Why do youtubers, podcasters, bloggers, ect, need donations?

[C429V]

I see a lot of these people asking people to donate money. Why? I have heard a reason "they need it to keep the operation going". Why doesn't the content creator pay for this stuff? Do they do this because they can't finance it on their own? What other reasons do they have this? Do people who make a living of this kind of stuff use donations for their income? I have never really understood this?

[SteveO]

"Do people who make a living of this kind of stuff use donations for their income?" The people who make an honest living from this kind of stuff are tied to marketing entities, which are tied to corporate entities in some form or another. The content creators generally act independently, and since you can't make a real living off of YouTube by itself, and because these "full-time YouTubers" usually quit their day jobs to do YouTube-related stuff instead, donations are most likely required to fund their endeavors, bills, and food in their fridge.

"Why doesn't the content creator pay for this stuff?" Because it's easier to ask for donations if you're popular enough and people like your stuff enough instead of using what little money you can earn from YouTube to fund whatever you need to have funded, be that equipment or (as I've stated) food.

[Divya]

Everyone who operates blogs or website, keeps an intention to earn money online behind it. There are many ways out there to make money from website or blog like; Google Adsense and other PPC or PPA programs. Donation is the way to get extra income from the blog or website. But it is quite different from other earning programs.
Let's say; you are writing quality contents over your blog with your hard work and efforts, but nobody is giving the appreciation and recognizing your work; how would you feel? Obviously low!
Donation button or option which you see on many places is not for everyone. It is for those kind or gentle people, who find their answer on the particular web site and use their stuff; and they want to give a gratitude for the help to the possessor. Hence, they donate to the blog or website so that such information could reach more people to apply for their use.
Besides, the Blog owner can use this money to run the website or blog.
For example: I put 9-10 hrs daily on my blog to provide useful information to the people, I use Internet services, my valuable time, Electricity etc. If I get the donation, I can pay the bills from that money and run my Blog with enthusiasm. Instead, I can think to add more stuff for helping people.

You can say, Donation is the kind of tip for good work or services. I always donate to people who are doing incredibly good job and I feel the particular web page should run forever. Wherever I donated they display my name and my blog link on their website and I get traffic from the particular source.

I hope, you get your query solved.
Thanks for providing the opportunity to display my opinion.
Have a great day ahead.