Comments on: Should You Put Ads on Your Blog?

By: David

David — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 18:04:59 +0000

Nice write up and good to see the results you’ve had. I’m surprised to hear how much you’re paying TypePad, I always thought it was completely free! What exactly are you paying for?

I used to be against all forms of advertising on websites and blogs as I felt it spoils the experience but you’re right, with such high costs, not mentioning the time invested, you should at least get a little something back and most people ignore ads anyway.

I too have been converted to using ads on sites and blogs and haven’t received any complaints.

By: Krista

Krista — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 12:36:29 +0000

Like the idea of addiply! Will check it out. Thanks!

By: Krista

Krista — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 11:19:32 +0000

I'd argue that for £200 a year, it's worth it! I think AiL could easily achieve that, prob more. (her stats better than mine.)

Sent from my iPhone

By: Tom

Tom — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 10:52:27 +0000

Can I cheekily ask how much a well read (but in the scheme of things not a guardian.co.uk) makes on average a year.

As far as I understand it An American In London’s view accords with mine that it is not financially worth it.

And I agree with your points on aesthetics.

That said I would pay an advertising company to fix the template on my wordpress blog and url that we have bought and just haven’t had the time to make look halfway decent.

PS – I am curious what the new name of the blog will be… Jen is actually a Chicago-an-ian so I am sure she will look forward to reading it!

By: An American in London

An American in London — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 10:08:32 +0000

Love the poll and def let us know what sample size you get. : )

As for ads on blogs – from what little I’ve read (suggesting how little money a blogger makes from ads with 1,000 page views a day), it’s never seemed worth the time/effort of (a) my upgrading to a non-wordpress hosting so I can actually customize my site to accommodate ads; and (b) learning to do any coding of my own to carry out said customisation.

I signed up for google adsense ages ago because Lonely Planet will give you the ad money generated from its blogsherpa programme, but I think because I can’t customise my blog, I’ve never completed whatever process you have to finish to generate any money from adsense.

I share all the above to give a sense of how technologically clueless some bloggers can be (which makes putting ads on a blog sort of a moot point). : )

Interesting post, though, and glad you put it out there.

By: Neil

Neil — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 10:06:11 +0000

Krista,

Nice that you are open, as you say your need to recoup some costs. I agree with ads, as long as they are ‘right’ for you. Google is contextually aware, and targetted (both geographically), and by the user.

Using a service like http://www.addiply.com/ would allow you to solicit/brands to buy direct space, but that might be ‘too’ much for people.

One of my sites brings in ~£200 a month through ads, but it’s very different type of content. The one suggestion I’d have for you is to have ads between the end of the article and your comments.

London will miss you,