When Successful Bloggers Try To (Gasp) Make Money
“Remember when your posts used to be good? I’m sorely disappointed with this blog now, Leo. I used to look forward to reading your posts, but no longer.”
“Me too…. Your Main Story/Post is actually just an advertisement for something you’re selling. Thats [not] very Zen. You are just posting one thing a week recently, and now you are starting to post advertisements for stuff you’re selling. It is a downward spiral.”
“This blog has basically become a money-making machine for you, Leo. How much commission are you getting for sales of this ebook through this website? You have lost ALL credibility with me. I am SO done with this website.”
So, Leo over at Zen Habits is branching out into the lucrative ebook business. His last few posts were indeed a little different than his usual “50 tips for making your life better the Zen way” article template. First he announced his new ebook venture, then published an entire post dedicated to promoting another blogger’s ebook.
But I have to wonder: does the man NOT have a right to try and leverage his huge influence (over 50,000 subscribers), influence that he gained thanks to his talent (and yes, some luck too), to make money? Should he NOT make the most of this exciting time in his life and provide for his family?
People WANT to make money. Wanting to make money shouldn’t be something to be ashamed of. Perhaps Zen monks are the exception to this universal tendency to WANT MONEY, but Mr. Babauta is not a Zen monk. He is an American. He has six children. SIX! He has every right to turn his popularity into profits.
We want money because it means freedom. Money doesn’t make anyone happy, or better, but being financially secure enables you to do what you WANT to do with this short, short life. And who wouldn’t want to secure the financial future of their children?
You can be smart, and talented, and believe in Zen principles AND aspire for financial freedom. If I had his audience, you bet that I would leverage that to make me some money.
Having said that. Perhaps it would look better if Mr. Babauta either spaced his product pitches a little more, or - alternatively - if he were more candid with his readers, telling them that YES, he wants to provide for his family and there’s nothing wrong with that. The site will still feature valuable, helpful content, but - in addition to that - there WILL be promotion of products that he tested and liked, and yes, promoting them would help him make a nice living. WHAT’S SO WRONG WITH THAT.
These high-profile bloggers are straightforward about wanting to make money, and viewing their blog as part of their business: The Simple Dollar, Moolanomy, Problogger, Caroline Middlebrook, and IttyBiz.
Photo credit: DouG!!
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Tim Brownson responds:
Posted: June 5th, 2008 at 10:16 am →
My guess is that the people that throw up their hands in mock outrage don’t realize how long it can take to put a halfway coherent and interesting blog together. Leo has probably worked his tits off to get where he has and I have first hand knowledge of knowing he’s a good guy and not just in it for the money.
Like yourself, I would use 50k readers to make my life more easy. A bloody house cleaner would be top of my Bacchananial pleasure list.
Tim Brownson’s last blog post..Who Are You Today?
Andre Kibbe responds:
Posted: June 5th, 2008 at 10:31 am →
I used to find advertising on blogs distasteful. Then I read something by Yaro Starak comparing a blog to a magazine, and that suddenly reframed how I perceived them. Ebook publishing is going through a similar resistance phase. Over time, people will adapt to paying for them if, in the classic free market fashion, they provide more value than searching out and sifting through free content on the web.
Leo’s subscription numbers don’t seem to be affected by the highly vocal minority feigning indignation over his “selling out.” Most people understand that “making money online” is just that — making money, not making riches or exploiting readers.
Andre Kibbe’s last blog post..Spaced Repetition with SuperMemo for Palm
Ann responds:
Posted: June 5th, 2008 at 11:38 am →
I think Leo has a unique connection to his readers and has been seen as “one of us” - a regular guy. Now that he’s hanging out with the cool kids, he’s a bit harder to relate to (I’m speculating, since I haven’t been a regular follower). You certainly can’t blame him for leveraging his hard work into prosperity, but I do understand that how his long-time devotees might be feeling.
Ann’s last blog post..Decluttering by Donating to Charity
Marelisa responds:
Posted: June 5th, 2008 at 12:05 pm →
There’s nothing wrong with money or with wanting to make money. With money you can travel, buy books, provide a great education for your kids, and so on. I understand that Leo’s business is the zenhabits blog, and I think that he has every right to leverage the blog to make money. I think the problem he’s having is threefold. One, the type of audience that Leo’s blog attracts basically values frugality (by advertisting, selling e-books, and so on, they now feel like he’s selling out). Two, Leo has been posting a lot less than he did before. First he was running a marathon, then he was under the weather (which of course, no one can blame him for), then he was under a deadline for his book, then he was training for a triathlon, and so on. I think that makes his readers fell neglected. And three, I think he’s going about it the wrong way. Maybe he could have written a post related to the topic of the e-book and at the end added something like, “by the way, if you want more information on this, here’s a great e-book I recommend” (instead of writing an entire post that was basically one long advertisement).
