This is an ad free blog. Does that matter to you? Would you mind if AdSense showed up in my sidebar 
one day offering you the chance to purchase discounted spring bulbs or a free night in Vegas? I can see it now: Just under my banner for Mark Bertrand is a preview for Saw IV and right next to my Novel Journey widget is a discount on Cialis.
Okay, so I’m anal about this stuff. But as I’ve watched advertising slowly creep into the world of blogging, I’ve become more resistant to the thought. But why? We use buses as billboards, clothing for commercials. So why not pimp our blogs out for a few extra bucks? After all, many of us are wanting to write professionally. Well, why not start on the right track by introducing a few sponsors.
See, there I go, lapsing into sarcasm.
Of course, an author plugging their own books 
or banners touting links or products the blogger endorses is one thing. Heck, maybe one day I’ll have a book to sell and do so with a neon banner below my pic. It’s those impersonal ad boxes that serve only one purpose — to generate income — that get me. It’s like learning about the side effects of Viagra during The O’Reilly Factor, the absorbency of sanitary napkins after Oprah, or erectile dysfunction on ESPN. Just leave me alone!
All right, maybe it’s not that bad. There’s probably good arguments on both sides.
- Argument for ads: Why not make a little money off your blogging? The ads aren’t big, they don’t change what you want to say, and you can earn extra money.
- Argument against ads: They clutter your blog with products and services you do not necessarily recommend. Furthermore, ads give the appearance that your blog is less about your personal opinions and more about making money off your readers.
I told you I was anal. In the end, I guess it’s all a matter of personal preference. There’s nothing wrong with making a little extra money. Right? (In fact, my tax lady is wondering if that’ll ever really happen.) And no, I don’t boycott blogs with ads, I just try to avoid the flashing finger that says I’m the one-millionth visitor and lucky recipient of autographed undies from Brittney Spears. Anyway, I’m still haunted by the conviction that the moment I post a blogad on Decompose, I have somehow crossed to the dark side. But hey, if it pays enough, who cares if Darth is my sponsor?
(Uh, I don’t think Britney has any. Underwear, I mean.)
See, the key word is ignore. We’ve learned to ignore everything because of the bombardment–ads on buses, commercials (time to go to the bathroom, or, if you have Tivo, fastfoward), church bulletins.
I don’t have a problem with ads. I just don’t pay attn. Heck, how many of us even look at the sidebars anymore?
I tend to feel the same way as you. I don’t even have a stat counter on my blog, not that I think there’s anything wrong with having one. I just don’t want to start obsessing over how many people visit it. And I certainly don’t want anyone who does visit to feel like I’m exploiting them, which is sort of the vibe I get from ads.
As it is, my blog places me under no pressure of any kind. I update when I want to and talk about whatever. I love comments, of course. Who doesn’t? But, if I only get two comments on a post, then for all I know, only two people read it. So, it’s more like a chat with friends in my living room, and that works for me.
I guess it boils down to a person’s reason for blogging. If it’s to sell something, then I admire their being upfront about that. The internet is a great resource, and it’s free. People would be crazy not to use it to promote their books or other products. And I’m sure when I have a book to sell, I will announce it on my blog! 🙂
Heather, I think one of the reasons that ads get louder, slicker, and more obnoxious is because of our impulse to ignore them. But I feel slighted that you ignore my sidebar. Jeanne, I’ve always appreciated your attitude about your blog. Me? I obsess over the thing. I can respect that someone is trying to make money off their writing pursuits. My problem is when the ads are diametrically opposed to the authors whose site they appear on.