I was managing my MyBlogLog site and doing some “house cleaning” when I noticed a post from an appended “community”. What caught my attention was the posted response to another blog’s complain. If you’re confused what these two are squabbling about, hopefully, this may clear things up.
What the first blogger did was legal as a “dropper” with respect to the mechanics as stated by the advertising network provider. He availed of the facilities offered in order to increase “visit traffic” in his blog. But on moral ground, I believed this method is self-serving, unethical and devoid of civility. I find it somewhat “felonious” even, when someone tries to gain points and traffic at the expense of other blogs. This is one of two scenarios I’m trying to avoid and the basis of my reluctance in joining the ranks of bloggers who have gone “commercial”. The other situation is the sponsors.
I received quite a few emails requesting that I blog about this or that. Or put links on my post, thereby, redirecting readers to some sites I’m not even sure they’ll find agreeable. To some, I decline, stating I don’t write things I’m not familiar with, unrelated to me and my philosophy or does not concern OFWs in general. To others, I just politely tell that I don’t accept another form of service as payment in return for my write-ups.
Don’t get me wrong here. Let me make it clear that there is nothing wrong if you receive financial gain in blogging. It would be hypocritical of me if I won’t admit, I too would like to earn money from something I love doing. Who doesn’t? But I would like to do it my way and not how they want it done. The moment I hand over the reign and they dictate how I’m suppose to blog, that’s the time I’m no longer “blogging” for the joy of it. On the contrary, it will be like taking an extra job on the side. It will snuff the very essence and reason why I blog in the first place.
How I wish I’ll find advertisers who are willing to put ads on blogs because they believe its contents are meaningful, informative or interesting. And frequency of blog traffic is just a secondary factor, a statistical information which could be manipulated as shown above. But that would be wishful thinking… or maybe not.
Perhaps I’ll start by advertising myself first without stepping on someone else’s toes.
I agree with your sentiments, being an independent blogger with an independent mind, nobody should dictate or influence us of our decisions on who to link or who to be endorsed or whose ads to be posted. Let it be clear that we decide where proper credits must be bestowed upon. We will always run our blogs in our own unique way with honor and respect.
ReplyDeleteA blessed Saturday morning.
You made a good point. I also received requests to blog something that I'm not really sure about and just ignored it. Right now, I only maintain google adsense which is a commonality, this is to cover my domain and hosting fees. I just want to make sure that its positioning and colors blend with my layout to make them (less) annoying. =) Then recently, I accepted a request for 5 text link ads on travel and food stuff because these fit my interest.
ReplyDeleteTo put an ad or not depends on the purpose and representation of the blogger. But I must say that I really, really admire those blogs that are ad-free. =)
Pope, sana ganyan. but everybody has a price. I hope the price doesn't include our honor and respect.
ReplyDeleteMs.Jo, ganyan na ads ang gusto ko. Something that I can relate with. re:"I really, really admire those blogs that are ad-free". Masyado mo namang pinapataba ang puso ko! : )
I blog as a form of self-expression. I want to maintain my blog on my own terms and not subject to the dictates of a commercial concern. The only rules I abide to are the conditions set by Wordpress, my current blogging platform, and the rules of ethics and common decency.
ReplyDeleteLike everybody else, I love seeing people visit and comment on my site. I love the fact that they visit because they found something I wrote interests them. I would rather that that be the reason for their visit rather than to make money.
I have entrecard ads in my blog at Thoughtskoto, epro kahit kelan di ko naintindihan how it works, and I know marami na akong points. Sabi nila before it will help me sa mga pakontest ko. I am thinking to make THOUGHTSKOTO, just like KABLOGS and PEBA ad free sites.
ReplyDeletePero yung sa Thoughtskoto, yung adsense dun, yung earning namin na 100USD, dinonate namin sa BELIEVE INTERNATIONAL, pero it took more than a year to earn that amount.
