Does Monetization put Readers off?
There is a fine line between monetizing your site, and taking things to an extreme. If you are going to look into monetization methods, you need to make sure that this does not negatively affect the way that readers perceive and read your blog. In other words, if your revenue streams are getting in the way, you may be doing yourself a disservice in the long run.
I have found that monetizing a blog too early is one of the number one ways to put readers off. Day in and day out I come across blogs that have a couple of posts, but advertisements all over the front page. What does this tell me? Simply put, it tells me that the person is more interested in making money with their blog than providing good, quality content.
I am of the opinion that monetizing a blog, if done at the right time, will not put readers off as long as it is done appropriately. As mentioned above, this means that your revenue streams should not interfere with the navigation or overall look of your blog. While it is impossible to monetize a blog without changing its look, you need to make this transaction as seamless as possible. Upon arriving at your blog, you want readers to notice your content first and everything else after that. If your ads are sticking out all over the place, you are going to have a difficult time retaining and attracting new members.
Also, keep in mind that monetization is not a vague, generalized term. There are so many ways to set up revenue streams that you are sure to have your hands full. As you can imagine, the monetization methods that you choose will have a lot to do with the way that your site looks, and also the way that readers will react. If you have a blog with steady traffic and comments, your visitors will be sure to let you know if you have done something wrong.
The key to monetization is making sure that your blog is ready. When you feel that the time is right, make sure that you choose the best ways to make money, and that you never turn readers off by overcrowding.Â
July 27th, 2007 at 3:06 pm
Well from the start…ok maybe the the very start, but from the start I’ve had monetization on my site. I haven’t heard anything about it, and I don’t know if people like it, don’t like it, or feel indifferent to it. To me it seems unobtrusive and it doesn’t get in the way of the content of the site.
I think overall what you said is true, and definitely new bloggers should read this. It’s kinda like assuming everyone has common sense, but these days having sense isn’t so common!
July 27th, 2007 at 3:13 pm
Haha…you are so right about common sense! I like the way that you monetized your site. It gets the job done, but it is not over the top. How has it been working out for you? Have you seen an increase in revenue as readership continues to grow? Are you thinking of adding new income streams?
July 27th, 2007 at 3:47 pm
Ads alone generally don’t bother me, even on new blogs. What does turn me off is a combination of things: Freebie Blogspot blog + scanty content + template I’ve seen hundreds of times + ads… blecch!
I do think it’s wiser to not worry about monetizing in the beginning, though. The chief concern needs to be writing killer content.
Oh, and I don’t like those “Buy me a beer” donation buttons. They don’t rub me quite as bad if the overall tone of the blog is snarky anyway, but for most blogs, it doesn’t work for me.
July 27th, 2007 at 4:01 pm
You bring up some nice points here. As I mentioned in the post, it is the overcrowding that really bothers me.
The “Buy me a beer” buttom is showing up all over the place. But I don’t think it is something that I will ever use.
July 28th, 2007 at 1:06 am
I changed my “Buy me a beer” to “soda” as it better fits me. I see a lot of sites with the button. It doesn’t bother me, but the ones that get my attention are the ones where the blogger has changed it to suit his own tastes. I think it’s definitely better if you modify it to match your personality.
And, yes, going overboard on ads is “turn-off,” and that’s true whether it’s new or established. Ads don’t bother me, except when they overwhelm or interfere with the content.
July 28th, 2007 at 4:49 am
Put an ads network monetization on a site not a big problem because many other blogger doing that. But if too many ads than your site will look like advertisement park – it’s will become more annoying if the site full with referral link. Minimal monetization ads wont put your readers off if you provided good quality contents.
cheer
July 28th, 2007 at 6:57 pm
People are so used to advertising now that they usually don’t see the standard methods. But if you have huge flashing banners and java pop-ups, they usually get annoyed and it will start to cause problems.
July 29th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
It sounds like we are all on the same page. There is nothing wrong with advertising as long as it is done within reason. And of course, the better your strategy the more chance you have of making money!
July 30th, 2007 at 10:47 pm
Hey Chris, right now I want to find out more about affiliate income. I may do that next…but the way my blog is setup, I may remove something else that isn’t working so well (*cough* Kontera).
I think the ‘buy me a beverage’ thing is overdone nowadays. It was a cool new idea, but after everyone does it, how fun is it really? I think it is not starting to have an adverse effect on blogs, because I know I roll my eyes when I see one. The novelty has worn off.
V. Neely, I FEEL YOU!! How you gonna get rich by having a free spot AND ads AND all that other stuff? Just play the lottery, it’s less annoying and helps education!
July 31st, 2007 at 11:08 am
Affiliate marketing is a great way to make additional income. I actually gave this a try a year or so ago and dit okay with it. Not great, but it was a money maker.
I am going to post more on this topic in the near future so hopefully it’ll help you to get started…