Am I really that naive?
Although I only started this blog in November, it has quickly become a favorite part of my day....when I get the opportunity to sit down and get a few things off of my shockingly small chest. While my writings and musings may not be on the same level as William F. Buckley (R.I.P), reading the comments from you guys and being granted a peek in to your world by reading your blogs has given me a welcome break from scooping shit out of the bathtub and cleaning microfine glitter out of the heat vents before a gust of air scatters it all over the kitchen (I'll give you two guesses what my morning included). And as much as I love my husband, he usually won't agree with me that the neighbor needs to be killed for not washing my Tupperware before returning it (or that he needs to be killed for lifting the crockpot lid)
When I first started blogging, I knew little to nothing about the blogging world outside Drudge, Huffington and Andrew Sullivan. I really stuck to "tag surfing" through Wordpress (those of you who have Wordpress know the wonderfulness that is tag surfing!). After about a month, my world expanded and I saw how many "mommy bloggers" included ads. But these people all seemed to be self-hosted or were hosted by other companies that either charged for their basic service or the women had really kick-ass templates that they had to pay extra in order to have. Honestly? I thought that those ads were there because the women were just hoping to get enough clicks to offset their monthly fees.
But lately I have been seeing more and more of my favorite bloggers upset that they aren't making enough money through their blogs.
Maybe I just don't get it. When Brad found out about this blog, he wanted to know how it was going to make us money. I told him that it was either this or I was going to need something else to occupy my time....like shoe shopping. And since I am typing this instead of out buying shoes, it HAS made us money (Welcome to "Mindi-logic"). I threw a link to my woefully non-updated jewelry website on the sidebar and figured maybe one day someone would buy something (please? pretty please? then I could blog AND go shoe shopping!), but that wasn't the purpose of this blog.
And let me be perfectly clear - I'm not trying to say anything derogatory about those that do blog in order to make money. It's just that my understanding of blogging was that it was more like MySpace and Facebook (on which I FINALLY got poked, thankyouverymuch)....that it was more about the "social aspect" than anything else. Now I know differently. It's like the day that my sister told me to point my sons penis up in the diaper so they wouldn't leak through as often....my eyes have been opened.
So why do you blog? To make friends? For adult conversations? To make money? Why did you start yours? And if you thought you could make money with the ads, would you (and why or why not?)?
Patty McVamperson
Although I do not own a blog of my own (because I just don't have the time to upkeep and if I did, wouldn't have time for anyone else's!) That being said, I never really felt that if I did it would be to "make money"; honestly not to be a copycat, but it would have been more for the social aspect and for brain-stimulating adult conversation. I enjoy your blog because you have a great sense of humor about life, no matter what it throws at you. That coupled with I like you as a person and I like your jewelry too is a winning match! 😉
Accountable
Add me on facebook! I'll even SUPER POKE you. 🙂
Accountable
Oh... I started my blog to hold myself Accountable (hence my name) to exercising. Then I NaBloPoMo'ed in November and now I blog about whatever.
Rhonda
Hey you are on FACEBOOK? I will try to find you 🙂
I started my blog just as a diary of sorts. I would always read Dooce and The Reign Of Ellen and figured hey, I could do that! So I did.
I don't have as many readers as I would like, no, and that is okay. I was pretty popular when I first started, had a little trouble in my life, went on some meds, and just lost my creativity in a way. I used to be a great writer and I just don't know what happened.
Oh well. I blog for me 🙂
High Hopes
I blog just for the fun of it. It's cool to read other people's stuff and peak into their lives. I often wonder why some people think they have to make money at everything they do. Why can't people just do it for fun?
Tiffani
I started mine to keep up with family. I have family all over the untied states. And i was always answering the same emails over and over about how we are doing and questions about the kids.I had another friend that had a blog so friends and family could keep up. So, i started doing it too. And as a diary for me and my kids to look back on one day. That is why i blog. Then a friend introduced me to all the other blogs out there and i have quickly filled up my reader. 🙂 I don't think i would make any money even if i did have adds. so, I have never added them on there.
Pammy Girl
I was given a choice in one of my grad school classes: write a 20-page paper on an emerging technology or start a blog. Like there was any choice as to what I'd do. I let it die for a while but picked it back up a year ago as a way to vent my frustrations and keep other updated with my life so I don't have to call or email them as much. Blogging also gives me the opportunity to share and laugh with total strangers.
I'm a writer by trade and like all great writers of their time, am currently unemployed. Would I like to make money via my blog? You bet! Am I counting on it? Hardly.
Maria [Immoral Matriarch]
My blog is for me. It's my cathartic journal. I love it. I talk to people, without really talking to people. I've always been able to get things out better in writing. So I love it.
I *hate* blogs that consist only of PPPs. But I don't mind sidebar ads because I never, ever see them. I have the AdBlock Plus addon for Firefox. 🙂
I will blogher ads once I hit my three month mark and apply for parenting federation and the likes when I'm able, but I'll never post for pay. Ever. If I like something, I'll totally go ahead and post about it - but never for money.
Daisy
Wow - okay. A few things. First, I would poke you on Facebook but I am a total newb and have NO IDEA what that means. I am afraid to poke anyone for fear I may be slapped. Hard.
Next - I am thrilled to know that checking my blog is potentially an improvement over scooping shit out of the bathrub. SOunds like a tag-line to me... TTMMS. Better than Scooping Shit out of the Bathtub. Usually.
I blog so that I can have the idea that someone is actually listening when I talk. Shhhhhh... don't spoil the illusion. Let me have my fun.
I don't mind ads on blogs as long as they are related, look consistent with the template and are subtle - oh yeah - and no movement. I loathe movement on the page. I am not thrilled with people whining about not making money on their blog. It makes me feel like I am being duped into participating in their financial experiment. I am totally cool with people having some ads, but don't whine if you aren't making "enough" money. It seems so - gauche. Does that make any sense???
Allison
I blog as a creative outlet...it helps balance out my right-side-brain day job. Sometimes it even feels like a therapeutic opportunity to vent (e.g., no TP left in office bathroom). I also enjoy reading other people's blogs...it's kind of like peeking into somebody's diary any time I want (and they don't seem to mind.)
Ads on pages irritate me. To me, this is for fun and not money.
Rebecca
I blog for fun, I like to think I amuse people. Plus I enjoy typing things- you can look and sound busy while still pissing time away.