Marelisa’s last blog post..Tap Into the Power of the Magician
Becky responds:
Posted: June 5th, 2008 at 12:16 pm →
I guess I’m not certain HOW I feel about this. I don’t read the guy, and I certainly don’t object to people having ads or a DONATE button on their site. When the actual content only reflects plugs and promos, tho, I tend to get a little annoyed. I know that you read that post I wrote about it.
Chris responds:
Posted: June 5th, 2008 at 12:37 pm →
I’m conflicted with this one because I’m also a fan of Leo but at the same time I understand where he is comming from since I too have a big family. Perhaps it’s the way he is going about this whole thing. Nevertheless, I still love the guy and I will continue to support his blog.
Hey, a guy needs to make a living, right?
KEEP AT IT LEO!
Chris’s last blog post..Prom Night
Sarah responds:
Posted: June 5th, 2008 at 12:45 pm →
Gee whiz, 6 kids? I’d be mad at him if he didn’t TRY to make a little money off his blog!
MomGrind responds:
Posted: June 5th, 2008 at 2:03 pm →
@ Tim: “he’s a good guy and not just in it for the money” – exactly. You can want to make money and still be sincere. It doesn’t have to be a choice.
@ Andre: comparing blogs to magazines – that’s an interesting thought. It’s true that it’s just a highly vocal minority over there. So far Leo is ignoring them – I am curious to know if he is going to address the issue on his blog.
@ Ann: I know what you mean… but he’s not “one of us” anymore. He has more talent, and more luck, and more publicity, and is in fact a blogsphere celebrity. People need to accept that.
@ Marelisa: “I think he’s going about it the wrong way.” I completely agree with that. The combination of less posts, and then posts that are direct marketing, was NOT a good idea. One can definitely promote stuff in subtler ways.
@ Becky: sure, I commented on that post of yours and on the tension between content and making money. I think this goes back to what Andre said about blogs being like magazines.
@ Chris: “Perhaps it’s the way he is going about this whole thing.”. Yes – agree with you and it’s what Marelisa said too.
@ Sarah: exactly!
MomGrind responds:
Posted: June 5th, 2008 at 2:04 pm →
OK. Leo finally responded to all the comments. He says:
“I will admit that I do try to make money from this blog. It is one of my main sources of income (along with my ebooks and my print book). Donations make up a very small part of my blog income — most of it is from advertising, and none of that is in the posts — I keep almost all ads in the sidebar to the right.
Even if it doesn’t seem like it, I do work hard to produce good content for this site, and I hope it doesn’t seem too commercial of me to get some compensation in return. I’m not asking for millions of dollars or anything, and I do try to keep the advertising and other forms of revenue to a minimum. I don’t put advertising across the top of the site, or across the left or bottom, or in any of the posts, because I don’t like to flood you guys with ads. I hope that shows.
Finally, I just want to thank all of you for your criticism. It always helps, it always makes me better, and I know that even if it doesn’t seem like it, you are doing it out of love.
For those who won’t be coming back, I’m sorry for that and I will miss you.”
My thoughts:
It’s good that he responded. It was important. And his response… wow. Definitely Zen-like. It’s good that he said he IS trying to make money from the blog. But I still think he is being too apologetic. “I do try to keep the advertising and other forms of revenue to a minimum.” – why? As long as it’s done TASTEFULLY, which is different than MINIMALLY, I think he should do whatever it takes to make money from his blog.
MizFit responds:
Posted: June 5th, 2008 at 2:06 pm →
Im so there in the needing to make money
I write full time but ADORE the MizFit blogging.
where there’s a will there’s a way, huh?
GREAT POST.
M.
MizFit’s last blog post..I *know* we’d never need a reminder, but….