Naisip ko lang, okay lang seguro kong merong ads pero wag naman yung tadtad na ng banner ang site. Plus iba yung nagbloblog ka galing sa puso, walang motive to earn, but rather to share. I love visiting sites na walang masyadong ads. And Me and Shiela notice na halos lahat ng winners ng 2008 PEBA ay yung walang masyadong ads. Galing ng mga judges! hehe
ay, pinapasyalan kita kasi may natututunan ako sa buhay sa disyerto. nalalaman ko rin ang sitwasyon ng mga kabayan natin diyan, kung ano ang sintemyento nila sa mga bagay-bagay. kahit may ads ka, babasahin kita. pero kung di ko na makita ang sinulat mo dahil sa dami ng ads, baka mawalan ako ng gana.
ReplyDeletemay manipis akong ad sense pero anak ng tokwa, di pa ako kumita kahit singko. di yata gumagana. haha.
Panaderos, my principle exactly! I hate it when somebody dictates or even suggest what I should do on my own blog. And for those who visits with intention other than reading, I wish they don't visit at all.
ReplyDeleteKenjie, mas maganda naman kasi tingnan ang blog na malinis at walang sangkatutak na banner na akala mo merong "fiesta".
atticus, pinapasyalan din kita lagi dahil sa mga sinusulat mo't comment na nakakatuwa at nakakapag-isip, almost irreverent. What caught my attention was your name, a character in one of my favorite novels - to kill a mockingbird.
if an ad is dictated then it is a big NO. the decision lies to the blogger if he or she will allow that. it is not just and fair anyway that a blogger who puts ads in her or his blog be pictured as a blogger who's blogging without honor or respect. i think that is way too judgmental. the least one can do is to help bloggers who fill their blogs with ads everywhere overwhelming the quality of the posts by politely saying that the ads are overwhelming. that simple.
ReplyDeletei am not saying this piece to create animosity but the important thing to consider when one decides to add ads on their blogs is like what wits and nuts said that the adsense for example has to blend with the layout and positioned strategically.
also, a blogger should avoid being a spammer. believe me, there are bloggers who aim to spam more than interact. that is how the whole thing becomes an abomination.
anu ba yung adS..he he he..di ko kasi alam yung mga ads ads..alam ko lang pards eds..ha ha ha.
ReplyDeleteseryoso pards,nakakagiliwan lang talaga natin ang mag-blog as personal.communication parin ang importante.marami narin email sakin ang nababasa ko tungkol dito,at hanggang ngayon di ko rin alam yung google ads...yung iba tinutulungan ko,kung pwede. pero kung medyo alanganin di ko ADS...
pero kung makakatulong ito sa personal blog.ok para sakin ang ADs. syempre ok na ok ang EDs.:)
bing, if you’re referring to “I believed this method is self-serving, unethical and devoid of civility” remark. I’m referring to the entrycard method that eventually leads to that incident between the two blogs that I linked. I have nothing against putting ads on blog as I stated clearly in my post. As for the previous comments, I review them too and found no statements that demean bloggers who put ads on their blog.
ReplyDeletebing, as for “honor and respect”, again, I’m referring to those two blogs I mentioned. I suggest that you visit them and judge for your self who among the two is lacking in “honor and respect”.
ReplyDelete“the least one can do is to help bloggers who fill their blogs with ads everywhere overwhelming the quality of the posts by politely saying that the ads are overwhelming. that simple.”
It’s not that simple. Remember, it’s their blog. It is the embodiment of who they are. They have every right to do with it as they please. Telling them how to manage their blog, may it be constructively or even in a polite manner is a no-no to me. The last thing I want is being told to keep my “unsolicited advice” to myself.
I hope I’m clear with this. It so happens that I hate the word “judgemental”.
May ganyan palang mga ads and promotion just to increase traffic of your blog, hmmm I just ignore those kinds of promotion din kahit nga walang nagbabasa ng blog ko ok lang hehehe basta I post my own blog. I admire your opinion on this and thanks for sharing di ko kasi alam may ganito talga pala hehehe (ignorant ba?). Namiss ko na ang mga posts mo, di bale babawi na lang uli.
ReplyDeleteay, blogusvox, ipinanganak akong walang respeto kaya irreverent ang blog ko at ang ilang mga nagku-comment doon. (kayo lang yata ni panaderos ang disente. haha!)
