For months I was puzzled by the giveaways that Pioneer Woman held. No, puzzles isn’t strong enough. I was tortured! I did not understand how she could claim to give away non-sponsored items like $1000 cameras (2 or 3 of them!) and Kitchenaids (I think there were like 6 of these!). Surely she was lying because even though she lives in a big beautiful house I know ranchers myself (hey grandma and grandpa!) and they tend to be on the frugal side. What crazy lady would give away thousands of dollars worth of free stuff out of her own pocket?
Then I read her Contact page and discovered her secret. She uses the money she earns from advertising on her site to host fantastic giveaways. What if I did that? Of course with advertisers like Dreyers on her site she must be pulling in goooooood money, and it would take me years to save up enough money to give away a camera or a Kitchenaid (let alone 6).
But what if I put advertising in and then I hosted giveaways with things I use and love at home, or things I drool over on Etsy but can’t afford to buy for myself? Like this little salt and pepper moss terrarium set. It would look so adorable in someones kitchen. And I might be able to give you something like it with the money I earn from those awful ads some of you hate so much.
There would be a few conditions of course:
- First profits would be put toward paying 50% of my hosting fees (this blog ain’t free baby!)
- I would pull a page out of Style Me Pretty’s book and only choose advertisers who sell products or services I would use myself.
- No blinking ads.
- No paid posts. I’ll write an intro post for each new advertiser, and I may write a post about how I used their services myself (as a paying customer), but I’ll never write a post if I’m paid to write it.
- Full disclosure would be given for products I post about which I received for free.
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May 29th, 2009 on 12:17 am
Personally, I don’t have a problem with people having advertising on their blogs. Provided it is not insanely distracting or covering every square centimetre that isn’t dedicated to blog content. You aren’t tacky and you aren’t dumb, so I know you’d never spam your readers anyway.
I don’t see why people are judged for monetising something that they spend so much time doing. I would much rather have well targeted advertising on a blog, than have someone stop blogging. I think all that “selling out” business is nonsense. I don’t expect my favourite columnists to write their articles for free, so why should my favourite bloggers entertain me gratis if they don’t have to?
I think it extremely generous of you (and Pioneer Woman) to choose to use any of your blog revenue to buy gifts for your readers. Frankly, even if you weren’t doing that, I’d say a resounding “YES” to you advertising on the blog.
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May 29th, 2009 on 1:59 am
I agree with Hannah. You obviously work hard on your blog, and even though you love it, who says you can’t get paid for what you love? I’ve found some great vendors through selective, targeted advertising on sites I love.
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May 29th, 2009 on 4:30 am
I don’t mind if you add advertising, as long as it’s discreet and doesn’t obscure the things I normally want to look at on your site. Just NO ads that make noises, please! That “Death Test” one on Weddingbee and Deviantart (and many other sites) scares the heck out of me everytime it laughs. Ugh.
I have to add that when I asked on my blog if I should add ads, the answer was a resounding “no”. Apparently everyone hates them! I don’t mind, as long as they’re not in my face. But I don’t think I’ve ever clicked on an ad on a website in my life, either!
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May 29th, 2009 on 5:26 am
go for it. make some money
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May 29th, 2009 on 7:11 am
I totally agree with Hannah. You put a lot of work into this blog. Your blog is very successful, and you should be rewarded for your work. I think you should put the money toward 100% of your hosting fees and THEN do giveaways. Make yourself some money!
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May 29th, 2009 on 8:48 am
i said no
i like this being your personal blog. *spits* i guess i’m trying to delay the inevitable. my site would bring in decent money if i would advertise, and i just haven’t been able to do it until now because it’s “personal”…. but i’m thinking i might have to make the leap sooner or later.
*sniffle* my answer was really just me whining. lol.
do what you want hun, it’s your space!
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May 29th, 2009 on 9:07 am
I think it’s uber generous to use the money to give stuff away to your readers. Why don’t you pay 100% of your hosting fees and then do giveaways? I think that that is only fair.
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May 29th, 2009 on 9:17 am
J, this is a business, and I’m sure TH would agree. Pay 100% of your hosting fees, pay yourself, and then use the rest to increase your readership (awesome giveaways increase readership). Giveaways are a form of marketing and you should use them, and advertising is a way to make the giveaways happen.
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May 29th, 2009 on 10:17 am
Jenna, I love this blog and I’ve followed since you were that bride about a year ago. I love that you post daily and put so much time and effort into this. I think its only right that when you are putting so much time into something and already doing a little advertising for free that you should be able to let people buy space and pay for the blog itself and the give aways you dream of hosting.
