Have You Heard of TheTylerProject?
July 7, 2008 Posted by Tyler CruzA lot of regular readers know by now that in addition to my blog, I run a few other sites such as PokerForums.org and PublisherSpot.com. Actually, I run a couple dozen websites.
I’ve been working on a project which I’ll unveil in a few days, and while working on the project I happened to come across an old site of mine called TheTylerProject.
Originally created in 2005, TheTylerProject.com boldly asks the public to send money to me for no reason whatsoever. The site is not a fundraiser, charity, or plea for needed income. It is simply used to ask for money from strangers. Part of the experiment’s rules is not to give anything in return for received money, provide any incentives, or pay for advertising in any form.
I set a goal of reaching $30,000 and if met, TheTylerProject would be considered a success. Created as an Internet Social Experiment, TheTylerProject attempts to showcase the social networking power and the sometimes strange culture of the Internet.
To date, three years later, TheTylerProject has only brought in a total of $50.01. However, that’s $50.01 more than a lot of people thought it would make.
Remember, I’m not giving anything in return other than a name on the contributor list, and I clearly state on the site how I do not actually need the money. The experiment’s rules also state that I’m not allowed to pay for advertising.
While I made the site in a serious attempt to try to make some easy money, the site is really just for fun and to be ludicrous for the the sake of being ludicrous.
Also, I knew from the beginning that the site would either fail miserably or be a huge success. After all, all it takes is for ONE major news/media outlet to cover the site and it would most likely take off. All it needs is to get going is a bit of buzz, as it would then create a snowball effect – the higher the total, the more likely more people will send money or create more buzz about it.
The funny thing is, it’s actually cheap advertising for those smart enough to consider it. For $0.01 you could get your site URL listed. I don’t link any URLs however as that would provide too much incentive and turn the site into a linkfarm as well as violate the experiment’s rules.
But even so.. spending a couple bucks to get your URL listed for life would still get a few people copy and paste it into their browser.
Anyhow, I just thought I’d share the site with you guys as I don’t think I’ve ever blogged about it before. Maybe I’ll introduce some of my other sites to you guys in future posts as well.
32 Responses to “Have You Heard of TheTylerProject?”
That’s funny I actually saw that site a few days ago. You could probably create buzz by claiming that you had already earned like $8,000, but of course that would be lying 🙂
Haha, yeah I heard about it. It’s an interested concept, maybe you’ll make more from it with this blog post!
Do you actually think that Internet panhandling is a social experiment? Get real. This just makes you look like a huge unprofessional goofus, nothing more. Take that embarrassment of a website down and get with it. I’m cringed just looking at it – “some people will do anything for a buck” and shook my head.
Also, how do you “stumble” across you own webpage? Ugh…100% cheese stink.
Steve, everything on the Internet is a social experiment. Everything.
My brother is on this list! He said to me that he thought Tylur would go far and that I should try to emulate him. Waaahh, fat chance. [PLite falls asleep on the couch .. zzzzzzz …]
PS. 2 whiny comments in a row, Mr DownRipple? Tsk tsk tsk.
When did he say that?
Somebody just sent me $2 with the note “Tyler is gay”.
Hey, boo hoo. Feel free to call me some more names. http://www.thetylerproject.com/list/
Why didn’t he just send $0.01? Hehehe, who cares, at least you got $2!
What a n00b…at least it made you $2 though 😉
LOL! Hey, people can call me gay too if they send me money!
Jay
I gotta be honest man, this post does make you look like a bit of a weapon. The guy above was right, you don’t stumble across your own website – you have < 30. Not 30,000+
Even if it was a genuine post intended to show your readers you can make money out of nothing, for doing nothing – it doesn’t come across that way. Your postsmarkets it in a tone that is encouraging people to try the site / donate, not in a tone of outlining the possibilities of such project.
You would have been better starting a new, similar site, branding it as a test for everyone to watch the progress instead of advertising your 17 month old failure. You probably would have made a bit of money also.
You do stumble across your own website if you’ve just left it out and haven’t taken much attention to it. I do it occasionally with sites I made or started to work on a long time ago and with time you just forget about it.
Well if he’s made it and left it for 17 months. Then surely he has forgotted about it.
Tylur is just sharing some info wid you and here you are, calling him silly names. 17 month old failure, WTF! It wuz just am amusing little game by a little Canadaian hobbledehoy. Most of you peeps haf no sense of humour.
PS. I think Pigsnie said that nice thing about you maybe a year ago when your blog wuz taking off. He said he didnt know one can profit from sech a blog and he wished I would use my considerable brains in a similar endeevour, hahaha! Oh well. Maybe if I had a longer attention span, I could be just as rich as Tylur Cruz!
yep, have to kind of agree…pretty cheesy ;). It’s like pulling up an old geocities site, except worse because there is motive behind it. It would actually be fun to see some people super old first sites…but not this one ;).
Looking forward to the other project though, whatever it is.
Hows the SC site/s coming along? You going to do any diablo3 sites now too? I hate when blizzard makes announcements because you never know how many years they will make you wait in the end lol.
lol.
i am afraid if you will make to even a 1k mark without any incentives 😀
Agreed.
I seen this site about 2 months ago and thought about making a donation but I need the money. Maybe when my network of sites bring in more income.
You can get in the top for $0.01
Yeah I don’t know, posting about it makes me wonder why I subscribed to this blog in the first place?
“it’s actually cheap advertising for those smart enough to consider it” Hmm I think not :-/
Really i was not aware of the concept but seems it works in a great manner!!!
Actually, Paul started a similar thing on his site…but I think he felt bad taking the money.
http://www.themakemoneyonline.net/operation-buy-paul-a-new-house/
Though he called it “operation buy paul a new house,” which is essentially just asking for money with no incentive to the reader. 🙂 hehehe
Sorry to say. But your project sounds crazy 🙂
Tyler, i too am asking for donators in my blog just for an iPhone 3G – thewwwblog.com/iphone-3g-goal
And can i know what script are you using to run thetylerproject?
Script are you insane?
Its a simple html page and a paypal donation button.
Then posting the people you pay onto the list.
Or, Recording the information as they pay.
Confirm it as they pay, and post onto the list.
Which is a easily done with simple php coding.
The idea is pretty good :). Im surprised that you only got $50 though I would expect more.
Tyler – The project is an interesting idea. I think if you were able to work in an SEO benefit of a link back to contributors, you would have a big fast increase in the number of contributors.
Im going to donate to you once I get some more money
WTF, 50$ in 3 years! People are too stingy these days!
nice work Tyler! Don’t u get bored of this? 😀
HAHA! If you get good amount, you never get bored