Occasionally, I get a wild hair and decide to sit and write up a post about blogging. Today is one of those days. My friend, Sarah, did a nice post recently about advertising, so I thought I’d expound on that and give my experience with that and blogging. I hope by doing this it helps many of you who are new to blogging. I learned all of what I know by reading and asking questions along the way, so if I can pass on some of my knowledge, I’m glad to do it. I certainly don’t claim to know it all by any means and I’m STILL learning, all the time. This is a long one, so get comfortable.
To advertise or NOT to advertise, that seems to be the question that bloggers ask. You can’t make everyone happy. Some will not like the fact that you advertise and many will not care one way or the other.
So, to start off, let me say that I’ve now been blogging for 3 1/2 years. In blog years, that’s a long time. Back when I started, there were not all that many blogs in my niche of decorating, design, crafting, DIY, or home blogs. There just weren’t nearly the amount of blogs back then. We all visited each other, linking back and forth and I pretty much had a handle on most of the blogs in that niche and got to know a lot of them.
But now….now, there are millions of new blogs. Just the last year, I’ve seen an explosion of new bloggers. So, welcome to all of you who are new. We were all new at one time. Today I’m going to share my experiences with advertising on my blog. How I decided what to do and the process I went through to get to where I am now.
Back in the early days, I remember seeing lots of discussions on whether or not someone was going to advertise on their blog. It seemed that there were decidedly 2 camps: those who would advertise and those who felt strongly against it. I was somewhere in the middle, not knowing anything about advertising or what it all meant. I had no idea of the ins and outs of advertising or if any money could be made blogging.
Those of us who went to Blissdom in 2009 learned even more about advertising and blogging and how it all works. But, still it’s a continual learning process and some days, I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface of what this big world wide web is all about.
Sarah gave a really good point on her post which I totally agree with:
DO NOT start a blog for the purpose of making money! That’s a BIG amen. It simply will NOT work and I can’t say that strongly enough either.
When I started blogging, I really just began on a whim, not knowing what I was doing or the right way to go about starting a blog. As I did back then, I still blog because I LOVE it, not for any other reason. Making $$ is just icing on the cake and adds another dimension to it, but the main reason I blog is because I enjoy the community and friendships so much. I feel like I’ve got about 7,000 friends that I can reach out to at anytime and you’d be there for me. I know I can count on some dialogue with all of you if I need it and that is such a fun part of blogging for me. Reading your comments makes my day!
You may ask how big your blog needs to be before you advertise? I would say to make it worthwhile, you would probably need about 20-25,000 hits a month to even get started. After my first year of blogging, I began to get inquiries about text links. I added a few of those, but they certainly aren’t big money makers and I will only add those now if they are relevant to my topics. In fact, I will only use advertisers that are completely relevant to what I talk about on my blog.
If you want to keep up with your stats, be sure to sign up for Google Analytics and even Sitemeter (I use both) to track how many visitors come by your blog.
The rule of thumb for what to charge for an ad is this: $1 per 1,000 impressions or visits per month. So, with that in mind, if you get 100,000 visits per month, that would equate to being able to charge $100 per month for an ad. I don’t charge what I could, but you have to keep in mind the economy and what people are willing to pay. My rates are very reasonable and in keeping with the economic climate.
Like I said, I had no idea about the money-making thing when I started blogging. It was only a year or so into it that I saw that there were blogs advertising and especially noticed a blog ad network called BlogHer. That’s when I decided to apply and join. I waited until I was blogging a whole year before I jumped in and joined BlogHer and I’m so glad I did. They are the 5th largest women’s network on the web and they have a blog network of 2,500 bloggers. I got in at a great time with them and have been completely happy with my association with BlogHer. I think they are still closed for the most part, but if you get on their list, you may be able to get in eventually. I had to wait a couple of months before I was accepted in 2008.
Just for reference, I went back and looked up my first check from Blogher, back in 2008. It was $84. Yippee!! I can still remember the thrill of actually getting a check in the mail from my blog. You would have thought it was $1,000 from my excitement. It has steadily gone up from there.
I totally believe that first year should be a year of getting your feet wet, learning the ropes and establishing your topics and voice. Most of us need that time. My blog traffic back then was about 1/4 what it is now. I don’t keep secrets on that and you can click on my Ad button over there to the right, to see my stats on my Advertising/PR page.
