Free Content Is Not Dead Yet

Lately, I see a lot of people online saying things like, “It’s impossible to continue unless it’s behind a paywall.”
But is that really true? I don’t think so.

There Are Things You Can Only Discover for Free

If everything ends up behind a paywall, no one new will ever stumble across you in the first place.
Whether it’s music or blogging, the very first encounter often begins with an unexpected discovery.

Free content is what allows people to actually find you—then communities and connections can grow from there.
Sure, charging money brings stability, but at the same time, it cuts away a lot of that organic spread.

Money Isn’t the Only Way to Keep Going

Of course, we need to think about sustainability and revenue.
But going paid isn’t the only option.

• Donations or tips
• Free core content + optional paid extras
• Free publishing that leads to gigs, clients, or other opportunities

At the end of the day, “how to keep it going” should have a lot more possible answers than just paywalls.

A Little Bit of the IndieWeb Spirit

This is close to what IndieWeb is about—having your own place online.
When you share freely, your words or works spread on their own, and connections naturally appear.
From there, people who genuinely want to support you begin to show up.

Before worrying about paywalls, building trust and relationships feels far more important.

In the End

Free content is still alive—and in fact, it’s what continues to support the openness and diversity of the web.
Sure, choosing paid is valid too, but we don’t need to conclude that “free is no longer viable.”

Free is still a powerful tool.
At least, that’s what I believe.