ReplyDeletesi atticus naman, paborito ko kasi iyong libro na to mock a killingbird. este, to kill a mockingbird. cool tatay si atticus. at dahil may hang-up ako sa tatay kong maagang namaalam, ginamit ko ang atticus.
tama na at baka maging teleserye ang kuwento ko eh hindi naman ako showbiz at di ko gusto ang mga linyang gaya ng "close lang kami."
ever, ads, eds, ids, ods, uds. Kahit paano mo bigkasin pards, basta puso ang gabay, keep on blogging. : )
ReplyDeleteSardz, kumusta na? Bakasyon ka pa rin ba?
atticus, ganoon ba. ako rin may hang-up sa tatay ko pero buhay pa sya. We're okay but we don't sit in the same place for a long time. Para bang sa isang pack, there could only be one "alpha".
ReplyDeleteSa novel, besides that peborit ko rin yung "Living Seagull si Jonathan Stone". : )
i ve been good in my tràffic, without àds.
ReplyDeleteOk nà sà àkin thàt i do whàt i like to my blog without thinking of àds.
the two, they wànted fights, i will just their spectàtor.
Cànt help them, they sort it out themselves, hehehe
hi, blogusvox. it's not about you. your post is fair and factual. i did not say you are judgmental. but then again it's the implication of the thoughts that can arise about the topic and it would be judgmental to think that blogs with ads are not blogging 'accordingly'.
ReplyDeleteanyway, i agree that it may not be easy to be telling other bloggers about the overwhelming ads but that could be done by the 'friend bloggers'. when i was new to blogging, there was an annoying badge in my blog that eats up a fairly large portion of the layout and one blogger suggested that i may remove that badge. i was hesitant at first because it looked good to me but they are the visitors to the blog so i gave in. :-)
different strokes for different folks but what peeves me are spammers and I'm glad Wordpress has a very efficient spam protection in Akismet.
ReplyDeleteLike you I just happen to blog just for fun :)
Francesca, makiki-uzi ka na lang ano. : D
ReplyDeletebing, thank you. I'm glad we cleared things up. And yes you're right about the "implication" that may arise if the reader haven't thoroughly digest what is being discussed.
bw, I'm not really into this "spam protection". I once have my comments put "on hold" because the software thinks its a spam.
great points here. i never tried reviewing things yet to earn money. but i do reviews which i just love doing.
ReplyDeleteusually travel books, travel magazines and travel related items. but i did received paid links as i consider them as small supports and i review their site before agreeing.
Believe me. I'm one of those who blog in hope that I get rich in blogging. Sadly, I don't know how.
ReplyDeleteAkala ko dati pag naglagay ako ng Google ads, kikita ako ng malaki. The truth is: it can't even generate a decent income to support my daily dose of Hope cigarette. Hehehe.
Marami palang nagiging conflict dito sa blogosphere. Kahit saan talaga... Sana ang pagba-blog ay siyang medium ng pagkakaisa...
ReplyDeleteHindi talaga ako totoong blogger, kahiya-hiya man, pero hindi ko alam kung ano ang EC o EC dropper! Whew! Basta ako nagba-blog. Huhmn, itatanong ko 'yan mamaya kay Pareng Google.
Uhmn... Okay. Now I know that there are really heaps of bloggers who blog to earn...
ReplyDeleteGanu'n ba talaga kalaki ang kinikita du'n para pag-awayan? Baka mas ayos na mag-drop nalang ako ng EC kaysa sa mag-alaga ng mga manok. Wala pa akong malalanghap na alikabok.
Kanya-kanya nga talagang dahilan kung bakit tayo nagba-blog.
Nebz, barya barya lang ang google adsense. Aabutin ka ng siyam-siyam bago makakabili ng isang stick na hope. : )
ReplyDeleteRJ, merong malalaki ang kinikita katulad ng mga bigtime "publishers" na bloggers. Barya lang kung ihahambing sa katulad ko.
uyy...i followed an incoming links on my dashboard and dito ako dinala sa gitnang silangan...akala ko sa paradise na.
ReplyDeleteanyway, salamat sa paglink sa aking blog bilang isang "resource link' para maging referee doon sa dalawang blogger na tinutumbok ng post mo...salamat ulit.