I now have around 100,000 + visitors a month, much more than I had 2 years ago. So, I started off slowly with BlogHer and grew into it. The amount of money you make with them is solely dependent on how much traffic you have. It started out slowly, but has grown for me and that’s been a good thing. I do get perks and opportunities for promotions with them, like the ones you see me doing on here with reviews and giveaways. The products that they represent are ones that I can get behind, so I have no problem with that aspect of it. I like the fact that they represent women bloggers with advertisers and the advertisers are realizing what a powerful force that women are.
Last year, I also added my own advertisers, like many others have. Those small ad buttons you see over there are for independent business owners, many of them mom-preneurs who are staying at home and starting their own businesses. I love supporting them whenever I can. I never try to push anything on any of you out there who faithfully read my blog, but I hope that you will buy from these small businesses whenever you can. Many of these businesses have started from folks who have lost jobs or are starting over with home-based businesses and with our economy, I applaud those who wish to stay home and still make a living.
I also sometimes do “trade-outs” for ads. If there is a service or product that I’d like to have, instead of monetary compensation, I will sometimes trade ad space for products or services. That’s a win-win for both parties too.
I have never apologized for putting ads on my blog, nor will I do that now. It’s a necessary thing once you get to a certain point with blogging, I think. Most of us who do ads are putting a LOT of time and energy into our blogs and I see no reason not to be compensated for that.
Believe me, it is not fulltime pay in the least. But, bringing in some extra $$ has been great for me. It really helps me feel fulfilled as a small business owner to be able to make a little income of my own. I started my own decorating business 2 years ago, with the hopes of making a go at that locally. I’ve done some local decorating consultations and love doing them, but the bulk of my business is now this blog.
There are other ways to advertise on blogs too. Google Ads has a program that anyone can join. You can sign up and start running those on your blog if you choose. Those are mostly dependent on how many visits you get for the most part, I think and I’ve just added one of those to my blog. I don’t expect to get rich off of any of them. You can choose the size, whether or not it’s a text ad or picture ad and just add it to your sidebar. You will need to send in Tax info on all of these, if you decide to join them.
There are also affiliate ads, which you can sign up for through sites like Commission Junction, for one. I don’t know a whole lot about affiliates, but I did try them a few times and didn’t see much happening, so stopped those. There is also a site called Juicebox Jungle, which some of my friends are using and happy with. There are SO many avenues out there, but these are the main ones I know about.
To break it down, here are my main tips on advertising. When to advertise, how to get started and all of that:
- My personal opinion is that you should wait until you’ve been blogging close to a year before you try to advertise. Unless your blog just explodes that first year, you’ll need the time to grow and learn the ropes. Again, just my personal opinion and what I did myself. I cringe when I see bloggers trying to get advertising when they are 3 months old.
- Don’t blog to make money. Again, that just will not work. Your readers will see right through that and won’t come back. I’ve been so fortunate to have my readers grow right along with me.
- Try out an ad network or your own personal ads and see how it goes. Don’t expect to get rich. You will not.
- Always keep your content first and foremost the most important thing. I blog more often than I used to, but it’s because I still have plenty to talk about. I really thought I’d run out of topics by now, but I still love decorating so much and home stuff so much that it hasn’t happened. I still have plenty to run my mouth about. 🙂
I really think it’s much harder now to grow a blog really big. There is just so much competition out there in each and every niche. But, if you’re true to yourself and visit and comment and are friendly and open, then that is my best tip on growing your blog. I just don’t think every blog is going to grow big. I’ve been very fortunate to see mine grow at the pace it has, but there are many blogs in my niche that are MUCH bigger than mine.
There are other ways to make money on a blog too. I do some online decorating consultations that I enjoy and that brings in a little income and I have also been fortunate to be a part of Open Sky, with my own online shop which has also been rewarding. (NOTE: Open Sky changed formats, so our shops are no longer open, I hope to get my own shop open soon!) So, it’s a combination of things that can be embarked on to make money from blogging. Again, it’s part-time income and not at all what I made when I was working in the Corporate world, but it’s a whole lot more rewarding.
