To monetize or not to monetize the blog. That was the agonizing question.
So you might have noticed that I recently got a big shiny ad in my sidebar. Well, actually, it's a series of rotating ads, including some of a non-paid, public service nature, like
Petfinder.
Yes, I have monetized the blog. I am one of many pet bloggers who are now part of the newly launched
BlogPaws | BlogHer publishing network. Bloggers in the network earn a small commission per page load (or ad view), whether the ad is clicked or not. It takes
lots of page loads to even earn a penny. I knew this up front.
The thing is, I never wanted ads on my blog. I dislike clutter. I need colors to match. I hate waiting for pages to load. And pop-ups getting in my way. I was okay with having a no-income blog. Then, out of the blue, I got an invitation.
An invitation - as an existing
BlogPaws member -
to apply for membership in the publishing network. My heart went all aflutter. Since I knew my blog met all the joining criteria, my mind was already celebrating the potential income. Something - as a stay-at-home mom - that I hadn't received in over four years.
And yet, I still hated the idea of seeing an ad on my blog.
So I did some research and talked it over and decided that being associated with the
BlogHer organization might not be so bad. It certainly couldn't hurt to try.
Two days later my blog was approved. The next move was up to me. I'd have to accept or [politely] decline.
To monetize or not to monetize the blog. That was the agonizing question.
Thank goodness I only got 48 hours to make up my mind. I tossed a lot those nights, worrying about things. Like what if:
- people think I'm a money-grubber
- people get mad and stop visiting
- the ad colors clash with my blog background
- people think I'm a shallow money-grubber
- people talk about me being a shallow money-grubber and stop visiting.
(I might be a worry-wart. :)
And then I remembered that I don't have a paying job. And I accepted the offer.
I was relieved that the network permits bloggers to opt out of certain ad categories, and I promptly did so - except for candy and non-R-rated TV and films. In my mind, those were the least likely to offend anyone. :)
In the first week after I installed my ad code, I was served nothing but public service ads (PSAs). That was great. I earned nothing from them, but it would give me and my readers time to adjust to the prominent new space on my blog.
Another no-paid-ad week and a chat with the BlogHer Help Desk later, I opted back into a few things. And slowly, but surely, they arrived. Paid ads I had once vowed not to place on my site. And I was filled with regret.
Then - in a stroke of perfect timing - there appeared on my blog, a camera ad in an eye-catching sea glass-green and red design. A good, reputable camera, too. An ad like you might see on a site with WAY more readers than mine, or even in a popular ladies' magazine. And all that regret I had felt began to slip away.
What the heck was I thinking?! I thought. I might only earn $25 in a year,* but that's $25 more than I've earned in the last four! Bring it on!
|
You do realize you have to split that $25 three ways, right? |
*To date, I've earned just over $3 (includes two weeks with nothing but PSAs).
Since that epiphanic moment, I've grown more and more comfortable with the ads. To be honest, they've started to grow on me in unexpected ways. For instance:
- The color schemes are
harmonious interesting, mostly.
- Every time I load my page I get a surprise.
- They can make me feel
immature little again (Shrek, anyone?).
- I sometimes yearn to
eat cook (with butter and large kitchen appliances).
- Or have an Irish coffee (Irish cream, please). (My favorite brand, too! How did they know?) ;)
Who knows? One day an ad might even inspire a blog post (it could happen).
*****
And that, friends, is the story behind the ad.
The elephant in the room made me tell it.
Thank you for listening.
Feel free to ask questions.
Have a happy weekend!