It looks like the trick is to balance direct marketing with other income streams, so that no advertiser feels like they have leverage over your content.
Linus Tech Tips has merchandise in part because it means that their single biggest income source is not a sponsor.
Swag might not be your thing, but the message I got was pretty clear: make sure you can always walk away from any advertiser, either because they're a small part of your revenue, or you're living below your means.
Sure, like any business it's a bad idea to rely on only one or two big customers.
I think people don't give readers enough credit. They
can tell if you start compromise your coverage for an advertiser. And you'll never be able to recruit and retain quality journalists if they get even a whiff that they won't be editorially independent.
Linus Tech Tips has merchandise in part because it means that their single biggest income source is not a sponsor.
Swag might not be your thing, but the message I got was pretty clear: make sure you can always walk away from any advertiser, either because they're a small part of your revenue, or you're living below your means.