Discussions
Does Monetizing Your Site Alienate Readers?
Posted by onemansgoal • 7/16/07 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
I'm doing an article within the next few days on this subject. I thought I'd give you blog catalogers a chance to weigh in on the subject.
Please note, that I may quote your reply in my article (If I do this, I will link to your site). So if you don't want your answer reproduced... don't type anyting!
What do you guys think?
onemansgoal.com
User Comments
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good question...I'm deciding whether or not to jetison the ads or maybe just a bit to keep google happy.. -
Nope, already tested it, I actually gained readers. Usually people who don't have ads placed correctly are the ones ready to jetison them.
Onemans goal, try adding Adsense to the left sidebar instead of the middle. Also put in link string under your main menu. To top it off add a 468 X 60 Text link ad under each post. You will probably double your ad revenue. Trust me I once was a non believer too.
Chris
www.noheat.com
Tech News too Cool!
&
www.15blogs.com
Get your 15 Blogs of fame here -
I believe it's largely dependent on the content of the site. Sites that already have mass appeal and/or a large readership can get away with it. I'm going to read what they write regardless cause I'm interested in what THEY have to say.
If it's an average joe schmoe (sp?), such as myself, then I would be put off by it. I get the feeling the blog was initiated as a means to cash in rather than a space to be passionate about something they love. Plus the majority of ads are a downright eyesore. After all part of what's appealing about a site is the way it looks, if I don't like that then chances are I don't even make it to the first line of text.
and you can quote me on that (link or no link) -
thanks for the responses... anyone else wanna weigh in?
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I haven't had any luck with AdSense. The context ads usually don't make sense. I don't write my articles so that AdSense can understand them. The result: AdSense doesn't understand their context, and displays useless ads. Still, I put a few just in case they work from time to time.
I would much rather write what is best for content, not for AdSense, and choose ads from affiliate merchants that are appropriate to my site. I have had much greater success with affiliate ads since they have obvious, immediate appeal to readers.
AdSense ads that are inappropriate will be a huge turn-off since they just look like desperate, bizarre attempts at cashing in.
But that's just my experience. Clearly, everyone else loves AdSense. -
Thanks geminito. great answer... anyone else?
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is there anyway that if you quote us we can get a link back? If so then great,
I don't think monetizing your blog alienates readers if they are placed neatly throughout the site and or do not force the reader to click on ads or go through a PPA process. Yeah, interrestial ads (excuse the spelling) are a big pain in the ass... I highly do not recommend this unless you have a site such as megaupload or rapidshare.
Readers are going to read and visit your site regardless. Now, if the ads are all scattered all over the place with little 120x80 buttons all up and down the side and inbetween the articles then i would have to leave your site. But your site looks very neat and clean.
My only suggestion would be to let your posts 'hang out,' removing the 'continue reading' link from my posts increased my readership. I think some readers may tend to be lazy and not want to click to read more because of the time it may take to load or whatever... Something to try for a month or so and see what happens.-
Do what you love and the money will follow.
At GO! Smell the flowers we ensure content is #1 and money making options a second. We sell flowers but we are not GO! SELL the flowers. Still considering targetted adsense. We're based in Dubai so if we have ads for 'flights and hotels to Dubai' it would make sense.
Hope this helps,
www.gosmelltheflowers.com/blog
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I look at adsense as a place holder right now for when I have enough traffic to just have flat advertising. I really would like to get onto blogads. -
I have had success gaining readers as a result of paid blogging. That said, it is completly a question of whether there is honesty and integrity in the writing. Readers don't mind the occasional sponsored post, and advertising is like death and taxes. What retains readers, aside from intelligent writing, is the blogger treating his readership like people, not potential advertising targets. They don't show up at your blog to see commercials. -
unintrusive google ads are tolerant. pop-ups, transition pages w/ads, etc. and i'll never return.
aA -
I placed some ads on my blog right from the start so that anyone who visited would know that I planned on making a little money too. As long as the ads are well-placed and don't overshadow your content, it should be fine. Having too many ads turns a blog into a billboard heh. -
If your ads are relatively subtle and don't interfere with the content, there is no reason that your readers would object. People expect to see ads on the Internet. They are on just about every dynamic page. The odds are excellent that your readers have pages and ads of their own. It's a question of whether the focus of your pages is the ads or the articles. Flashing banners in neon colors are distracting, and make it difficult to concentrate on a post. Of course, if the post is about your latest PTC affiliate link, the banner is probably relevant, if ugly. By then I'll have clicked away, though, so I won't know that.-
Fair points well made - maybe adsense in a focused way is worth doing afterall.
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When I scroll new blogs I rarely read blogs with adds, especially if the blogs are new and have no content. I'm not a business blog nor a money making blog so that is my natural inclination.
To focus adds you have to have a focus and a readership to being with, a pretty substantial readership not just people who pass by hit your blog and move on. -
This morning I just was approached by a company (a real one-- I know who they are fortunately) wanting to partner and drive traffic to their catalog companies.
Out of respect for the non-advertising/no-affiliate standards I've set up for my web site, I ended up turning it down. Nice to be considered a valid enough website to be asked, of course. But when folks rely on my opinion for honest reviews of things, I didn't want that sort of connection.
I guess it all really depends on what your site is and what your audience comes to expect from you.-
I agree.
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* I believe that content is important (sanktjohanser made a point like this).
My notion of 'content' may be a bit different. Personally, I don't care *who* creates a blog. Efforts to monetize the blog, to me, indicates that the author doesn't mind making money. I also expect people to enjoy eating: no big deal.
The content of a blog does matter.