I’m so fortunate that I get quite a lot of offers for book reviews and giveaways and anything that I think I will enjoy AND YOU will enjoy, I will take it on. I look at it this way. If I’m getting a perk, then I want to be able to pass it on to some of you who are so great to come by and support me. Being able to give out great prizes makes me happy for all of you who win too.
So, as long as all of you keep coming back to visit and support me, I’ll keep on passing on great books and giveaways too. Blogging has been such a great venue for me as a decor-aholic and I’ve enjoyed it tremendously and sharing it with ALL of you just makes it better than ever. If you stopped coming by, I would be so sad. I truly don’t care if my blog grows any bigger than it is now. I’m quite happy with where I am and honestly, I don’t know if I would want more to do or to keep up with. My schedule is pretty busy as it is and I don’t ever want the FUN to go out of blogging. It is a whole lot of fun for me!
I will tell you this too. As your blog grows, so does your busy life grow with it. If you aspire to have a bigger blog, be prepared to do the work on it to keep it that way. I spend as many hours at my computer as most of you do who have full-time jobs, but it is still very rewarding and enjoyable for me and that’s why I do it. I also think I’ve lost a few friends along the way. Many, many people who used to stop by and say hello in that beginning year or so simply have disappeared. I have no idea if some are still around or not, because I can only read my comments to see who stops by. So, as your blog grows, it just may cause some to lurk or leave? I’m not sure the reason, but I suspect it is time constraints, as blogging has just added more busyness to all our lives. I guess since I can’t keep up with so many of you, that the same thing happens with people commenting here too. I’m still working on that balance thing! 🙂
I have said over and over that the one thing that makes me sad is that I cannot connect with every single one of my readers on a regular basis. It is an impossibility, as much as I’d like that to happen. So, remember that too. The bigger your blog, the less personal contact you have with a lot of your readers. You just will not physically have the time to visit all of them, as much as you want to.
So, that’s why I blog and that’s why I advertise. Making some extra money is fun and doing what I love to do by working at home and making a little $$ is the best scenario.
As a blog grows and gets recognition, there’s a flip side to that too. There are one, maybe 2 negative and mean anonymous commenters who will not go away and just love to come by and leave me nasty-grams. They go right into a spam folder, so none of you read them, but it just amazes me that some girls have nothing better to do than hang out at a blog that from their very mean and hateful comments, they obviously despise everything I do and take the time to spend their energy on negative remarks. Thankfully, the MANY wonderful readers I do have that leave me fantastic comments, by far outweigh the negative ones. That’s what keeps me going! 🙂 Let’s see, 7000 subscribers vs. one MEAN and UGLY commenter. That’s a no-brainer! 🙂
This is a BIG thank you to all of you out there who never comment, but drop by and read what I’m up to. Lurkers, I would love to hear from ya’ll sometime!! Without all of your support, my blog would not be where it is and I truly do appreciate each and every one of you. Thanks for hanging out with me these last 3+ years. I just love ya’ll! It’s like having great friends all over the country.
So, now the question is: What do you think about advertising on blogs? I know I’ll get lots of answers and that is fine. Some will agree with it and some will not. Just be respectful in your comments, please!
Go here for my Top 10 Tips for New Bloggers.
Beach Bungalow says
Hi Rhoda!
Thank you, my dear! You’ve answered questions I never even knew to ask!
Up until now I was kind of feeling ‘in the dark’ about the whole subject. Great stuff!
Sue
Jen says
Rhoda,
Thanks for the wonderful information. I just started blogging, and I’m certainly just getting my feet wet. I love to decorate and do DIY things, which I plan to start blogging about soon, but for now, I’m certainly learning the ropes and finding my voice. This post helped so much!
Thanks.
Lacy says
Thanks for passing on all of your blogging knowledge. I started blogging in April and do it as an outlet to escape being a full time mom of 3 and a husband that offices out of our home! I needed something that seperated me from my normal life! I think it’s great that you can make money from blogging! I say go for it if you want to.. I am one of those little ole blogs that is there just for fun, but does shop those advertisers on blogs! Best of luck to everyone!
Sheila says
Rhoda, while I don’t advertise, I don’t mind it when my friends do. I’ve been approached, but I just don’t want to deal with an added layer of reponsibility. I might change my mind some day, but not now, though there is one advertiser who is very tempting because I like their products.
