pursue their dreams and passions. I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to do the same, and very grateful to those of you who make it possible.
If you don't wish to donate, or can't afford to, that's fine too. I also thank you for supporting this blog by visiting, reading, liking, sharing, and commenting. And don't worry, MegaBearsFan.net isn't going anywhere any time soon. I will continue to release content that I hope will be at the same quality that you've come to expect, and I have no plans to lock content behind a paywall.
And to all my raeders, I have a suggestion: find your own passion and pursue it. I encourage all my followers to pursue their own dreams and ambitions. Make your own blog or Youtube channel. Create crafts or art on Etsy. Write stories. Express yourself! Maybe, someday, I'll be supporting you on Patreon too!
Also, feel free to follow me on Twitter to keep up to date on what gets posted on the blog, and also to read other thoughts that don't necessarily get a whole blog post!