This is a question I’ve been asking myself for quite some time now. Common marketing wisdom says that once you have built up a regular following and readership it is time to monetize.
What does monetize mean? Monetizing my blog means making money from my blog. For most people, that means advertising, and the biggest advertising player on the block is Google.
I have a bit of a prejudice against Google Adwords, actually. I think most ad placement disrupts the flow of the blog or article. And I never click on them myself. So I have my doubts about how much money I could actually make if I added it to my website.
On the other hand, a lot of internet money gurus swear by it. “Build your content and then start monetizing with Adwords.” Obviously, it must be working for someone, otherwise they wouldn’t keep doing it.
Having said that, I just went and checked some of my favorite blogs, and guess what? No Adwords. Each of them has their own products that they advertise and sell through their site, which incidentally is another form of monetization. I feel like I am in good company as far as that is concerned.
So maybe, instead of considering Google advertising, I need to create some advertisements for my own products. Hmm. There’s an interesting thought. Advertise myself on my blog. It’s one step up from just hoping you’ll like my writing so much that you’ll click around on my site and see that I have guided meditations for sale.
I definitely don’t want to be pushy or obnoxious with the ads. I’d prefer you decide that you like my writing style and receive enough value from what you’ve seen and read to make a bigger commitment by purchasing a guided meditation, or requesting a coaching consultation.
I’m not sure how quickly I will get to creating ads. I like to play with graphic design, and I have a very full few weeks ahead of me. Ir will definitely be percolating in the back of my mind, though!
Thanks for reading my stream-of-consciousness post. If you have any thoughts or insights into advertising on my website, please leave me a comment below, even if it is to say “don’t do it.”
Blessings,
Mary
I’ve been wondering the same thing. Being off on maternity leave has me looking around for ways to bring in even a little extra income, and monetizing the blog may be one of them. Unfortunately, like you, I’m biased against Goodle AdWords because of the kinds of ads I’m sure to get running an anti-weight loss blog; the exact wrong kind! lol My one little Project Wonderful adblock has only brought in just over 6$ in the last year. That’s obviously not worth it.
You could always yoink the ads I use for you on my site by copying and pasting. Or I could send them to you.
Actually, all you need to do is use those mini images of your guided meditations and put them in the sidebar. I bet you would see increased sales! Use the lefthand sidebar, apparently it’s better. (rumour has it)
I say DEFINITELY monotize. We’re used to it – I’d rather click on something I’m interested. I’ve made quite a bit on my site — check out my sidebar ads — I think they add value to my site because I cannot create that much content and I only advertise things I like and want or have used before.
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And I agree with Jen
PLEASE NO ADWORDS.
Thanks, ladies. You know, I really need to get that affiliate program off the ground for my meditations… And Jen, I’m thinking a “Love Your Body Just the Way it is” meditation might fit your site. Hmm…ideas, ideas. I’m glad they are written down so I can come back to them later!
Sounds good, Mary! Keep me posted.
So, shortly after reading this post and talking with my friend Danny about monetizing on /her/ blog, I realized — I need to monetize my own blogs, or I can’t justify spending as much time as I do on them.
I started with my writer blog and put up a small adspace via Project Wonderful. I’ve already earned 86 cents in the past three weeks, and that’s with one very small ad space on a blog that honestly gets very few views. (I did select “NSFW” as my highest rating; if I’d selected a lower rating I may have made less. I’m not sure.)
I’ve applied to advertise on Innocence and Immanence, too, and should hear back from them by the end of the week.
It may not bring in a /lot/ of money, but it’s a pretty good site, I think. I do really like their practice of personally reviewing each site that applies to publish with them, and the whole system they have of ad placement — people bid on /time/ on your site, instead of clicks, so so long as there’s an ad on your site you get paid. And the more views you have, then the more people will be willing to pay for that space.
Anyway. Figured I’d mention my experience with them. 🙂 (Also, full disclosure, my link to them above is an affiliate link, so if you sign up via it and choose to use them to advertise your blog elsewhere as well as to publish advertising, then I get a bit of money when you bid on adspace.)
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Thanks for the link. I will check it out. (And I support affiliate links – its a way we can help each other, right?)