BonnieG responds:
Posted: June 5th, 2008 at 2:23 pm →
So, I’m new to Leo, so I can’t comment about his transition. But, I think all successful bloggers come to this crossroad - to monetize or not to monetize. If they have nurtured an audience through writing quality posts and through lots of hard work, I don’t see anything wrong with getting compensated for the work. BUT.. you know with money, comes the temptation to dethrone a great blogger’s first priority: passion and unbiased opinions without care for any sponsors, advertisers or potential advertisers! I think that is the most dangerous lure of monetization. There is a important distinction between the goal of blogging well and reaping the benefits of good blogging. If a writer is motivated by mainly by money, I think sooner or later, the inspiration to write is gonna run dry or the posts are gonna go down on quality. But, if a writer’s motivation is to remain true to one’s passions, then making money through sponsors who support freedom of your thoughts, then great! I dunno if I’d ever get there, but if I ever do, my personal preference to have selected sponsors and make money through opportunities that come out of having a successful blog (book, freelance/paid writing position.. ) .. Man, I better go post something on my blog about this.. You’re good at finding the hot topics, Vered! This comment is way too long!
ironman responds:
Posted: June 5th, 2008 at 4:36 pm →
The bloggers that openly monetize are financial bloggers, right? So there’s a big difference. Like Marelisa said, the type of audience that Leo attracts does not appreciate in-your-face money-making, while people who read financial blogs are all into making money so they don’t see a problem with doing that or being open about it.
Robin responds:
Posted: June 5th, 2008 at 5:24 pm →
I totally agree with you Vered - It’s amazing how people criticize the idea of making money out of a venture (rather than a regular job) - and they are usually the very people who complain and complain they haven’t got any money, and say how unfair it is!
Robin’s last blog post..Paul’s letter to the Corinthians
RJ responds:
Posted: June 5th, 2008 at 5:52 pm →
“Do I try to make money off my blog and risk losing subscribers or miss out on making some money off of my work?”
The old damned if you do and damned if you don’t dilema.
I admit that Leo seems to be slacking off in regards to his content lately but it’s surprising how his readers are quick to turn on him. It’s a free site for goodness sakes and the poor guy needs to make a living after all.
Enjoyed this post Vered
RJ’s last blog post..Regret - An Effective Motivational Tool.
Jonathan B. responds:
Posted: June 5th, 2008 at 6:47 pm →
I think it’s really sad how some of his readers turned on him. Seriously, it seems to me that those readers must have never really been into “Zen” very much anyway.
Nice to see another person standing up for Leo. But really, it’s not even about Leo. This was about common sense and it seems that some readers got caught up on the “leave Zenhabits” bandwagon. As if it matters anyway. For every reader Leo might lose, he probably gains ten.
Jonathan B.’s last blog post..Ah, time for another update.
Sara responds:
Posted: June 5th, 2008 at 7:12 pm →
You can’t hear it, but I’m doing a slow clap for you right now, Vered! What do people expect? “Please sacrifice hours each day to provide me with valuable information. My gratitude should be payment enough for the time away from your family.” I don’t think there can be any real justification for attacking something that’s free to begin with. It all smacks of entitlement to me…
Sara’s last blog post..Dishing the Dirt, On Simplicity Style
chris responds:
Posted: June 5th, 2008 at 7:48 pm →
@Robin–YES! The one’s who usually criticize are the ones who are too afraid to take the risks of doing somthing different. I just hope those people who criticized Leo at least had the decency to donate so that his family can eat.
Man, I don’t see anybody criticizing Tiger Woods, J.K. Rowling or Stephen Covey when they are pitching a product.
chris’s last blog post..Prom Night
theramblinghousewife responds:
Posted: June 5th, 2008 at 8:35 pm →
There is nothing wrong with wanting to make money, however you can. Everyone needs money to live (Especially when you have a family to support.) If blogging is your skill, and people will pay for it. Go for it.
Blogging to me, is a hobby. So trying to make money from it would make it a job—Which would ruin my hobby!
theramblinghousewife’s last blog post..The Gym Chronicles, Part Trois
MomGrind responds:
Posted: June 5th, 2008 at 8:46 pm →
@ MizFit: “Im so there in the needing to make money” – who isn’t?
@ Bonnie: I agree that as long as you don’t blog JUST for money, monetizing your blog is fine. Glad you’ve turned this into a post – it was interesting to read your thoughts!
@ ironman: you make a good point. It’s obviously easier for a financial-blog reader to accept monetizing. But I still think that you can believe in Zen principles AND have a right to monetize your blog, as long as you are honest about it.
@ Robin: “It’s amazing how people criticize the idea of making money out of a venture (rather than a regular job)” – EXACTLY.
@ RJ: welcome to MomGrind.
It IS a tough situation, but as you can tell – the answer is clear to me. IT IS OK TO MONETIZE A BLOG, as long as it’s not just about that, and as long as it is done tastefully and straightforwardly.
@ Jonathan: “I think it’s really sad how some of his readers turned on him”. True, but it’s also true that the core of his readers will not be so quick to leave. I’m sure he will be fine.