For example, the author of a blog entitled "The Positive Power of Poverty: How Money Weighs You Down" or "Ascetics of the World Unite! You Have Nothing to Lose But The Chains of Wealth!" might want to think long and hard before trying to monetize a site dedicated to the ascetic ideal.
On the other hand, the author of a blog named "10 Easy Ways to Make Cash" or "Rags to Riches to Catalina: My Life" probably wouldn't have that concern.
* About AdSense: I'm using that with moderate success. My issue now is increasing viewership. My background in marketing and copywriting helps me write focused copy: a big help.
* Blogging for cash is something I won't do: but that's because I prefer not to put my name on someone else's ideas and beliefs.\
* Stupid monetizing is out, as far as I'm concerned: Pop-up and other ads that block a page's content, that sort of thing. -
yes -
Only if I have to look for the content because of all the shiny ads. Also, I cannot stand in-text ads or pay-per-post. On my Mac I press CMD+W and the window is gone.
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Advertising does not bother me, as long as the author does not over do it. If your site looks like it was made only for adsense, involves brightly colored animated banners, or utters a single sound without me asking it to, then I'm pulling chocks and leaving. -
Great response guys! I'll post here when the article is up!
Complete with linkbacks to your blog if i decide to use your comment. -
Great idea for a discussion. I'm wondering that myself. Started my blog partly as a money experiment. ( Money coming in really pathetic). Have been reading up on how to make my articles search-engine friendly, and agree with one of the previous readers. Really hard to write for a machine ! Stuffing in the keywords makes my article sound funny. Managed to get an ad from a death registry once. Not sure how google thought my article was suitable !
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I would never, ever have ads on my blog, and I dislike seeing them on others. I rarely go back to a site that has advertising on, I blog to make friends with similar interests to myself, and seeing blogs which are plastered with ads, or even discreet ones makes me click right off that site. I also find that ad-laden blogs tend to be quite boring. -
paintgranny - That's a pretty bold statement "ad-laden blogs tend to be boring"... I understand that you dislike advertisements on blogs, but what difference does an ad make on the content? I don't see how having an adsense ad automatically makes for bad content.
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Sorry, didn't mean to be inflammatory - I meant, that there seem to be an awful lot of blogs which people start up for the purpose of making money. And they do tend to be boring, (for me, not necessarily for other people) as they don't seem to have anything original or interesting to say - the blogs I like are ones which are written for love of the subject(s) - if one of them started putting ads on (and a couple of them do) I would still read them, as I like them. Ads don't automatically make for bad/boring content, but blogs started with the main intention of gaining money from them do, in my experience seem to be dull. Not all of them, but a lot of them. And I spend a lot of time looking at all kinds of blogs. Like all good things, blogs written with passion or genuine interest will generally shine over those started with just the wish to make some money. Because they have something to say. Hope this makes more sense :)It is, of course, my own opinion. -
I think it does depend on the blog. If the blog is a personal one, as others said, ads would totally turn me off. If it's helpful and I can see the person puts a lot of time into it, I might understand, but other than that - it's just a fancier sales pitch to me. It really does turn me off. In fact, I'm slowing down my visits on one of my favorite message boards becasue they just added more intrusive advertising. I stopped going to another one completely when they started begging for money and changing people's status by how much they gave in.
For my blog, it's new, it's personal, it's not one I see putting ads on. I think it would defeat it's purpose - which is just for me to spill stuff. For other - like I said above - it depends but can be an immediate turn-off. -
Chris, I took your advice on ad placement just out of curiosity to see if you know what you're talking about! ;-) Signed, non-believer.
wokeuptoday.blogspot.com/
diner-roadhouse-joint-dive.blogspot.com/ -
Your ads look good - nice and blended.
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Mark, Appreciate you checking the blogs out and Thank you
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WokeupToday, I may not like ads, but I DO really, really like your diner blog, we don't have diners in the UK (like that) and so it goes back to what I said about reading some blogs if I find them interesting, despite the ads. It's obvious that you're really interested in what you write about, and that makes it great for the reader.
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Well, thank you so much paintgranny, hearing feedback like yours is really the paycheck I'm looking for.
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Great comments guys! If anyone else wants to weigh in, I'm listening!
Otherwise I should have this post up by friday... I'll make sure and post a link in here so that you can all come and see if I printed your comments!
Thanks for the input... Anyone else wanna tackle this one? -
When this thread started, I knew right away that I was going to have to post something on it too. I'm looking forward to reading yours. Be sure to bump this thread when you publish!
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Blogpost is done. Thanks for all the great comments, I wish I could have used every single one of them. Great work guys.
You can view the post here...
onemansgoal.com/34/does-monetizing-your-blog-cost-you-readers/ -
Good discussion! And a very good article. I am usually very moderate in my online comments about ANYTHING, so I must have felt pretty strongly about this to have been so, erm - 'bold' :-)
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thanks paintgranny
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Thanks to this thread and Marksmatter's analysis, I've seen an increase in clicks
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Here's another view on AdSense. A friend of mine made this post on his blog today, explaining why he just removed AdSense from that blog, but keeeps it on his other niche blog:
thearticlewriter.com/blog/2007/07/25/ive-kissed-adsense-good-bye/#comment-3... -
I did have some trouble with my colleagues and office superiors.. since I am not allowed to publish any reprints AND (presumably) gain profit from AdSense. Professionally speaking, to publish anything without their consent is wrong.
But it worked fine, since I only publish (personal) posts that aren't already published via the media I am working for. Nevertheless, I am not allowed to do those PayPerPost stuff. I am also not allowed to present myself as a journalist in social networking sites like here in BC.
Even if I got alienated for monetizing my blog, I am sure it's just some ideallistic issues. Some people write for zero cent.
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