Vol. 2, no. 3 (2015 November)

This week marks one year at our new web hosts and at our aimable-c.at web address.

I am considering methods for the site to support itself financially. The primary goal would be to generate enough revenue to cover the web hosting and registration costs and similar expenses; eventually, I would like to use some of the proceeds to support charities that help cats (and possibly other animals). Some of the things I am considering:

• Display advertising at the top or side of the page for cat-appropriate products. The ads would not be placed in the text or pictures of your posts, and I do not like audio ads, popups that block everything, or popunders.
• Affiliate links so you can support this site by purchasing cat supplies or accessories
• A paid level of membership. One possibility that I know of from other sites is that only paid members can post pictures, but everyone can post text and comments; another model would be that paid members do not see the display ads. Current members would get some kind of a discount.
• I have installed a support button so you can donate directly to my PayPal account in your choice of currency. If you need another, ask and I may be able to create a new button.
• There is also the possibility of classified advertising (written by the advertisers) or sponsored posts (written by the staff cats).

What I have in mind for cat-appropriate products would be cat food and litter, pet retail stores, pet care, pet accessories for the cat such as collars and tags, catlover accessories such as kitty sweatshirts, general retail stores (with or without a physical storefront) with a pet department, or other retailers such as bookstores with a cat section.

In the case of affiliate advertising, you would visit their shopping site from our page, and you would retain a cookie that tells them where you found them. A cookie would track from which of their marketers you came to their page. Both affiliate advertising and display ads may require me to add cookies to anonymously track the sites you last visited before coming to our site.