Let me preface this entire post by saying that this is not directly in response to or retaliation of anything I’ve read on anyone else’s blog recently. I was simply inspired to write this post by things I saw/read/did/thought - which is where all of my posts come from. So, if you’re reading this thinking “oh my God, is she talking about me?” - I’m not.
I’ve been thinking about two specific things lately:
1. Why do I blog?
2. Where do I stand on ads, pay-per-posts, money-making shit in general on “personal” blogs?
Let’s go in order here, shall we?
Why do I blog? I started blogging because of my oh so stubborn “anything you can do I can at the very least do and possibly do better” streak. I read Amy’s blog. I read a few other blogs. I read some spectacular writing, and I muddled through some craptastic.. er.. “writing”.
If I’m being honest, I have to admit that I continued blogging because of the attention. Perhaps it would be more PC to say that I continued because of the feedback. But again, being honest here, that’s probably crap.
No, blogging offered me the attention that sometimes is so lacking in day to day life. I’m not talking about center of the stage look at me look at me attention - although that’s nice. I’m talking about the attention to what I have to say, to what I think, to my talents and gifts and quirks and charms.
Blogging offers me a captive audience of people who are interested in what I have to say, and how I am able to say it. It offers me a chance to really, truly, feel “heard”.
I suppose I could even sink so low as to say that it gives me a sense of validation.
I would like to be big enough and bold enough and confident enough to say that I blog for myself and the rest of you fuckers can go take a flying leap if you don’t like it. But I’d be a damned liar. And as I’ve said, I’m trying to be honest here.
I blog - for you.
I blog for the readers who come to read this site with genuine interest, whether I comment on their blogs or not. I blog because when someone says “I know what you mean”, I feel like I’ve made a connection that matters. I blog because the thought of being able to make someone else feel something - anything - makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.
I blog not only because I have something to say, but because of the people who listen.
Now… all of that being said…
Where do I fall on this whole debate about ads vs. no ads?
I am not a purist. Not about art, or food, or much of anything really - and not about blogging. If someone wants to stick a few ads in their sidebar, while they continue to write content that sucks me in, I’m going to keep reading. I don’t give a second thought to whether or not that person is making any money - be it off of me or anyone else.
I am also not opposed to the idea of people making money “off of me”. In order for someone to make anything “off of” me, they have to provide something that I have an interest in either buying, or at least perusing further. If they are able to do that, kudos to them and their 15%.
I make money off of people all day long. And thank God I do, because I’m growing quite partial to my little piece of the Economic Pie.
And, with or without blogging, people are making money off of me - all day long. When I stop for gas, when I drive by a billboard, when I flip on the TV or lather up in the shower - someone is making money off of me. Good for them - that’s how we all get along after all.
Maybe it’s because I’ve always been in sales - but I never have been one to get all wonky about commercials or junk mail or even telemarketers. If I don’t want what they are pushing, I am more than capable of letting them know so that they can move on to find someone who does.
I guess my opinion on blog ads is merely an extension of my opinion on advertising in general. That shit wouldn’t exist if it didn’t work on someone.
So - what about me? Why don’t I have ads on this blog?
I am going to blog whether someone pays me for it or not. Just like I’m going to do lots of things - pay day or no pay day. If someone wants to give me money for something I’m going to do anyway? Fuck yeah, I’d take it. I like money. I’ll go so far as to say I love money and all of the shit I can do with it.
But, alas, there are still no ads here.
And that is simply because at this point, no one has offered me money for my blog. At least, not enough money. I mean sure, I could invest the time and energy to sign up for adsense and fuck with my sidebar and blah blah blah fucking blah. But with the amount of traffic I get here, there’s no fucking way I would earn enough to cover what my time is worth to me.
I may be a money-luvin’, attention seeking whore. But I’m no cheap trick.
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You blog for me?
No one has ever blogged for me before. Thanks.
Still, I’m not going to pay you.
December 21st, 2006 at 2:04 am
Yes, indeed, you blog for me. Like you, I prefer no ads. And I appreciate that you’ve stated exactly what I’ve been thinking about this whole debate. Thanks.
December 21st, 2006 at 7:56 am
If you write it, we will read.
Ads or not, makes no difference to me.
Write on MacBeth!
December 21st, 2006 at 8:46 am
I don’t mind if others put ads on their site, and maybe post a little blurb about clicking on something, but when every other post mentions some “sponsored” shit, I get bored quickly.
I like your blog. It’s interesting to read, you’re not afraid to say whats on your mind, and I almost always agree with whatever you happen to be writing about.
December 21st, 2006 at 9:27 am
Oh my God, are you talking about me?
:mrgreen:
I keep telling you, put some nice teasing photos up, and you’ll get advertisers knocking down your door to pay you to blog. Shit, I’ll pay you to blog. Naked.
