Way back when I first started at University, I took an introduction to business class. The class was taught by a successful local hotelier. His message, if we didn't remember anything else from the class was that the four sources of wealth are Land, Labor, Capital and Entrepreneurial Ability. If you could remember that, and define them, you passed the midterm exam.
Land, I own a home - actually owning real estate has generated about 25% of our net worth. Labor, I have long worked and continue to do so. Capital, we have savings and retirement savings that earn income and grow. Entrepreneurial ability, my work really does not fit this category, I am paid a salary, the same amount win or lose. In my younger life, I had a few small (really micro) businesses, and my current work restricts what I could do, but I am a content creator. The blog is content, Google provides free hosting, so that Google has content. Google offers to place adds, generating more revenue for Google, with a share of that going to the content creator.
In a moment of reviewing the four principles I learned all those decades ago, I signed up for adsense a few years ago. I actually don't remember how long ago, 4-5 years ago. I haven't gotten rich on adsense, I recently received my second payment, about $105, bringing my lifetime earnings from my blog(s) to just under $210. But it is something, in exchange for the content I create. I seldom think about visits or hits when I create content, in the spirit of entrepreneurship I should. The blog is more a labor of love, and my contribution to an online community of friends. The friends have been the biggest payoff, the little bit of income is fun money. So, yes I know there are ads on my blog. Yes, I know the ads are sometimes annoying. No I am not getting rich from them, but there is some small reward.
If Blogger hosts your blog, on the content creation page is a link for adsense, it is not hard to sign up. I don't know if or how to invite ads on blogs hosted outside of Blogger, but I would guess there is a way. This is not a sponsored post, I know a few bloggers that occasionally are paid extra to write about products or services. Some of them clearly mark sponsored posts as such, some don't. I have never been asked to write a sponsored post, hint to the airlines - I can be bought with first class upgrades on transAtlantic flights.
Have you ever considered including ads on your blog?
My friend did and cleared about as much as you. I am very particular on the visual aspect of my blog and would find it distracting to have ads. I probably would never do them, as we can't seem to go anywhere ad free these days.
ReplyDeleteSometimes... they pop up in the middle of your post and it throws me off. I'm like, wait, what is this picture of? Then realize it's an ad!!!! I generally get a good laugh out of it.
The ads in the middle of a posting are new, I think there is a setting to turn that off.
DeleteI say no to crass commercialisation of my blog. Wait....did you say free flight upgrades with some of the wonderful airlines that visit Australia, or our own airline with its impeccable safety record? Maybe I should rethink.
ReplyDeleteAustralia is such a long flight, the upgrade would really make a difference.
DeleteWhen I started my blog, I allowed Google ads, which were random. Then one day, I saw an anti-abortion ad on MY blog! I was furious and had no control, so stopped allowing ads. Sometimes now I consider it. But then I worry about the distraction. But a little extra money is always nice. I don't know!!!
ReplyDeleteI have limited the kinds of adds, I would have been furious also.
Deletenope, my blog will always be ad-free. ya want ads, turn on the tv.
ReplyDeleteWe have so many options today
DeleteNo, I'm a Free Bitch, Baby and so is my blog!
ReplyDeleteAnd we love you for it
DeleteNo, I'm an anti-advertiser. I don't even watch commercial TV.
ReplyDeleteI have a background in marketing, though the field has changed so much in the past 20 years.
DeleteNo ads for me although it looks like Wordpress inserts some from time to time.
ReplyDeleteIt didn't bother me until I started paying for such.