Are paywalls worth the loss in readership?
Karen from Quora asks:
For people who monetize their content, do you think the pay is worth it and wouldn't that reduce the number of people wanting to read what you have to say?
My approach to monetization is simple: The general advice is free; the one-on-one time isn't.
Anyone can read my blog posts or content without paying a cent. But when it comes to sitting down and looking at your specific situation, that’s where I charge.
Actually helping someone solve a problem takes a lot of digging and investigation. It’s a big time investment for both of us. If I’m going to spend hours looking into the details of what you're doing, I need to know you’re as serious about the result as I am.
Does this turn some people away? Definitely.
Does it filter out the people who aren't ready to put in the work? Yes.
But because the regular posts are still free, people are still reading and learning. In that sense, it’s completely worth it. Everyone wins: the crowd gets the information for free, and I get to spend my energy on the people who are actually ready to invest in the process.
ready to work together?