I'm looking for some thoughts on blogs who use the affiliate programs to advertise. Is this is turn off? Does anyone really care if there are advertisers on Blogs? Does this really work? Does it look tacky?
Looking for any and all thoughts on this.
Let's assume that the retailers being advertised have something to do with the nature of the blog. ie advertising BH Photo on a blog about photography.
Thanks!
Posted by David Rogers on April 17, 2010 at 4:01 PM
I find them to be a bit more of a waste of time. But, that is just my opinion.
If the blog is quite popular then the links may have a chance to produce more than just a handful of dollars. The only ones I see as being beneficial are those where you are blogging on a specific item (for example, a new light, backdrop, clamp, etc.), and the blog provides a direct link to that item (with the affiliate information in the link of course). That way, the blogger can better target the viewers interest to a link to buy/get more information.
Also, it depends on what the blogger is trying to do. Targeting other photogs with a link to B&H? I personally do not click on any links to places like B&H - simply because I am not needing anything at the time. And when I do I do not hunt for another person's link.
Now, here at NP the affiliate links are actually useful - I could support NP with a purchase from B&H, and there are a lot of NP members to make it (hopefully) earn more than a few dollars.
I had only used BH as an example. My blog is more about our adventures with adopting a couple of wild mustangs from a herd that I have followed and photographed. I have a link to my blog on a very popular blog about wild horses, so I do get a LOT of traffic to my blog. I would probably advertise some place like Rod's Western Palace, Back in the Saddle, Parelli, or some other horse related site that I currently purchase from myself.
Thanks!
Do you think it turns people off to see advertising on Blogs?
Posted by David Rogers on April 17, 2010 at 7:52 PM
IMO - ads related to what you are doing/issues you are discussing, etc. are fine. I personally find banner ads for unrelated junk to be an real annoyance. I personally just do not click on ads on websites very often. Now, if I am on a site on horses, and there is an add/reference to a riding store I might click to see if there is stuff for my daughter ( who has found riding horses to be a lot of fun).
You can always do it / add them and see what happens.
I may try it out and see how it goes. I can always take the ads off.
Thank you for all of your input on this.
Does your daughter have a horse? How old is she? Horses can be quite addicting! But they are amazing.
Posted by Drew Fulton on April 17, 2010 at 9:41 PM
Deb,
I think that Blogs can be a decent source of revenue and there are definately several ways to go about it. Personally, I don't believe stuff like Google Ads are going to make much cash unless you are talking about tens of thousands of hits. Those are a numbers game.
What I think would be much better for both you, your potential advertisers, and your readers, is a much more targeted effect. Basically, set aside a few banner locations or other ad spots on your site and simply sell the space. Think more along the magazine advertising world. Charge a flat monthly fee to your advertisers and then you know exactly what that income will be and what the ads will be.
Something like B&H's affiliate program means that you've got to have people that by something directly from your link. Not always easy. I have an account with Amazon so when I review a book or other item, I can link directly to it and if someone purchases it then I get a few percentage points. So far, I haven't had a single sale. I haven't built the traffic I want either but it is slowly gaining.
One affiliate style program that can be good and is seen a ton in the blogs aimed at making money online, is people promoting a product or service in their blog and then getting a commission from any sale. This is a big part of that world, but I don't see it working with high dollar items like cameras. Sure, small items in the $20-$100 range people may buy on a whim but no one is going to buy a $5,000 camera just because of one great blog post.
I know you are thinking less of camera/photo oriented stuff but thats just where most of my thinking has been on this subject.
Good luck!
Posted by David Rogers on April 18, 2010 at 8:58 AM
Deb said:
Does your daughter have a horse? How old is she? Horses can be quite addicting! But they are amazing.
No horse (yet). She's almost 9 - so she has moved from "princess lover" to "horse lover". She's still the beginner - just starting trot. Her best friend, however, has parents with significant resources and have purchased many horses. So - I get the the weekly question as to why we don't have our own horses.
Speaking from the standpoint of someone without a blog, I have to say that I completely ignore ads.