@ Sara: “I don’t think there can be any real justification for attacking something that’s free to begin with. It all smacks of entitlement to me…” well now you got me clapping for you!
@ Chris: you are SO AWESOME for coming back here and adding even more to the discussion! Guys, I am enjoying you so much. It’s like having a dinner party with some really intelligent, interesting guests.
“I just hope those people who criticized Leo at least had the decency to donate so that his family can eat.” Ha. I highly doubt that.
@ The Rambling Housewife: it’s an interesting thought - watching Leo, I think there’s definitely stress involved once you turn blogging into your WORK. I wonder if pro bloggers enjoy it less, because of the inevitable stress.
Alik | PracticeThis.com responds:
Posted: June 5th, 2008 at 9:07 pm →
It is the power of Web 2.0. You point your RSS reader to suck up what *you* want. Has Leo’s readership dropped significantly after his move to promote his stuff? … i wonder why…
Alik | PracticeThis.com’s last blog post..You Have Built A Team, Now What?
Joel Falconer responds:
Posted: June 5th, 2008 at 9:09 pm →
It’s like walking into a restaurant and whining that the food isn’t free. The people making these complaints are nothing but downright idiots. I bet they’re like Michael Arrington and think music should be free, too.
Joel Falconer’s last blog post..Getting the Most Out Of Creative Commons
Shilpan | successsoul.com responds:
Posted: June 5th, 2008 at 9:55 pm →
We all know that it takes hard work to make a success in blogging. It’s a tough field. Leo deserves to do whatever he likes to do with his blog after being successful. He actually is very nice man to answer these profane remarks that simply may not see a daylight on some other media like radio or TV. After all, we do everything to get compensated, don’t we?
These people who criticize him are jealous that he has this 50K readers to sell something and make money. I agree with Chris that these same people do not have any objections to Tiger Woods or some other celebrities making big $$$.
Shilpan
Shilpan | successsoul.com’s last blog post..The Real Key to a Healthy Life
Barbara Swafford responds:
Posted: June 6th, 2008 at 12:15 am →
Ahhh Vered,
This is a subject near and dear to my heart,
I’ve checked, Oprah has ads on her site, as does The Today Show, Fox News, The Washington Post, About.com, plus most major websites. One that I found that didn’t have ads was The Whitehouse (and maybe they should).
If Leo, or Darren or John Chow or you or I want to try and make money with our blogs, it’s our prerogative. If visitors don’t like to see the ads, they will click off. Others,(our loyal readers), well they’ll stick around for the content and the community. They’ll become blind to the ads, and enjoy the words they came there for.
I’m not a Leo follower, but as a fellow blogger, I say “Go for it”. And to new bloggers, I say slap the ads up from day one (just don’t make them obnoxious). Our words may be free to others, but to blog is not cheap. Our time has value, and my web hosting is not free.
Barbara Swafford’s last blog post..Book And Product Reviews Generate Traffic
MizFit responds:
Posted: June 6th, 2008 at 3:02 am →
I guess since Im working to do what I love and live MINIMALLY I really meant that Id hit a CR*P I NEED SOME CASH FOR NECESSITIES
point.
writing is so low paying that I find I work all the time and just never catch up.
mightcould be time to go back to more of a ‘real’ job
MizFit’s last blog post..Link Love and a Friday FREEBIE!
Evelyn Lim | Attraction Mind Map responds:
Posted: June 6th, 2008 at 5:39 am →
I’m just thinking that people are objecting to Leo’s latest moves because his blog is supposed to be about Zen stuff. They won’t be objecting if the site is about how to make money from blogging or on providing healthy tips. So in the minds of these people, they are assuming that those who are spiritual should not be making money. But you are right to point out that he is human after all; he has a family to feed.
Many great spiritual leaders also make a lot of money. Look at Deepak Chopra for instance. It is what they do with the money that makes the difference!
Evelyn Lim | Attraction Mind Map’s last blog post..17 Examples of Classic And Everyday NLP Anchors
Curt responds:
Posted: June 6th, 2008 at 6:03 am →
Maybe selling ebooks is just not going to work with the ‘free’ mindset in the marketplace. Maybe a new approach needs to found, like selling ads in your ebook and giving the book away for free.
Curt’s last blog post..The Car of the Future
Joel Falconer responds:
Posted: June 6th, 2008 at 6:31 am →
Barbara, you made me rethink my earlier comment where I stated, “It’s like walking into a restaurant and whining that the food isn’t free.” It’s not. It’s like walking into a restaurant where the food IS free and demanding they take the ads on the walls down!
