Comments on: A different sort of mess

By: Jardley

Jardley — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:15:09 +0000

I really like this post, I’m in the process of contemplating my own art website and blog and this tidbit on advertising is really helpful to know beforehand. I agree that it really does spoil the integrity of the art and distracts from the reason why people go on the site or stumble upon it. Great post, I love your writing.

By: Kirsty

Kirsty — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:41:31 +0000

Hi Ann, Unfortunately I know very little about how Digg works because I never got into it. I’ve been meaning to write some posts about social networking for months but it’s such a huge topic that I feel quite daunted.

In relation to making money from blogs, I think it’s different if you set out to be a commercial space. Like I say, I don’t have a problem with people choosing to do that, although I do prefer not to be assaulted by too many ads. I’m intrigued by your new plans, I read One Bag Nation regularly (it’s one of my favourite non-art blogs actually), so I’m sure that I’ll hear about it when they come to fruition.

By: Kirsty

Kirsty — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:35:47 +0000

Hi Daniel - I totally agree. If I decide to be a hooker, you can bet I’d want to charge a lot more than most advertisers are probably offering!

By: Ann at One Bag Nation

Ann at One Bag Nation — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 20:49:47 +0000

Hi Kirsty,
I’ve been getting some strange emails about links, and “friends” and “fans” from Digg, etc. I hardly know how the social networking sites work, so I mostly just ignore all that.

I don’t intend to “monetize” One Bag Nation, but I am planning another blog that I hope will make a bit of cash. But I’m thinking of it as a small business, which is a very different mindset.

I wouldn’t miss “monetize” if s/he disappeared under mysterious circumstances . . .

By: Daniel Sroka

Daniel Sroka — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:23:51 +0000

Ah, I got hit by a similar email yesterday as well. While random advertisements may work for some kinds of sites, I don’t think the work for artists sites. My issue with them is that they add content to my site that I have no (or little) control over. Since these ads are usually keyword driven, they put my art into a new, unintended context. My photography uses a lot of natural objects I find in my yard, so would my art suddenly be sitting next to ads for lawn fertilizer. Very avant garde, perhaps, but not my style.

Another problem is purely business. Advertisers who pursue you usually pay very very little, like $25 a month. Sorry, but that real estate on my site is worth a heck of a lot more!