Make as much money on them as you can, but beware: Too much flashy, bouncy obnoxious crap and I'm off to another site. And since I'm on a slow dialup, the more laden the ads with special effects, the less likely I am to get past the ad loading to see what you have to offer. The ads load first, and I'm just not going to sit through an interminable process. Wouldn't matter if you were Ansel Adams reborn and giving away free prints.
I changed my host at one point from WordPress to Blogger, because WordPress wouldn't allow advertising on their hosted blogs. Mistake. I find Wordpress to be a better platform for my photoblog design (though I use Blogger for several business blogs). I have had both Google Adsense and an Amazon Bookstore for over a year. Not a dime of click-through revenue. I went back to WordPress. I think a lot of the ads benefit the advertiser (think of the amount of constant exposure when you see this stuff on blog after blog after blog) and little if any benefit to the Blogger.
Discussion
8 repliesLooking for any and all thoughts on this.
Let's assume that the retailers being advertised have something to do with the nature of the blog. ie advertising BH Photo on a blog about photography.
Thanks!
If the blog is quite popular then the links may have a chance to produce more than just a handful of dollars. The only ones I see as being beneficial are those where you are blogging on a specific item (for example, a new light, backdrop, clamp, etc.), and the blog provides a direct link to that item (with the affiliate information in the link of course). That way, the blogger can better target the viewers interest to a link to buy/get more information.
Also, it depends on what the blogger is trying to do. Targeting other photogs with a link to B&H? I personally do not click on any links to places like B&H - simply because I am not needing anything at the time. And when I do I do not hunt for another person's link.
Now, here at NP the affiliate links are actually useful - I could support NP with a purchase from B&H, and there are a lot of NP members to make it (hopefully) earn more than a few dollars.
I had only used BH as an example. My blog is more about our adventures with adopting a couple of wild mustangs from a herd that I have followed and photographed. I have a link to my blog on a very popular blog about wild horses, so I do get a LOT of traffic to my blog. I would probably advertise some place like Rod's Western Palace, Back in the Saddle, Parelli, or some other horse related site that I currently purchase from myself.
Thanks!
Do you think it turns people off to see advertising on Blogs?
You can always do it / add them and see what happens.
Thank you for all of your input on this.
Does your daughter have a horse? How old is she? Horses can be quite addicting!
I think that Blogs can be a decent source of revenue and there are definately several ways to go about it. Personally, I don't believe stuff like Google Ads are going to make much cash unless you are talking about tens of thousands of hits. Those are a numbers game.
What I think would be much better for both you, your potential advertisers, and your readers, is a much more targeted effect. Basically, set aside a few banner locations or other ad spots on your site and simply sell the space. Think more along the magazine advertising world. Charge a flat monthly fee to your advertisers and then you know exactly what that income will be and what the ads will be.
Something like B&H's affiliate program means that you've got to have people that by something directly from your link. Not always easy. I have an account with Amazon so when I review a book or other item, I can link directly to it and if someone purchases it then I get a few percentage points. So far, I haven't had a single sale. I haven't built the traffic I want either but it is slowly gaining.
One affiliate style program that can be good and is seen a ton in the blogs aimed at making money online, is people promoting a product or service in their blog and then getting a commission from any sale. This is a big part of that world, but I don't see it working with high dollar items like cameras. Sure, small items in the $20-$100 range people may buy on a whim but no one is going to buy a $5,000 camera just because of one great blog post.
I know you are thinking less of camera/photo oriented stuff but thats just where most of my thinking has been on this subject.
Good luck!
No horse (yet). She's almost 9 - so she has moved from "princess lover" to "horse lover". She's still the beginner - just starting trot. Her best friend, however, has parents with significant resources and have purchased many horses. So - I get the the weekly question as to why we don't have our own horses.
Make as much money on them as you can, but beware: Too much flashy, bouncy obnoxious crap and I'm off to another site. And since I'm on a slow dialup, the more laden the ads with special effects, the less likely I am to get past the ad loading to see what you have to offer. The ads load first, and I'm just not going to sit through an interminable process. Wouldn't matter if you were Ansel Adams reborn and giving away free prints.