There are many, many people who make money from their blog by offering to advertise for others on it. Making money from advertising is the main form of revenue for bloggers, and a big reason why so many people rush into blogging in the first place. But before you rush out to slap some advertising on your blog think about the pros and cons of hosting ads in the first place.
If you have been operating a business blog for a lengthy period of time and are not offering any form of advertising you may be questioning if it would be a good option for you. I’m going to cut straight to the point and say that 99% of the time you should definitely NOT post advertisements on your blog. Let me explain why.
Yes, when you place advertisements on your blog you will gain another source of revenue. The three main ways you get paid from placing ads are by hosting them for a certain amount of time, by the impression count or by getting paid for every “click” they produce. Many people are making have turned their blogs into a lucrative business through advertising, but that really shouldn’t be your goal in business blogging.
What happens when a visitor clicks on an ad on a blog? They immediately exit your blog and are taken to another website. This action is contrary to what your goal in business blogging is. You don’t want people leaving your site to go to another one unless it is your main business site! When you place 3rd party ads on your site you are actually promoting the idea that your visitors should go somewhere else.
Don’t send your visitors away!
When you set up a blog to help promote your business, you want that blog to help funnel traffic to your main site. Your blog should be focused on your business and on topics related to it. Most people will arrive to your blog from a search engine, so it is important to provide them with your relevant information that will ultimately (hopefully!) direct them to your main site.
Advertisements on your blog, unless they are for your main site, hinder this progress. They distract from the message you are promoting and can cause the minds of your audience to wander. It is best to keep your visitors focused on what you are offering and not on what someone else is offering.
Eventually, if your blog traffic grows to a significant amount, you may be tempted to offer 3rd party advertising. Even if your ads are for non-competing sites I would still generally recommend to not give in to this temptation. The extra revenue is nice, but the side effects of blog advertising are just too detrimental to why you started blogging for your business in the first place.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
This is a question I’ve often pondered. And always, I decide against advertising. Funnily enough, my main reason ISN’T the fact that I’d be sending traffic away.
For me, the big reason is a little more subtle. I don’t want prospective clients seeing the ads and assuming I NEED to supplement my service income with ad revenue. That would undermine the perceived quality of my service, and the resultant loss in income could far outweigh any increase from the ads.
Glenn Murray’s last blog post..The Law of Preferential Attachment and the Future of SEO
I advertise on my business blog.
I personally think if you do it a subtle manner, then it;’s fine.
If you have huge red, flashing, skyscrapers, then you’re a bit of a dill.
- Paul.
Paul Warren’s last blog post..Warcom is Back – Bigger and Better!
@Glen You make a very valid point about the perception of supplementing income with advertising. This is another facet of advertising that is not often looked at.
@Paul I agree with the idea of subtle advertising. The “huge flashing” ads tell a story that I don’t think a business blogger should be telling!
@Glenn: Great thoughts on the matter.
@All: I would definitely be careful with regards to advertising then …
willowdan’s last blog post..Internet Promotions Centers