The problem with 90% of personal blogs (like this one) is that it's difficult to pin down exactly who your audience is. So any ads you put up will likely be relevant to some people and an irritation to others. Magazines and newspapers don't have to tread so carefully since they have an order of magnitude more ad space to sell - on a blog where you see the same ads in the sidebar over and over, you'll see a different level of tolerance.
On the question of "selling out" - I think you only have to worry about that if you're not providing any value. If your audience values your writing and they are consuming it for free, don't feel bad about cranking up the ads. In fact, you're better off alienating the type of user who wants to have their cake and eat it. Let them go elsewhere and accuse other bloggers who provide them with free content of "selling out" if they balk at your advertising.
Roy
· 4 months ago
I would use the "Like" button if there was one. Either way, qft to the poster above.
euniqueflair
· 4 months ago
There is a Like link at the bottom right. Or are you not registered to DISQUS? Anyway, it's taking a while to process my Like now. I suspect it is my internet connection.
Makan
· 4 months ago
Looks like I just opened a cans of worms here.
Apparently in the previous post, my suggestion seems to come off as being totally against advertisements. Well you are mistaken here. I do enjoy advertisements that comes out being creative and unique(like viral ads). What I dislike though, is advertisements that comes off being obnoxious.
I also want to point out that the advertisement medium is being misrepresented in the internet as shown in this entry.
A suggestion to bypass the issue of advertisements being aesthetically spoiling to the blog will be to create a banner that design-wise, fits into the webpage theme. That way, readers won't really be distracted by ads but can always check out the related ads if it's content has something interesting for the readers.
Well that's what my thoughts really say. Sorry if anyone gets upset.
euniqueflair
· 4 months ago
I believe this is your reply to Roy's response in the previous post. I understand where you are coming from. There is no need to apology. You don't owe anyone that.
All Comments
Focus.
The problem with 90% of personal blogs (like this one) is that it's difficult to pin down exactly who your audience is. So any ads you put up will likely be relevant to some people and an irritation to others. Magazines and newspapers don't have to tread so carefully since they have an order of magnitude more ad space to sell - on a blog where you see the same ads in the sidebar over and over, you'll see a different level of tolerance.
On the question of "selling out" - I think you only have to worry about that if you're not providing any value. If your audience values your writing and they are consuming it for free, don't feel bad about cranking up the ads. In fact, you're better off alienating the type of user who wants to have their cake and eat it. Let them go elsewhere and accuse other bloggers who provide them with free content of "selling out" if they balk at your advertising.
Anyway, it's taking a while to process my Like now. I suspect it is my internet connection.
Apparently in the previous post, my suggestion seems to come off as being totally against advertisements. Well you are mistaken here. I do enjoy advertisements that comes out being creative and unique(like viral ads). What I dislike though, is advertisements that comes off being obnoxious.
I also want to point out that the advertisement medium is being misrepresented in the internet as shown in this entry.
A suggestion to bypass the issue of advertisements being aesthetically spoiling to the blog will be to create a banner that design-wise, fits into the webpage theme. That way, readers won't really be distracted by ads but can always check out the related ads if it's content has something interesting for the readers.
Well that's what my thoughts really say. Sorry if anyone gets upset.