If you read this blog in a web browser instead of a feed reader, you will notice that there is now a block of text ads between the title and content of each of my posts. I know that this type of advertising can be a turn-off to some readers, but I would appreciate if you could bear with me for a few weeks while perform a little experiment and test it out.
It’s no secret that many of us bloggers use our blogs to generate additional income for our families. As a stay-at-home-mom, I am incredibly thankful that my husband’s salary is able to reasonably provide for our family as our sole income. That being said, my family is just like yours, with tight budgets and financial decisions to be made, and the cost of glue gun sticks, spray paint, and fabric quickly ads up!
When starting this blog a year ago, it was never my intention to be a full-time blogger, generating a full-time income – and it’s still not. However, I’m trying to do what I can to contribute to my family’s bottom line. Through the Blogher Ad network and individual sponsor ads in my sidebar, I am able to ease the financial burden of my DIY decorating hobby. I have been advised that the new block of text ads in that location will contribute significantly to my blogging income, so I am trying it out for a bit just to see if it makes any difference in my Google AdSense revenues (I will tell you if it does, so you can do the same to your blog if you would like!).
I just wanted to draw it to your attention and put out there to the universe why the new ads have appeared. I’m not trying to be anything but an accessible, truthful blogger, so I wanted my thought process to be as transparent as possible.
Thank you for your readership and joining me in the adventure over the past year. Now, back to the glue gun fun!
I love that you are being "real". We all have tight incomes now and days. I don't think anyone will be bothered by the ads seeing that you have such good blog content!
I subscribe via a reader, so I do not see the ads and they do not bother me. With that said, I appreciate your transparency. Ads are annoying, especially on home-spun sites like yours, but your honesty is refreshing, so I cannot complain. I would like to offer a word of warning. Another site I used to frequent did this as well. I clicked on one of the links and it was a dang virus that ate my hard drive. I was pisssssed! I trusted the blogger and never thought I would get a virus from one of her ads. I contacted her and she never replied. Major turnoff.
I am interested to see how your experiment works, but I do find the ads a little offputting to be honest.
Good luck Lindsay! I already know what the outcome will be!!
Thanks for your comments, guys! I love that you all can be honest with me. I agree that the ads are a bit distracting. We'll see how it goes for a few weeks, and if it's not making much of a difference income-wise, I'll take them down. If it makes me a gazillionaire, I'll let you know that, too. Ha!
I started and stopped blog her really quickly when they didn't want me posting "ads" which were just my posts about Etsy artists and such. 🙁 I'm surprised they don't mind all fo the other ads on your layout. Good Luck- hope it works for you- we can all use a little more cash these days.
Do you do you do Sponsored Twitter? I get a dollar for every sponsored tweet I send out- it doesn't clog my twitter reel and I can pick which ones I do, but based on my bio I haven't had any offers that don't fit my style. It takes just minutes- I've earned $25 in tecnically a month but for about 15 minutes of my actual time. And I only have 200 (you need at least 100 followers to be eligible)and something followers, if you have a lot you could get more than $1 per tweet! Here's a link in case you or anyone else is interested are interested:
http://bit.ly/RUNUQ
because you also can make money when you refer users!
You have a great blog. It doesn't bother me one bit that you have ads. I am glad you do. I get so much from your blog you as the author should get something back. 🙂
Thanks for the heads up! I don't mind advertising on blogs, except for the kind that appear between the title of the blog post and the text.
As a consumer, I'm more likely to click on those "sponsor" icons in your sidebar than the Google ads anywhere on a page. The latter scream "spam" to me. The icons of your sponsors do not. That, and I'm attracted to bright colors and shiny objects. 🙂
Hey, Lindsay! I always read your posts here on the site, so it is a little distracting to see. But, as another commenter said, I never ever click on the Google ads. I sort of pretend like they're not there. I do like the square "Sponsor" ads though. Not sure why they seem more trustworthy to me.
It's your blog, and you should be feel like you can do anything with it that you like! I'll keep reading b/c I think you're wonderful, ads or not. 😉
As an aside: I totally understand your reasons for advertising. It IS a lot of work to post, network, and reply to comments. I've been considering attempting to find a sponsor or two and even advertising with my new button once my redesign is all done. 🙂
Thank you so much for letting us in on this aspect of your blog. I would be curious to know what that outcome is.
