TipJoy is a new service that allows users to leave small tips for content that they love. Once you have signed up for TipJoy you can leave a $0.10 tip with a single click and never leave the site!

To learn more about TipJoy make sure to read our interview with the CEO.

If you have a TipJoy.com account and you would like to add a Tip Button to each of your WordPress posts then I’ve got the plugin for you! I should note that I’m learning PHP and this is my first attempt at a plugin, so fair warning. Also, this is free so support will be spotty to non-existent. Now that I’ve talked it up, make sure to bookmark this post for updates!

*Win a free WPDesigner.com Theme Club membership for testing the plugin! Click for more info!*

Install Instructions:

• Download, Unzip, Upload to your Plugins Directory
• Activate on the Plugins Menu
• Goto Options –> TipJoy TipThis
• Enter your TipJoy User ID and select where you want your buttons to appear!

Version 0.9.5

• Beta Version
• Adds TipJoy ID to the Header to claim your site
• Stores TipJoy User ID
• Displays ‘Tip This’ buttons where selected
• Banner widget for sidebar

-=Right-Click and Save As to Download the TipJoy TipThis Plugin=-

>The TipJoy banner widget is also available as a standalone plugin

>Read this if you would prefer to just drop a few lines of code into your theme instead of using a plugin

I’ve ditched my paypal buttons and am going with TipJoy! More on TipJoy in a later post. I’m sure someone will build a TipJoy plugin for this soon (UPDATE – ok it looks like it will be me), but until then here’s my setup for a self hosted WordPress site, I’m not an expert on WordPress code so try this at your own risk:

Notes:

• You’re going to want to disable WP-Cache while testing (if you have it)
• Backing up your theme files before you get started would be a GREAT idea
• Open in a new window or tab TipJoy’s banner page
• Open in a new window or tab your homepage
• Open in a new window or tab your WordPress Admin Page > Presentation > Theme Editor

Banner on Sidebar (or footer or whatever):

• Generate the HTML you need from TipJoy, highlight it, and copy it
• In the Theme Editor, open your sidebar page
• Determine where in your sidebar you want the banner and find that in the sidebar code. Using your browser’s find function for some nearby text can make this go faster
• Paste that code from TipJoy in where you want it and click the Update File button
• Refresh your homepage
• Don’t like it? Keep tweaking the location until you do!

Tip This button on each post:

• Generate the HTML you need for the button from TipJoy, type Replace1 for the URL and Replace2 for the title (we’re going to replace them). Highlight and copy it
• In the Theme Editor open your Single Post page (or whatever you have that’s similar)
• You’ll want to tinker with this, but somewhere after the <?php the_content statement paste in your button code
• Replace Replace1 with <?php the_permalink() ?>
• Replace Replace2 with <?php the_title(); ?> be careful not to delete the existing end quotes
• Click the Update File button
• Goto a single post on your site and see if you like where the button is.
• If you want to test then I suggest you clear your browser’s cookies and continue. Otherwise you’re done!
• Click it to test and it will pop out a text box.
• Under that text box you’ll see some text to sign in if you are already a member, click that
• Your post’s title and URL should be on the page correctly!

Please post in the comments if this works / doesn’t work for you, I’ll help if I can and if not then maybe another reader will be able to!