Sunday, June 17, 2012

Is anyone making money on blog ads?

I've resisted putting blog ads here, because it seems like it might annoy my gentle readers.   The fact that you don't have much control over who advertises is another downside.   TerriLiGunn found that something had crawled out from under a rock to put an ad over there.

I also remember all the ads about "Is your husband gay?" over at Tam's.  I doubt that she selected that one off of a candidate advert list.

But I know that some of all y'all have ads.  Not to pry or anything, but is the take enough to "replenish the ammo fund", to top off the firearm fund for the next Buy A Gun Day sweetie", or "retiring to the Manor house"?

Just wondering.

21 comments:

Alan said...

I've always thought ads weren't worth it for several reasons.

1. It's a hobby, and once I start making money off a hobby it becomes work and it's not fun any more.

2. IRS Schedule C. BTDT, don't want to again.

3. It compromises integrity. The myth of the wall between ad sales and editorial is just a myth. Especially when they're both you.

4. Unless you have millions of visits a day, it's probably not going to make you enough to counteract all of the above.

ZerCool said...

I ran google ads for a bit and made bupkis. Literally, about $0.17 in the course of six months, which they never paid me because it wasn't anywhere near the payment threshold.

I did take an ad from Sportsmans Guide when they were doing some SEO stuff; they paid me CAD$120 for a one-year link (no graphic, just a text link) in the sidebar. I would consider doing so again if someone offered, but probably not.

Borepatch said...

That's what I had thought, but you do see people run 'em.

SiGraybeard said...

I'm with Alan. My own policy is that as long as I have a day job, I'll blog for free. If I get laid off or sent to retirement, I'll need the time trying to make money too much to blog.

On the other hand, didn't you get some free ammo to evaluate from someone? Or a holster? I don't think you'll get a better return than that from any ads.

ZerCool said...

Some money is better than no money, at least in theory... but I don't have the readership to make it worth it, I hate what it does to my page layout, and ... I'm cantankerous.

Also, things like AdBlockPro are becoming more and more prevalent...

Ruth said...

Via Google Ads? Nope, same experience as Zercool, not worth it.

Sponsered ads, like the Sportsmans guide one? Maybe? It would be easy money to toss the add on the side bar for X period of time. But it would depend on what it was....

KurtP said...

Between my FireFox 13.?? and Ghostery I don't even see most ads.
If I go into my blogroll with Explorer, I see what I'm (not) missing on a lot of blogs.

Z@X said...

The ads on my site are my choice, for free, and only to support businesses off friends or to support some cause that I believe in.

Broken Andy said...

Everything Alan said plus this: if you post any content that is not yours or for which you do not have rights (say, pictures), you've given the content owner the ability to say you are attempting to make money off their work. And while the probability for that happening may not be high, the aggravation caused by such an event is certainly gonna wipe out any money you might make and them some.

Anonymous said...

As a blog reader I use a couple ad blockers, so I don't see most ads. If a blog I visit has ads I ignore them, just like I ignore TV commercials.

I know what I like, I know what I need, I know what I want. If you have anything that fits those categories I can find you with a couple mouse clicks. If you try to find me I will not only ignore you, if you make my phone ring or stuff my mailbox I have a box of Super-Sized Disrespect And Abuse just waiting. And I enjoy sharing it.

drjim said...

Not worth the hassle. I get *maybe* 60~80 hits per day so I wouldn't even get pocket change out of it.
I got a free 50 rd can of Fiocchi "Canned Heat" from Bulk Ammo in exchange for a review on it, but that's the extent of my "fortune made by blogging".
The information I learn, and the friends I've made, are priceless, though!

ambisinistral said...

I run an old school blog -- I don't even have a tip jar.

Broken Andy raises a good point. I try to be careful with copyright, I've even emailed photographers for permission now and again. Still, I've seen Tiny Eye searches in my traffic logs and with a stroke of bad luck some dick could end up hassling me over copyright. If you're making no profit you problems from that sort of stuff drops considerably.

Unknown said...

as a simple reader, my take might be different. I don't even see the ads generally because I'm reading posts and ignore the sales job. I don't know if a reader needs to click an ad or not for you to make some scratch but in my case I almost never have responded to an ad. I read Tam (doesn't everyone) but never saw the gay husband ads fwiw.

Home on the Range said...

I've not tried it. I can earn more in an hour than most of the ads make in a month according to folks I know that have them. And some of them are just creepy.

On a plus note, just came from the Chicagoland Half Priced Books and all the the copies of Obamas book in the $1 bargain basement shelf were moved from non fiction to fiction.

Ed Skinner said...

No ads at the new place. The thought of whoring my words to make a buck never crosses my mind now. I like that much better.

Strangely, I put big notices at the old site that I had moved, that everything had been copied to the new site so folks should just go to the new place for old and new from now on -- that was ten months ago. And I just got a $100 check from GoogleAds at the old place. Who'se clickin' on stuff over there? WTF?

$100 a year doesn't buy much ammo. Nuts!

Borepatch said...

Brigid, you get enough traffic that you'd plausibly make some coin - certainly more than I would.

This more or less confirms what I thought. No sense putting ads up, certainly not with Google.

Charles Lee Scudder said...

Not really worth it but I'm a penny pincher so every penny counts.

doubletrouble said...

I'm drinking beer.

Brock Townsend said...

Between my FireFox 13.?? and Ghostery I don't even see most ads.


Right on, Kurt.

Jennifer said...

Google Ads are not worth it, in my experience. I make enough from my ads to cover my hosting and url renewals. It also allowed me a little more wiggle room in last year's Christmas budget. It's not enough that I would ever feel guilty if I decided to walk away from it tomorrow. I do not sign agreements that I can't walk away from.
I don't publish ads from everyone that asks. There are plenty that I never ever respond to. In the end, it's really a personal thing. I publish ads because that way, the silly thing pays for itself. It doesn't cost me to dump whatever mental baggage I happen to be wrestling with. From time to time, my ramblings buy me lunch or something shiny. I would happily provide you with my traffic numbers if that would help in your decision. Whatever you decide, I support it.

NotClauswitz said...

Betweeen Firefox (Waterfox 11.) and AdBlock I just never see ads, am I missing some fun?
I have links back to the NRA and SAF and the Rendezvous - and to Brownell's and a couple commercial sites, but they don't generate any money for me - it's all on whimsy and convenience. Some/most are like a Gunblogger "badges" (NRA, SAF, Gun-Up) - and there are some that I just got tired of and removed...