Jim's Marketing Blog - Latest Comments in The advertising question

Re: The advertising question

Marketing Specialist - Jim Con — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 07:11:33 -0000

Sonja,

Great question.

In my experience, it depends on what kind of advertising you are going to use.

Adsense ads can be added at any time, because you do not need to impress anyone with numbers to get started.

If you add them AFTER building a readership, you may lose a few people, who find them unattractive. If you put them on the blog from the start, at least you don't have to worry about how many readers you will lose.

I would get them on right away and let people know up-front what your revenue model is.

You might also want to consider alternative kinds of adverts - which will add value to your blog?

Are there any great products or services that you LOVE, which your readers might benefit from?

If so, find out how / if you can promote that instead (or as well).

I'm sure my readers will have other ideas / feedback / suggestions??

Re: The advertising question

Sonja Cassella — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 06:56:11 -0000

Hi, Jim, thanks for opening up this discussion.

I designed my local-lifestyle blog (on Fort Worth Texas) so that I could put ads on it, but haven't done so yet, as I've been waiting for the content to build up in quality and quantity to "justfy" putting on the ads. Besides, I'm a writer, more than a marketer, and I needed to see the hits coming in to think ads would be valuable. The blog is still in infancy, although I'm pleased with the stats I doubt it would bring much in today to put adsense ads on it. But now I read on another site that you should put the ads in right away. What do you think? Am I right putting off ads until I'm sure visitors will be really impressed?

thanks,

Sonja
@sonjacassella on twitter

Re: The advertising question

Sharon — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 19:05:13 -0000

Thanks for not advertising. One of the reasons I subscribe and enjoy reading your blog is for the information you share. Not for the advertisements. Appreciate the wealth of information you share. Thanks again...

Re: The advertising question

littlebytes — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 15:53:27 -0000

Your concept is a great idea, especially as a marketing expert. I wish I could do the same. I do try to promote only products/sites that I feel are best suited for the markets I try to reach--moms/parents/educators. However, I am still learning the tricks of the trade so to speak. While I'm not a designer, nor do I have the funds to hire one, my site are hosted on primarily free services, except for my main parenting site. I offer advertising opps on all of them , as well as on my podcast/talk show for moms...the trick is finding the people who want to advertise. Response is picking up slowly but surely, so hopefully I am doing something right and things will progress in the future. Thanks for following @littlebytesnews on twitter. I look forward to learning more from you and your tweets! I hope you enjoy mine ☺

Re: The advertising question

Elaine — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 15:29:33 -0000

Jim,

You are so right - in today's market, your clients want to learn more about you, your expertise, and to understand how you think. As their respect and interest grows, they are also learning about your products and services. Providing valuable insights for your prospects is critical. I hope more corporations figure this out!

Re: The advertising question

Sarah Cooley — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 14:57:37 -0000

I agree 100% with that business model. I feel the same way about my blog. If you put out good content in whatever area you are in then people will respect that and regard you as an expert in that field.
You don't always need to be selling something. That's not the only business model.
Keep up the good work Jim.

Re: The advertising question

Marketing Specialist - Jim Con — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 14:28:41 -0000

David,

You put that extremely well - thank you.

I really believe that my readers don't need me selling them the same affiliate products, which they can already get from a million other blogs.

Re: The advertising question

David (Marketing Integrity) — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 14:18:42 -0000

Well, I certainly place a high value on integrity! I think all of us appreciate the provision of quality content as opposed to marketed product...and this is coming from a marketer!

I agree, that one should only endorse something on a blog like this whose purpose is to share knowledge and practical application, when it furthers that pursuit. Thanks for looking out for us Jim!

Re: The advertising question

Marketing Specialist - Jim Con — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 14:12:11 -0000

Thanks again for all the valuable feedback.

It's great that people place so high a value on integrity.

Jim

Re: The advertising question

Truthoughts — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 14:08:46 -0000

Great post Jim! Not selling out those who follow your posts is an admirable quality and will hopefully be one of many reasons for many more to stay connected with you. This will also make "your words" stand stronger regarding suggestions, etc. Hope you have an amazing day my friend!!

Re: The advertising question

Lance Cooper — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 14:01:58 -0000

Thank, Jim ...
Givers gain, and we appreciate your desire to serve, communicate, and help those whom get involved in the marketing ideas and discussions.