I blog for the sheer enjoyment, and since I go back a few years with you, I think you know I blogged long before I had my own blog. As a matter of fact, you were one of the key people who gave me the courage to try my hand at an actual blog. Remember walking me through things??? You and two other friends helped me SO much because I was clueless as to how to upload a picture or do anything. LOL! I’m still sort of clueless, but I do enjoy blogging.
I have gained some close friendships, and I wouldn’t trade them for anything. I am still hoping that you will get back here at some point so we can meet in person. I would love to have a luncheon for you.
The one thing I do miss about your blog is your blog roll. That’s how I found many of the blogs I follow, but I understand not being able to have that on your sidebar anymore. It would stretch to eternity! 😉
Love you, girl…
XO,
Sheila 🙂
Beth says
Such a great article! However, I so wish the formula for advertising of $1 per 1000 hits was relevant. I can’t seem to get anywhere NEAR that. This month, I’ve had around 60,000 hits and although I only charge $20/mth per ad, I’ve had to lower my prices to between$12-15 :(. I think with EVERYONE offering advertising it’s driven the price way down. Guess that is economics for you though :)!
ana @ iMadeItSo.com says
hi rhoda, thanks for sharing all you’ve learned along the way. i’ve been blogging for about 5 years now, but it was a private family blog, and only took my creative side of things “public” recently. it’s a different world out here, and you’re right, there has been such an explosion of blogs. exciting, overwhelming maybe? it’s nice when you come across a blog that sticks true to its content. i think consistency and passion for what you are writing about comes through, and overcomes whether you have ads or not. i currently don’t run any ads (though wordpress has decided to add the occasional one on there! i guess nothing is free 🙂 ) and i like it that way. i don’t see a problem with ads though, like i said, as long as the content is there, it’s worth it. thanks again for sharing your take on things. interesting to read…
~ ana
Kathy says
Thank you Rhonda for sharing this – I am a lurker occassional commenter who is pretty new to blogging – a lot I have learned has come from generous folks like you.
I am just as interested in your post as in the comments – seems to be split. Good info.
So appreciate you sharing your thoughts!
Looking forward to more!
Kathy
Judy @ A Meek Perspective says
Thanks for your insight into advertising. AND thank you for your comment on my blog recently. I am definitely one of the beginners and am still find my “voice”. I do love to refinish furniture and house projects, but with the extremely hot summer, I’m just not getting outside yet to do any painting and refinishing. (I saw where you live in Birmingham—I’m in Florence. The 100 degree heat is unbearable!). Sure, I would like my blog to grow, but I keep coming back to my true purpose — to keep our families and friends up to date with our lives. BTW, I found Richella from the Imparting Grace blog on your blog. We went to college together and had lost touch for 25 years! Thanks for your wonderful information and material.
Judy 🙂
Patti G says
I just know this for sure – I found a friend who is just like me in many ways that I would never have found had SHE not blogged.
You make me smile, think, and get my boodie in gear toward being more resourceful. In addition, the warm hug of friendship ties the
bow on the proverbial box.
blessings to you and for you, p
Candy says
Hi Rhoda, I’ve been a lurker for 2 1/2 years now. I hardly ever leave comments but I have emailed you several times and you email me back right away. I love your blog and your style but I hardly ever pay attention to the advertisers. I love seeing your pictures and hearing about life around Alabama. I appreciate all the time and effort you put into your blog and have discovered many other wonderful blogs from your blog, so keep up the good work. So many of us out here really appreciate you – oh and Roll Tide!!
Sharlotte says
Hi Rhoda,
I’m a follower and always enjoy your posts. I began blogging about a year ago and have decided not to advertise. My little blog is just a hobby… a fun place to go. I spend way too much time at my computer reading and learning, but I’m hooked. I love blogland.
Let me say too that it doesn’t bother me one bit when others advertise. I feel that it’s your personal blog to do what you want…it isn’t distracting, in fact it’s fun to visit those advertisments to see what others do support. As always, thanks for all the tips. I’ve loved learning from you and seeing all your transformations. For instance I just ordered beadboard wallpaper…can’t wait to try it out!