December 21st, 2006 at 9:53 am
I’m with you on all of it. How is it that we rarely disagree? LOL I don’t mind ads on blogs, I’ve had them on mine, not anymore, but I did it at first.
I happen to like the way that Bug advertises Yandy on her site by purchasing and then modeling the different things she buys - I think it’s cute. It’s certainly a different way of advertising.
I think blogs are a personal expression and if someone wants to put an AdSense thing on their blog - more power to them. As long as it doesn’t interfere with my reading, I don’t care.
December 21st, 2006 at 10:54 am
You say “I’m no cheap trick” like being a cheap trick is a bad thing. Rick Nielsen and Robin Zander will be crushed.
December 21st, 2006 at 12:08 pm
I can’t imagine ever putting Google (or other) ads on my blog. I figure I’ve never clicked on a Google ad in my entire life, so why would I expect other people to do so?
December 21st, 2006 at 1:03 pm
I’m with you on that; if I am entertained by a blog, I could careless about the surroundings of it because I enjoy reading.
That reminds actually, I’ve been wanting to change mine around a little. I think there’s too much crap in the side bars and I’ve been seeing all the simple but catchy templates (like yours) and I want something more simplistic and stylish. But I like all of my little buttons!
I have to grow up sometime…..
December 21st, 2006 at 1:42 pm
You blog for me?
I knew we had something special :roll:
December 21st, 2006 at 7:55 pm
So my master plan of building up a blog audience so I can then put ads everywhere and make a million dollars is no good?
December 21st, 2006 at 9:39 pm
It’s hard to believe you blog for me. You don’t even know me. have you ever come to visit? I don’t remember seeing you around my blog. I might have been having a senior moment.
December 21st, 2006 at 11:33 pm
Mist: Oh you will pay me, Mist. One way or another - you will pay.
ally bean: welcome :-)
Wicked H: now I need to go look up MacBeth. I vaguely remember something in that story about a crazy person….
Blonde Chick: as do I - and then, the content is no longer worth reading
avitable: I’m blogging naked right now. Where’s my check, bitch?
AmyD: no interference- that seems to be the key.
Joefish: if I could sing like a cheap trick, we’d be having an entirely different conversation right now. ;-)
Dawn: I try to remember that just because I haven’t, doesn’t mean others don’t.
Bella: it’s your blog baby, buttons away :-D
Mr. Fabulous: oh Mr. Fab, don’t ever doubt we have something special indeed!
Dave2: I didn’t say that - in fact, I think what I said is that a blog with good content (like yours) could surely find SOMEONE to pay them millions. :-)
The CEO: you’re trying to make this complicated - aren’t you? :shock:
December 22nd, 2006 at 10:00 am
I am one of your readers that will visit your blog daily even if you don’t visit mine, and you are on my sidebar (which by the way has no adds) even if I am not in yours. I enjoy the way you express yourself and that makes me come back over and over again. Should you dissapear again from the blogoshpere, I will be the first one to put you on the milk carton and will send a search party to look for you. Now that I know for sure you blog for me, I will continue to visit.
May you and yours have a very Merry Christmas.
December 22nd, 2006 at 11:26 am
It’s in the mail. Just check your mail naked and you’ll see it someday. Ignore the generic looking repair truck in your street with the camera clicking sounds coming from it.
December 22nd, 2006 at 2:20 pm
Ya know, I don’t think you should have to disclaim that something isn’t about someone. It’s always caused by something you read somewhere which means it’s indirectly about someone but as far as I’m concerned, anyone who gets their panties in a twist because you blogged your opinion at ‘home’ rather than posted them ‘away’ needs to get over their bad selves.
Now, several people have actually said, on their very own blogs, without inducement from me, that I blog for myself.
Here’s the thing. I blog what I think is important to me, so in that, I totally blog for me. I don’t feel any need to spare someone’s feelings because I know they will disagree or not like what I said.
But…I blog because people read my blog. My blog is not my ‘diary’ as some people say theirs is. My blog is a sounding board. If nobody was listening, I’d just be banging my head on the wall.
My blog is like my house, sometimes messy, often cluttered and always a reflection of me…
Which is why I hate ads. To me their like putting a sign on your front lawn that says, “Everybody welcome…for $5.”
Precisely one blogger will enjoy (??) my loyalty despite heavy advertising. I’ll tell you why. She’s real. She’s not ‘above’ anyone because she gets 80 gazillion hits. She hasn’t changed the wonderful person she is. That keeps me going back to her. She’s the only one. It’s in the person, not in the ads. Unfortunately (I think,) she’s only one person who’s ads don’t piss me off.
I’d been reading her for a couple of years before she went ad crazy. At first I was very annoyed but I got over it because I adore her and I love her blog. I don’t think there’s very many people I like enough to stay with if they get ads. A couple of my oldest and best loved, yes. But definitely none of my newer reads.
December 24th, 2006 at 10:29 am