Joel Falconer’s last blog post..Getting the Most Out Of Creative Commons
Hunter Nuttall responds:
Posted: June 6th, 2008 at 6:40 am →
I’m reminded of how Steve Pavlina said that if you’re going to monetize your blog, then really monetize it. Don’t just put up some ads tucked away in a corner, but really put up ads, prominently but tastefully. I think Leo’s problem is that he feels conflicted about making money from his blog, and I hope he can realize that he doesn’t have to feel guilty.
For the record, I have no problem admitting that I want to make tons of money from my blog. But it’s a balancing act, as there are some lines I won’t cross.
Hunter Nuttall’s last blog post..Are You A Jedi Or A Sith?
MomGrind responds:
Posted: June 6th, 2008 at 7:41 am →
@ Alik: “Has Leo’s readership dropped significantly after his move to promote his stuff? … i wonder why…” – this is a great point, and it hasn’t dropped because of what Barbara says – loyal readers don’t mind the ads, they visit for the content.
@ Joel: I LOVE your second example. It just illustrates the sense of ENTITLEMENT that exists in blogs, but not in other media – except for music – you make a good point there too.
@ Shilpan: I think there’s definitely jealousy involved.
@ Barbara: “And to new bloggers, I say slap the ads up from day one (just don’t make them obnoxious). Our words may be free to others, but to blog is not cheap. Our time has value, and my web hosting is not free.” AMEN to that.
@ MizFit: I’ll never understand why writing is so low-paying, or why artists in general are expected to starve and to accept it as part of being creative types.
@ Evelyn: I completely agree that a person can be spiritual AND make money. It doesn’t have to be a choice.
@ Curt: I think the “free” mindset will change, but it will take time. It’s still all so new and the rules are still being defined.
@ Hunter: “I think Leo’s problem is that he feels conflicted about making money from his blog, and I hope he can realize that he doesn’t have to feel guilty.” This is exactly how I see it and I agree that he DOES NOT need to feel guilty. I also agree that it always needs to be tasteful.
Suzie responds:
Posted: June 6th, 2008 at 8:02 am →
I sort of restled with the idea of putting that money making button on my page. I dont know. For me I would like a little space in time without someone trying to sell me something. But I dont hold other people to that.
Suzie’s last blog post..24 Hours
Chris responds:
Posted: June 6th, 2008 at 12:31 pm →
Awesome discussion. I wish I thought about this for my blog…LOL…I do like what Barbara said that blogging is not cheap. It does require a lot of time and money to do it well.
Chris’s last blog post..Nun Grading Papers
Natural responds:
Posted: June 6th, 2008 at 1:28 pm →
well if leo can share everything else with his readers, why not his book. i subscribe to his blog and now yours. i don’t mind ads as long as i can actually see the content. i don’t mind people saying i wrote something and if you’re interested in buying it, here’s how. i guess if you don’t like something, don’t go back to that blog. simple enough.
Joel Falconer responds:
Posted: June 6th, 2008 at 4:01 pm →
@Natural, the fact that Leo does share everything else with his readers is just one more reason he doesn’t have to give his book away too! As it is, by publishing so many high-quality posts, he’s doing any visitor a favor beyond what any business (yes, that is what he is running) would typically do. This attitude of entitlement people have is why it would probably be a bad idea for him to release a free ebook.
In a related sphere, I give music away for free under Creative Commons licenses. That small audience of fans is then willing to pay for high-quality releases since I’ve given so much to them already. Why would they complain that since I’ve always released stuff free, I can never release a paid product in the future? That’s a ridiculous viewpoint and it seems that, unfortunately for Leo, a couple of his readers - vocal minority that they are - hold the same ridiculous viewpoint.
Joel Falconer’s last blog post..Points of Interest for the 6th of June, 2008
J.D. Meier responds:
Posted: June 6th, 2008 at 7:16 pm →
> and yes, some luck too
I think luck is when skill and opportunity come together.
Between delivering value and making a profit … vs. … delivering value and not making a profit, the profit path sounds more sustainable. The problem happens when the value stops to flow. Flowing value, making profit, raving fans, seem to go together.
J.D. Meier’s last blog post..Personal Memory House or Landscape
MomGrind responds:
Posted: June 6th, 2008 at 8:34 pm →
@ suzie: “But I dont hold other people to that.” I like this approach.
@ Chris: ha, I beat you to it.
This IS an awesome discussion. And yes, blogging does involve costs.
