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Let's talk ads & eventual server renewal.

Posted: Fri May 22, 2020 12:37 am
by jorge.
I find myself in this fun little scenario where the main reason I opened the new site after closing down xRed, which was to make it self-funded by running some google ads and hopefully make enough money to pay for the server every year, without any donations from you gals and ghouls, seems to have, once again, gotten fucked. Unfortunately, I needed to have this site up and running in order to get into the Google Ads account, so there was really no way of knowing ultimately. I still don't think even in that scenario that I would have chosen NOT to open this site, because the nostalgia hit hard when I closed down xRED, but all the same, food for thought.

First, Co-VID delayed our ad's admission/approval/denial and we were in limbo since March when we opened. They re-opened their queues sometime earlier this month, and I've been going back and forth with them since. Despite my best efforts, Google Ads is denying us the option for ads, despite me telling them that we are not associated with xRED and simply branching off after that one closed down. I even went through the trouble of verifying the account with a phone number NOT directly associated with me. However, Big Brother sees all, and I've been turned down (4 times now) because once an account is closed with them, it remains that way forever and I can't re-open a new one under a different name/email account/phone number. The blacklisting is real, girls.

It probably didn't help that the site was linking to xRED, but at any rate, it's basically a done deal. It's also why I'm now forwarding directly from xRED to here, cause who gives a fuck now lol

So, bad news: come next year (in March, I believe), we'll need to renew the server. Despite my best efforts to avoid it/literally creating this new place to be self-funded, I will be doing a donation drive at the time, because while I'm fine with not making back the money I invested in here, I'm not willing to do it on a yearly basis. Love you, but from a distance, tbh, and I need my money for Apple products, really.

Whether the site sticks around or not will be, once again, entirely up to you.

But, good news (I guess), the annual cost for renewal (at this point in time, at any rate, it might go up or down by the time we renew, but I have no way of knowing that now), is significantly less than on xRED (huzzah for a good server at half the price!).

I had originally paid $300 when I bought this new set-up (versus the annual $1400 we were doing on xRED), which I'm not getting back now, but, again, I consider it a nice "investment" anyways because I've grown attached to you 'delightful' folks. Out of curiosity, I went looking for the renewal and as of now:

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Which is less than half of what we had to come up with for xRED and if 40 people donate $10 or there abouts, we're good. We had up to 70 something people donate last time around on xRED, so assuming some of those are still around and willing, it shouldn't be as difficult. That said, the world is upside down at the moment, so who knows what the rest of 2020 will bring.

So come next year, I'll do an open-ended begathon, where hopefully we reach that amount, and if we surpass it to the point of double ($860 at this time), we could even have this whole thing covered for 2 years and be more 'secure' in the site sticking around. This is all assuming that prices stay more or less the same, which again, up or down, no idea, can't see into the future.

So this will be either a lovely continuing experiment of community support, with far less funding needed, but still run by you, or not, in which case it'll be a 1 year extension on xRED's demise, a reprieve from splintering the fan base across whatever number of forums pop up in case we go down, and the true, final exit for yours truly.

This is still 9 months away, which in this age and time, is no guarantee of life or of anything, really, but I prefer for things to be known and in the open from now just so that y'all are aware.

I shall let you all know more when the time comes, sometime in January/February of next year. If we're all still alive.

Until then, just thought you oughta know.

Night, friends :musicman:

Let's talk ads & eventual server renewal.

Posted: Fri May 22, 2020 4:44 am
by AS
It sucks that you couldn't make it work with Google Ads but oh well.. Hope this place can stay up for a long time. :piano:

Let's talk ads & eventual server renewal.

Posted: Fri May 22, 2020 4:52 am
by bostonjames
Hi Jorge, long time lurker and previous full time poster here. In my day to day life im a marketing professional and I work daily with google ads and other alternatives. I obviously dont fully know your setup but if you ever need any advise or help drop me a message and ill see if i can help atall!

Let's talk ads & eventual server renewal.

Posted: Fri May 22, 2020 7:49 am
by Thainus
Let's ask Christina to invest in us.
:loco:

How unfortunate that you're back in the same position as last year with x.red
Hope there's a way to make it work with the ads. Or we'll just go back to creating six or seven forums next year.

I don't know anything about maintaining a site, but I'll do what I can to help keep this up

Let's talk ads & eventual server renewal.

Posted: Fri May 22, 2020 10:10 am
by SweetSurrender
I’ve donated a few times now & will continue to do so when the time comes.

Let's talk ads & eventual server renewal.

Posted: Fri May 22, 2020 12:06 pm
by Caviar
I'll donate this time. You put a lot of work into this place. Here's to a dark mode coming soon! :dancegays:

Let's talk ads & eventual server renewal.