P.S. who is pioneer woman and where is her page?
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Jenna Reply:
June 15th, 2009 at 11:56 pm
You’ve never heard of Pioneer Woman? Get ready to get lost in the best blog ever! She’s my blogging icon. I’d love to be just like her. Except not living on a ranch.
http://thepioneerwoman.com
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May 29th, 2009 on 10:27 am
Go right ahead. And I don’t mind sponsored posts either, as long as they are labeled as such. Look, when people we like are paid for what they do they might stick around and do it longer…
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May 29th, 2009 on 10:29 am
I agree with what others have already said-there’s no shame in paying your hosting costs and yourself! Keep it classy (there’s no doubt in my mind that you will) and go for it.
p.s. I have been drooling over the moss terrariums on etsy lately too! SO CUTE!
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May 29th, 2009 on 11:04 am
I agree with the majority in that ads are fine if they are well sized, well placed, and consistent with the theme of your site (so vodka ads would strike me as non-conisistent with the theme of your site). Blogs aren’t cheap to maintain, hosting fees,etc add up (I’m in web marketing professionally so I understand this all too well), so devoting your ad $$ to your hosting fees and then left-overs to a “give-a-way” fund would be more than fair.
My one complaint with blogs that have ads is when they do a weekly “Sponsored Post” . A one-time introduction is fine, but knowing that every Thursday will be a vendor post keeps me from popping by on said Thursdays. Most of all congrats for being at the point where this is a feasible option for you…that in and of itself is an accomplishment!
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May 29th, 2009 on 11:08 am
I think you should do whatever you want with your blog and if advertising means that you can pay for your website and have more contests, go for it! I’ll read it regardless (as long as it’s not like the facebook ads with “hot singles wanting to meet you” etc.)
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May 29th, 2009 on 11:54 am
Go for it, why not??
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May 29th, 2009 on 12:18 pm
You absolutely should monetize your blog. Blogging is hard work, baby! I know you feel like you get paid every time someone comments but while those make for fuzzy heart feelings, they don’t pay the bills. I have no doubt whatsoever that you will make very tasteful decisions with regard to what ads you host. Go for it, and much success to you!
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May 29th, 2009 on 12:19 pm
I’ll confess, I’ve often wondered why you haven’t been selling ad space already - at least just to cover your hosting costs. I see ads as a necessary part of blog life.
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hannah Reply:
May 30th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
I totally agree.
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May 29th, 2009 on 12:24 pm
I agree w/ Kasia
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May 29th, 2009 on 12:32 pm
i agree with the above posters. as long as you are true to yourself and what you want your blog to represent, advertise. i too wondered how the pioneer woman could give away such amazing prizes. it is quite a smart way to run a blog.
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May 29th, 2009 on 1:09 pm
Do which ever you want. I’m getting tired of all the random e-mails I get asking me to advertise wedding stuff, I wish there were an easy way to say “Leave me alone.”
But putting the money towards giveaways is an interesting approach I’d never thought off.
Though I did just want to chime in and say that making those Salt & pepper terraniums would be easy. I saw a terranium kit at Michaels in the $10 range and it was for a huge bowl.
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May 30th, 2009 on 12:18 pm
Do it.
You have a well thought out, smart, and honest approach to the whole thing. I think your current readers (for the most part) are going to stay here, and new ones won’t know the difference…and I think we can trust you not to be uber tacky with the ads.
For the amount of thought and time you put into this blog, you should be able to make it what you want, and this is the [obvious] next step in taking it there.
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May 30th, 2009 on 1:54 pm
I’m glad you’re vetoing blinking ads. I hate how long some websites take to load because of them!
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May 30th, 2009 on 2:56 pm
I’m just curious. Why advertise only here & not on your professional blog?
Can you do both or just one over the other?
Personally I like visiting websites that don’t have too much going on and are not too commercialized (I like my ‘mom & pop’ stores & I like the websites I visit that are laid back and don’t have a lot thrown at me). So if you think you can maintain the integrity of the visual appeal of your blog(s) that would be ideal.
Additionally, I hardly ever click on any of the advertising on website blogs. Hardly. Ever. Also, I rarely-to-never participate in giveaways… But that is just me.
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May 30th, 2009 on 9:05 pm
I think you should advertise — I’ve looked for ads on your blog before just because I thought it made sense.
You have the traffic, I would go for it. At least cover your costs and everything. I’ll click on your ads if you click on mine, hehe.
I should use the little money I’ve gotten to give back — but I almost always take that check and buy something I’ve been wanting!
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June 23rd, 2009 on 12:00 am
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