@ Natural: “I guess if you don’t like something, don’t go back to that blog. simple enough.” – exactly, and then there’s no need to get all indignant and threaten to leave. JUST LEAVE.
@ Joel: I think Natural meant well… she meant that since he shares so much, it is OK to promote his ebook. I completely agree about the attitude of entitlement – in blogs and in music.
@ J.D. : “I think luck is when skill and opportunity come together.” I LOVE this definition! I agree that it’s important to keep delivering value even as one goes for profit.
Robin responds:
Posted: June 7th, 2008 at 1:02 am →
Hey Vered - can you cook?! We’re all coming for dinner.
Robin’s last blog post..Paul’s letter to the Corinthians
MomGrind responds:
Posted: June 7th, 2008 at 9:54 am →
@ Robin: ha. Yes, I cook pretty well actually. You know what? If I could have you guys over for dinner, I SO WOULD. Can you imagine what a fun, lively dinner party that would be?
San Diego Momma responds:
Posted: June 7th, 2008 at 3:07 pm →
I used to be editor at a trade magazine and would hate, hate, hate how I was asked to write a glowing review for a manufacturer JUST because they advertised in the magazine. To me, that seemed to call our mag’s content into question, as the articles were decidely biased.
That’s the only issue I have with blog monetization. I would wholeheartedly monetize my blog…but pay careful attention to the content. If monetization meant shilling for companies, I’d definitely pass that up.
I think Dooce manages to maintain a respectful distance b/w her advertisers and her content. She runs ads, but I’ve never really seen her post a BS review that you know was just to please an advertiser. I think she’d stayed pretty true to her voice. (That said, I also think her content reads lately like she’s phoning it in, but that’s another story…).
San Diego Momma’s last blog post..Ellipses
Joel Falconer responds:
Posted: June 7th, 2008 at 8:54 pm →
@San Diego Momma - I like sites like John Chow which are decidedly commercial and offer paid reviews, but even still the reviews are objective and pull no punches.
Joel Falconer’s last blog post..Quick Tip: Automate the Copyright Year in Your WordPress Footer
MomGrind responds:
Posted: June 8th, 2008 at 9:21 pm →
@ San Diego Mama: that was an interesting peek into the backstage of marketing. Thank you for sharing. Re Dooce, I can’t tell b/c I am completely blind to ads. I agree that lately it’s been weird – although once in a while she still publishes funny or emotional posts.
@ Joel: good point. I wish more sites managed to do that.
Sara DowntoEarth responds:
Posted: June 9th, 2008 at 5:38 am →
What a great discussion! I get a small retainer to edit my blog, but put in about 10 times the amount of hours I am paid for. I am not constrained at all in what I write because of being paid, so I don’t feel I am compromising for a dollar.
I ranch for a living, which means 12 hour days to make ends meet. The stipend justifies the time I put into doing something I believe strongly in. The outreach and education about food production that the blog focuses are important to me, but I couldn’t put in the time I do if I didn’t get paid somehow.
Do any of you feel you get other financial benefits from your blogs, other than direct compensation?
Sara
Sara DowntoEarth’s last blog post..Aren’t genetics the reason we have breeds?
Tris responds:
Posted: June 9th, 2008 at 9:18 am →
I find it really bizarre that people get on their high horse about people making money from blogging, surely it’s their right to earn some money for all the hard work that has gone into posting to the blog on a regular basis?
If you think in terms of a tv/radio station that had 50,000+ viewers/listerners on a regular basis, they sure as hell would want to make a return on that, so why is a blog any different? The internet is no longer the preserve of sandal wearing hippies, the internet is a big media channel, that generates a lot of sales, and predictbly that leads to a great deal of advertising for those sales. It just so happens that advertising works quite well for blogs so you’d be a fool not to try and cash in on that.
Dot H. responds:
Posted: June 9th, 2008 at 11:38 am →
For me, the problem with Leo Babauta’s blog is not that he’s making money from it, which I wish I could do, but that the content of the blog has slipped while he’s been running marathons and writing books. He’s had way more guest authors than before, and his own posts got shorter and less frequent. While I enjoy the guest posts, there’s no one like Leo himself, and it’s his writing, not that of guests, that made us all flock to his blog.
MomGrind responds:
Posted: June 9th, 2008 at 3:06 pm →
@ sara: “Do any of you feel you get other financial benefits from your blogs, other than direct compensation?” I have a small, no make it tiny, ad revenue. But I consider blogging as a hobby – albeit a hobby that I am taking very seriously. I never expected to make money blogging.