Thank you for your candor. I am VERY interested in your results as that I am now a full time student and would love to "help" my husband more than every now and then. Please keep us posted and as always…your supporters and followers are truly awed by your talents.
Cheers~
e
The only ad that ever annoys is that "Cut your belly fat in one easy step!" one. It shows up everywhere and I always wonder… do people actually click on it??? WHY?
Otherwise… good for you for generating income. My hubs is starting to get nervous about my craft habits… 🙂
I usually read in google reader, but today I came to check out the "real" site. Yeah, that ad thing is kind of annoying, but if it keeps you blogging and crafting I will make sure that I stop by the browser site instead of the feed from now on. Thanks for all of the inspiration!
Hi, I'm a follower. I usually read you in my reader.
I am wondering… you've recently "changed" your ads from "below content" to "above content"?
I personally don't mind ads after content, but it does distract me to have the ads above the content. 🙂 that's just me. Would it make me stop reading a good blog? NO
I currently have ads after my content, and one on my sidebar (that only seems to show up if you click out of reader) If you go directly to my page, the sidebar doesn't show up.
Anyway, I hope that the change nets you more $$$
I don't have near as many followers as you, but and I am making a few pennies.
Good luck, keep up the good work!
gail
myrepurposedlife@gmail.com
I totally understand and while I agree they are obnoxious – I understand and don't let it bother me. I do the same thing for the same sort of reasons.
I don't mind advertising and sponsered posts as long as you're being upfront about it! 🙂 There are a few blogs that I love reading, but it grates on me when every once in a while I see them rave about a product or website without mentioning that website is paying them to do so. That is far more misleading to readers than putting a couple obvious ads up. I hope this works out for you and I'm interested to hear the results!
i noticed 'em right away. i thought "i don't like that" but it would never stop me from coming around of course. 🙂 when you talk about it in terms of your family how could i ever complain!
I totally respect you for being transparent. I actually *just* did a post about generating extra income on my blog last night. As in, I need to find something. A few somethings. I've tried to add Blogher ads in the past, and they were not accepting. I just put myself on their waiting list. I don't like the ads either, BUT to be honest, I just automatically skip over them. My mind just adapts.
That said, I do appreciate your honesty. I think your loyal readers will not mind. And the others can go suck an egg. lol. 🙂
I appreciate your honesty with this. I have been blogging for over a year and use the Google AdSense ads.I only have a couple on my page and I don't have that many followers, but I haven't seen the first penny from it. I'm glad to hear that you do…it's something to strive for. At any rate, I generally read your post in Google Reader. At the bottom of the post I noticed that it said Copyright 2009. Just thought you might want to change it. 🙂 Have a great day!
I hope it brings you gazzillions! I say BRAVO. Everyone is feeling pain right now. My husband has been out of work for 10 months. He leaves for Saudi Arabia in 2 weeks for 12 months. Painful, trust me.
Thank You Lindsey for visiting me every day! And like many of the other post, thank you for your honesty! I received my "BLESSED" necklace from The Rusted Chain the other day. It is so pretty , I did change the chain though to a sterling silver. I have received soooooo many compliments on it , even from strangers at the mall! And then when I explained that part of the proceeds when to the Children in Haiti,they even loved it more!
Love the monograhm necklace too!! Oh my…it is tempting!
I may have to start a blog too!!! Have a great day! : )
You put as many ad as you want. You are entitled – its your blog. Whats the harm in making a little bit of green for your efforts? (And I know its a lot of effort!)
Im just abuot to delete my google ads. I haven't made a penny with them b/c of the way they pay out.
I have(at least for now)taken Google Ads off of my site very recently. I had to type in about 20 different urls into the ad filter to get rid of that darn "Cut Belly Fat" ad… it became my personal mission one night!
The ads are, as other commenters have noted, somewhat distracting, in that spot in the articles. But you have great content and ideas, so it easy to get past the ads if one is not interested in them.
Have you considered being a guest blogger(maybe you have already done this?)on someone else's site? It might enable you to pick up new readers, from different blogging communities.
I have seen this alot(guest bloggers)over on Design Mom's(designmom.com)website and have personally found out about many new or different blogs this way.
Thanks so much for your honesty and straight-forwardness about the ads, etc. You are doing a lovely job here… looking forward to hearing about your results with your ad experiment.