Posted: Fri May 22, 2020 12:46 pm
by Data
SweetSurrender wrote: Fri May 22, 2020 10:10 am I’ve donated a few times now & will continue to do so when the time comes.
Mte! :nerd:
Caviar wrote: Fri May 22, 2020 12:06 pm I'll donate this time. You put a lot of work into this place. Here's to a dark mode coming soon! :dancegays:
I would actually love dark mode too, [mention]jorge.[/mention]!

Last time on X/RED the problem was the font being screaming red against that dark background, that hurt my eyes. :facepalmwoman: But overall, do like darker themes aswell!

Let's talk ads & eventual server renewal.

Posted: Fri May 22, 2020 1:15 pm
by jorge.
I’ll take a look at keeping the font color white instead of the other colors it automatically comes with, because that might be the main problem some of y’all have. It’s just a shame that I can’t enable both options since it’s the same theme, meaning I can’t duplicate it in the back end.

Let's talk ads & eventual server renewal.

Posted: Fri May 22, 2020 1:15 pm
by jorge.
bostonjames wrote: Fri May 22, 2020 4:52 am Hi Jorge, long time lurker and previous full time poster here. In my day to day life im a marketing professional and I work daily with google ads and other alternatives. I obviously dont fully know your setup but if you ever need any advise or help drop me a message and ill see if i can help atall!
I’ll PM you in a bit. Thanks for the offerz

Let's talk ads & eventual server renewal.

Posted: Fri May 22, 2020 6:44 pm
by Angelopoulopoulous
Thanks for the update. I will be happy to donate again when the time comes.

Let's talk ads & eventual server renewal.

Posted: Fri May 22, 2020 7:16 pm
by Jimmy
Happy to donate, and if we hit the mark sooner than expected, maybe keep it going to get some of your money back

Let's talk ads & eventual server renewal.

Posted: Fri May 22, 2020 7:35 pm
by bionicDied4UrSins
i'll be happy to donate :tellmemore:

Let's talk ads & eventual server renewal.

Posted: Fri May 22, 2020 10:59 pm
by Lady Mamacita
Happy to donate bb. I think the 2-year thing is doable.

Let's talk ads & eventual server renewal.

Posted: Sat May 23, 2020 12:10 pm
by Christian
Wow thank you fir going through all that it’s much appreciated. Kudos for finding a way to cut costs permanent,y and so drastically. I’ll happily make a contribution when the time comes.

Let's talk ads & eventual server renewal.

Posted: Sat May 23, 2020 3:19 pm
by Maleficent
La Mamacita wrote: Fri May 22, 2020 10:59 pm Happy to donate bb. I think the 2-year thing is doable.
Pls donate to my bank account too babe

Let's talk ads & eventual server renewal.

Posted: Sat May 23, 2020 3:45 pm
by DevotionHURTS
I love what you have done so far for our community. I will donate. You can count on me.

Image

And if we can contribute in any other way, just let us know!

Let's talk ads & eventual server renewal.

Posted: Sat May 23, 2020 11:51 pm
by X-mael
You can count with me! If there is a way for me of course bc I tried the last time and it was a mess lol

Let's talk ads & eventual server renewal.

Posted: Sun May 24, 2020 1:56 pm
by Sapphire
Thank you Jorge for all

Let's talk ads & eventual server renewal.

Posted: Sun May 24, 2020 3:21 pm
by Melinda warren
Happy to donate, i can't quite imagine life without an Xtina community.

Let's talk ads & eventual server renewal.

Posted: Fri Jun 05, 2020 8:45 pm
by ILUVXTINA
I will donate for sure.

Let's talk ads & eventual server renewal.

Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2020 10:10 pm
by BaeTine
:shook: Will send a diaper cake for your trouble, Reina.

Let's talk ads & eventual server renewal.

Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2020 8:57 am
by Maleficent
Melinda warren wrote: Sun May 24, 2020 3:21 pm Happy to donate, i can't quite imagine life without an Xtina community.
Reevalute your life sweetie lmfao

Let's talk ads & eventual server renewal.

Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2020 11:55 am
by Jimmy
Maleficent wrote: Fri Jun 12, 2020 8:57 am
Melinda warren wrote: Sun May 24, 2020 3:21 pm Happy to donate, i can't quite imagine life without an Xtina community.
Reevalute your life sweetie lmfao
That’s mean, Gretchen

Let's talk ads & eventual server renewal.

Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2020 6:12 pm
by Biconic
I’ll chip in as needed. Thanks for all you do, [mention]jorge.[/mention]

Let's talk ads & eventual server renewal.

Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2020 9:13 pm
by London.
Cursetina'd for defunding the policemod-squad. :rip:

Let's talk ads & eventual server renewal.

Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2020 6:57 pm
by Creek
of course i'll donate.

Let's talk ads & eventual server renewal.

Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2020 1:08 pm
by Lady Mamacita
London. wrote: Mon Jun 22, 2020 9:13 pm Cursetina'd for defunding the policemod-squad. :rip:
You were proven useless! Sorry! Xo