@ Tris: “The internet is no longer the preserve of sandal wearing hippies, the internet is a big media channel”. EXACTLY. I think we are in a transition – the internet and blogs are still considered “alternative” media but will soon become part of mainstream media – which has its advantages as well as disadvantages.
@ Dot H: Leo himself admitted in a recent post that the blog suffered b/c he was doing other things. I’m sure he will eventually be able to find a balance.
Raymond White responds:
Posted: June 13th, 2008 at 7:21 am →
Hi Vered,
Ha Ha Ha ’bout making money from a blog. The Ha Ha being on me, not on Leo. You see I had all these ideas and things to try out just too make a little ‘pocket money’ from my blog. So I put up some google a’s and then lo and behold I made 36c in a coupla days. I then worked it out that I’d easy make the $100 mark at the end of the month. Well….its been almost three months now and my income has moved up by an incredible 1c to 37c. Talk about monetary growth!!! Mebbe its all the incredible amount of traffic that comes my way (BIG excitement for each and every visitor) and I get a huge kick at looking at my statcounter to see where people are coming from. Actually it’s been a good lesson for me as blogging is not all that easy to do and I think deeper about what and why I’m doing things. Advertising/monetizing has kinda taken a way back seat for now as I just kinda enjoy the whole experience as I try to squeeze it in with the rest of my busy life. Oh yeah I’m now really interested in Leo’s site.
LoCTY!!!!
PS Thanks for your visit(YO ANOTHER ONE!) and post. I in no way can belittle or brush off anyones suffering and how it affects their faith.
How an Editorial Policy Can Help You Build Credibility and Readership | Joel Falconer responds:
Posted: June 13th, 2008 at 7:25 pm →
[…] case, even an informal site could use an editorial policy on which baseless flames are deflected. Leo Babauta could surely use one, […]
Charlie Gilkey | Productive Flourishing responds:
Posted: June 14th, 2008 at 6:06 am →
I’ve run into this problem myself, actually. I would love to do everything that I do for free, but just because I give stuff freely doesn’t mean the grocery store would. I think the problem people have noted is that the quality content that we were used to from Leo has dropped a good bit. Merlin Mann and Darren Rowse went the same route, as well.
So there seems to be an appalling tendency for people once they start monetizing to make that their primary concern and their content drops. Going through this process myself, I see how hard it is to focus on two different things at once. I’m trying to develop a process that allows me to continue doing what I do while being able to offer products for sell without that becoming my primary focus.
You mention it in your post - I think it’s all about how one introduces their products. Another metaphor: some viewed Leo’s blog as a sanctuary (as opposed to a restaurant). Pimping out a sanctuary for monetization would strike most as uncool, especially when the sanctuary used to have really good spiritual advice from a master and now just has traveling monks (with variable amounts of insightful stuff to say) coming and going. I think this is why you see people throwing more of a hissy about ZH; most people don’t care if Problogger, Ittybiz, JohnChow, or Caroline Middlebrook monetize - for they have a different ambiance.
I personally don’t care whether he sells stuff or not, and I never assumed that he’d forever be free. When I read blogs, I assume that there is a profit motive, either directly or in strategic positioning. I do care when content quality drops, though, but only enough to stop reading posts and then to unsubscribe. If I consider the blogger a friend, I’ll email them and let them know that I think their content has dropped and then offer my help to balance both ends (yes, I’ve done this multiple times), but if I don’t know them, I’ll just move on.
Sorry I got long-winded here…
Charlie Gilkey | Productive Flourishing’s last blog post..Share Your Vision and Standardize Procedures For Effective Leadership
MomGrind responds:
Posted: June 14th, 2008 at 4:32 pm →
@ Raymond: I completely agree: blogging is not easy. And small blogs don’t really make money. I guess people have other reasons to write than making money. Keep at it! Continue to write, and interact with other bloggers, and your blog will grow.
@ Charlie: It’s an interesting idea, that it’s hard to focus on the content side of blogging as well as on the business side. But you know, Dooce supposedly concentrates on content while her husband handles the business side, and still her content is not as good as it used to be.
You make a EXCELLENT point about the “blog ambience” being part of how people would tolerate monetrizing. I completely agree.
“If I consider the blogger a friend, I’ll email them and let them know that I think their content has dropped and then offer my help to balance both ends (yes, I’ve done this multiple times), but if I don’t know them, I’ll just move on.” You’re a good friend!
