A click of support

19 Nov 2013
There is a favorite little family owned and run fish and rice shop I really like to go to for lunch.  I used to go at least once a week but a job change added a good deal of extra distance between me and my fish and my lunch break did not increase time wise to allow for the extra travel time so sadly I do not get to visit as often as I would like.

The building is an older one that used to house a Kentucky Fried Chicken (it was not KFC back then) and was something else for a short time before it was converted to the fish and rice shop that it has been for probably the last two decades.  Even though I have driven past it often over the years it wasn't until the last decade that I discovered it myself.  The fried fish might be a little 'greasy' for some but I love it.  Fresh and made to order it really hits the spot.  Add the egg roll and some of the best fried rice I've eaten at a price that makes a  Big Mac combo meal look like an extravagance and you have the makings of an addiction or at the very least a happy habit.

I think I know where I am going for lunch today.  Just thinking about it is making my mouth water and I wish they were open early enough that I could stop there on the way to work and have lunch for breakfast.

Some mornings are like that.

What I am trying to get at is this, I, like many of you, have found that small food shops often offer up better fare than the big franchise chains.  There is a simple honesty and personal integrity that is added by those that really care about their craft that is often missing in the large corporate boxes run by disconnected employees.  When I find a place like this I like to support it.

That is not to say I am anti corporation.  Far from it in fact as there are many things that big corporations have figured out how to do, and do very well and I support them for that.  But there are the smaller businesses that also get it right and need the same support and recognition for a job well done.  I can do that by doing business with them.  This is not charity as in the course of doing business with them I am gaining something of value in return, the very definition of business.

So what does this have to do with 'A click of support'?  There are probably trillions of web pages out there now and many of them are the big boys and they do there job quite well and they are rewarded with the many 'web hits' or visits that people make to their sites.  They have ways to convert those visits to revenue and as a business they must cover their costs with those revenues or they will not stay in business long.

But fighting for attention are many small web sites, some trying to make a go of it and some doing it just for the love of it.  These are the ones that are still providing a worthy product but lack the same level of attention that the loud sites get.

We all have run across these sites in the course of cruising the web and most times don't give them a second thought.  That is just the nature of web surfing.  There are sites that I have used over the years that have provided me with everything from entertainment to information, and I was wondering what the best way was to show my support and appreciation for their efforts.  The easiest, lowest effort way I can think of is to click on an ad found on the site.  No commitment, no form to fill out, no spam to sign up for, no outlay of time other than a momentary click of a mouse that will be a sign of support.  It is a way of being mindful of another and expressing gratitude that goes a long way both for the giver and the receiver.  In my mind you are casting a vote that you want the producer to continue to produce that which you have enjoyed.

I have been mindful of the efforts of others and have sometimes gone out of my way to do this.  There are podcast that show up in iTunes that are free to download and enjoy (and I have) and I have gone to their web site with the intention of finding out additional information about the podcast and the people that produce them but also to click on their ads to give support.

Keep in mind that most of these ads are driven by the ad provider, not the content provider, and relate to the ad providers perceived demographics or user profiles.  In my experience, they may or may not get it right for me individually but that doesn't seem to be as important as the act itself.  Then I remember that those paying for the ads are people too so I try to give them due consideration.

Maybe it does take a little more effort to care...but it is worth it.  This is Ed Nef with a view from the Farr West.