Sharlotte
Cathy says
Wonderful information, thanks so much for sharing your knowledge about your experiences. Like other commenters, I don’t really notice advertising…until I’m looking for something! Around Christmas shopping time usually! As a small business myself I am especially conscious of trying to patronise small women-owned, mom-owned businesses so I actively seek out those type of advertisers. The personalized jewelry always sucks me in! Thanks again!
erin @ little apartment on the prairie says
Hi Rhoda,
New blogger here (3 mo.). Thanks for this post, I appreciate it when those bloggers with established blogs reach out and share learnings.. there is so much to learn. What you say makes a lot of sense. I am having a blast with my blog, something that I am sure wouldn’t be happening if I felt the constraint of performing and marketing for advertisers at this point.
I love the connections that I’m making. What a blessing for me as a SAHM homeschooling mom (with a toddler). And PS, I’m a northern girl but I love your blog. Don’t let the hateful commentator get you down and push your buttons.
The Working Home Keeper says
Rhoda, thank you for taking the time to write this post. Very informative!
I guess I’m still on the fence about advertising. It seems like everybody is doing it. Which makes me wonder if I should be too. But there’s also a part of me that likes to do the opposite of the crowd! But I know those who have grown their blogs and do advertising put a lot of work into it. But in this season of my life, as a mother of 3 young kids and working full-time outside of the home, I don’t have the time or drive to devote to it.
As a blog reader, I don’t mind if someone advertises. I usually don’t click ads anyway. But one of my favorite blogs, doesn’t advertise at all by choice.
Mary Ellen
Julia @ Hooked on Houses says
Great post, Rhoda! I’m sure this will help a lot of newer bloggers. I get e-mails every week from people asking about advertising because they’re trying to figure out how to do it on their blogs. I’ll have to send them over here to read your post! 🙂
The main thing I stress to bloggers who are considering ads is that once you start taking them, blogging becomes a business instead of a hobby. Especially when you’re accepting private sponsors. If you have private sponsors, you owe it to them to post on a regular basis. No taking off for a couple of weeks because you’re busy or have nothing to talk about. The pressure is on to keep your stats up and send your sponsors some traffic.
For the first year I didn’t make a dime off my blog, but sometimes I miss those carefree days when I could write whatever, whenever I wanted to, and not worry about my stats or my sponsors or anything like that.
Your blog was one of the first I read as a new blogger, Rhoda, and I still love stopping by to see what you’re talking about each week. Thanks! 🙂
Rosie Broadway says
Rhoda,
I’ve never started a blog and wouldn’t know how to even begin one, but yours is the first one I come to each morning. I can count on you having something I love to read.
You are so giving by putting out information for those who want and need it. My wish is for you to make a MILLION !!!!
Rosie
Courtney says
If people can do it, I think it’s fabulous. I’ve thought about it, I just don’t really know how to get people to come. I’m still growing my blog, so I’m still a little hesitant. I only have 177 followers, who’s going to want to advertise with me!?
Kathy :) says
I don’t care that you advertise, I’ve been coming by for 3 1/2 years (has it really been that long wow) and will continue to come, I just really enjoy your blog..
Two things : when I get a wild hair I just pull it……and I need an Eleanor update !!!
Enjoy your day,
xo Kathy 🙂
Anita @ GoingALittleCoastal says
Thanks so much Rhoda. Wonderful post. I am no where near 20,000 hits so advertising is not in my near future! I sometimes wonder with the amount of bloggers now if I’ll ever get to that point. But the information is great. And while I don’t always comment, I do always read!
Linh C says
Hi Rhoda,
I read a lot of books and if I don’t like the way the book is written (“the voice” isn’t right), then I don’t bother continuing with it. There are too many books out there to read for enjoyment that I don’t want to waste my time. This is how I approach reading blogs as well. That’s why I LOVE and check for your posts every day. Your blog is informative, pictures are beautiful, easy to navigate, and most importantly, you write so well. Your posts are easy to read, you don’t include a bunch of cutesy things like emo-cons (they can become annoying), and you tell it like it is, but in a respectful and honest manner.
Thank you for the posts about blogging tips. Advertising is fine. I as the reader have the option to click on the ads or not. And, it’s just like reading magazines or newspapers.
By the way, I’ve yet to use the Thermacell mosquito lantern because it’s been so HOT and I just can’t bear to be outdoors.
Thanks again for blogging!
Linh