Lance Cooper, President
SalesManage Solutions

Re: The advertising question

OutsideMyBrain — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 13:57:28 -0000

Jim,

You are one of the few on Twitter that has a following of more than 5,000 that actually keeps their DM box open.

I'm sure it get's overwhelming, but it is certainly a tribute to why you have been able to get this site up and running so quickly.

Keep up the great work! And, always continue to keep it real like you are doing.

Thanks,
@OutsideMyBrain

Re: The advertising question

Marketing Specialist - Jim Con — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 13:53:43 -0000

Before I would advertise anything here, I would need to believe that it was something, which would genuinely provide great value to my readers.

That's why, for me and for this blog, Adwords will never happen.

Great feedback (as always) thanks!

Re: The advertising question

Mark Havenner — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 13:49:54 -0000

I'm sometimes (not always) wary of blogs with external ads - especially if they are in excess. I understand internal ads directing someone to a landing page or product/service, but Google Ads turn me off.

It's a question of ROI. Does the $50/month in Google Ads (or $500 in targeted ads) outweigh the value of market construction and networking?

I believe that in Social Media, $$ comes in as a specific decision of the end-user by buying a service/product, not by selling space to third parties for messages the end-user does not want or notice.

Re: The advertising question

Jared Young — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 13:45:47 -0000

It builds trust in you. If I know that you're ideas are solid and your intentions are good, I'm far more likely to buy from you down the road (or recommend you). I do the same thing with my blog: no advertising, no hidden agenda. Just sharing ideas fr small business owners. If they help people, hopefully I'll get a consulting client down the road. If not, that's okay too.

Re: The advertising question

Lisa Nardi — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 13:38:41 -0000

Thank you so much Jim. As always, it is so refreshing to hear from a marketer that he/she is not writing a blog simply to sell something. I write my blog to help others as well.
You are so refreshing, that I will continue to read and write comments here as well. Thanks for all that you do.
Lisa

Re: The advertising question

Marketing Specialist - Jim Con — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 11:21:18 -0000

Alden,

I agree with you 100%!

Re: The advertising question

Alden Smith — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 11:04:17 -0000

Advertising is like anything else - it has its place. I believe that if your objective is to educate and inform, then don't cover every available piece of real estate on the blog with blatant advertising. It not only distracts from the message, but sends the WRONG message. Great post...

Peace,

Alden~

Re: The advertising question

Marketing Specialist - Jim Con — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:32:08 -0000

Lorraine,

You make a good point - thanks!

Re: The advertising question

Lorraine Ball — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:08:17 -0000

I have taken the same strategy with my blog. I have items for sale elsewhere on the website, and if folks are interested they can find them, but I, like you prefer to keep the blog about information

Re: The advertising question

Marketing Specialist - Jim Con — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:39:12 -0000

Tim,

The hypothetical situation you keep mentioning could not happen.

I own this blog and I am the sole post writer. I wouldn't be writing about anything that was being advertised on the blog.

So, the hypothetical situation you keep referring to could never happen. If you want to re-ask that question yet again, please do so through the contact page and I will answer it.

Re: The advertising question

Tim Jahn — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:26:24 -0000

I think you're not understanding my question.

I understand you don't do sponsorships.

I understand you won't write about a product because someone pays you to.

I'm asking a question open for discussion among your readers:

If Jim were to find a single product he liked and let the company put a small advertisement on the site...he loves the product a lot and writes about it bunch out of LOVE, not out of FINANCIAL gain...how would you feel as a reader knowing his intentions but seeing the ad next to the posts?

Re: The advertising question

Marketing Specialist - Jim Con — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:23:47 -0000

I think you are mixing up a free of charge endorsement (like I give to Twitter) with a paid sponsorship (which I never mentioned anywhere - I said advertisement.)

I don't do sponsorships (never have.) The reason is that they can cause the kind of issues you mentioned.

Re: The advertising question

Tim Jahn — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:10:32 -0000

I understand that Jim. What I was referring to is you writing about the product not for MONEY but because you LOVE it and feel like sharing your love with your readers.

If you love it a lot and being to write about it a lot (again, not for money or because the company wants you to do so), will some readers take it the wrong way as a sort of sponsorship?

Re: The advertising question

Marketing Specialist - Jim Con — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:08:54 -0000

That's an easy one.

I would never, ever write about a product for money. I was referring to maybe allowing a 125x125 ad box for a product I use or see the value in.

Of course, I write about things like Twitter, wordpress.com and Tweet Deck, for nothing, because I think they are great.

Great question Tim!