“Sorry I got long-winded here…” – not at all. Your comment was fascinating. Thank you.
steaphenmoney responds:
Posted: June 16th, 2008 at 12:55 am →
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Amanda - The Mom Crowd responds:
Posted: June 17th, 2008 at 6:55 am →
I know this is an old post, but wanted to comment anyway (where have I been?)… My husband was a faithful reader of Zen Habits and he told me the very thing you said. I enjoy Zen Habits and try to follow his example for The Mom Crowd.
I agree with you, Vered. If he spaced out the product plugs or be candid about it - it would all work. I could only dream of being in his position.
MomGrind responds:
Posted: June 17th, 2008 at 4:17 pm →
@ Amanda: I think he learned from his mistake. He started posting more often and hasn’t done another promo since. His subscriber count is at an all-time high, so everything looks good, and I’m glad that it does.
The Blurry Line Between Online and Real-Life Relationships - MomGrind responds:
Posted: June 20th, 2008 at 4:09 am →
[…] Robin and I jokingly talked, during a recent discussion, about my readers coming over for a dinner party at my house, I realized that it wasn’t […]
When Selling Gets in the Way of Sharing | Productive Flourishing responds:
Posted: June 22nd, 2008 at 9:43 am →
[…] wrote about this when she discussed Leo from Zen Habits monetizing his content. Yes, there was an uproar (again, probably just from a load minority), but it’s interesting […]
Tina Su responds:
Posted: June 23rd, 2008 at 11:37 pm →
“but Mr. Babauta is not a Zen monk. He is an American. He has six children. SIX!”
hahaha.. Vered, you rock! This made me laugh. And I’m really enjoying all the wonderful comments from this post. Great job for starting this thread.
I’m learning that you can’t make everyone happy. There’s always going to be a small percentage of people opposing with your views and that’s cool. It’s part of life. Leo has a ton of readers, and while that percentage is still the same, but translates to more people. So it sounds worst than it actually is. Let those people scream and shout, lots of people are just out seeking conflicts.
I don’t have a problem making money with my blog. Hours of time is spent over carefully and lovingly crafting each one, and if I can make some money with ads, then you bet-ya! It’s like finding a $100 bill on the floor. Are you gonna ignore it and walk past? No, we pick it up. As you said, money has nothing to do with happiness.
I would perhaps be more conscious and creative with throwing pitches. But that’s a personal choice I make.. it’s a personal rule I keep to only post things that have some real value. I would never create a post purely to advertise something. Never.
Warmly,
Tina
Tina Su’s last blog post..How to Find Passion in Your Job
15 Minutes Of Fame - Again?? - MomGrind responds:
Posted: June 24th, 2008 at 1:01 am →
[…] When Successful Bloggers Try To (Gasp) Make Money […]
Don Mills Diva responds:
Posted: June 24th, 2008 at 11:57 am →
I agree with you. I make no bones about wantint to make money from my blog. I work very hard on it and I believe I am a good writer. WHy shouldn’t I be paid? Do lifestyle reporters at newspapers work for free? As long as a blogger is producing good content no one shoudl care if they are compensated…
Don Mills Diva’s last blog post..Say hello to my little excuse
MomGrind responds:
Posted: June 24th, 2008 at 12:15 pm →
@ Tina: Thank you.
“Let those people scream and shout, lots of people are just out seeking conflicts.” – I think this is very true. And the same people would get all mad and offended, no matter what you do.
@ Don Mills Diva: “I work very hard on it and I believe I am a good writer. WHy shouldn’t I be paid?” EXACTLY. Blogging is hard work (even if fulfilling and satisfying). No one wants to – or should - work for free.
Raag Vamdatt responds:
Posted: June 26th, 2008 at 7:45 am →
I absolutely agree - when bloggers are investing so much of their time, they have every right to get something in return.
As you rightly said, mabe he could have spaced out he promotional post….
I guess one sure shot way to not go wrong is to set the expectations right - if your readers know that you want to earn from the blog, here woldn’t be much ourage later on.
Raag Vamdatt’s last blog post..Why does the financial / fiscal year start from 1st April?
MomGrind responds:
Posted: June 26th, 2008 at 9:22 am →
@ Raag: “I guess one sure shot way to not go wrong is to set the expectations right - if your readers know that you want to earn from the blog, here woldn’t be much ourage later on.” EXACTLY!
I Need Your Support Today - MomGrind responds:
Posted: July 21st, 2008 at 10:05 pm →
[…] When Successful Bloggers Try To (Gasp!) Make Money asserts that monetizing one’s blog is legitimate, as long as it’s done tastefully. […]
8 Useful Tips for Building Your Mommy Blog Into a Business responds:
Posted: July 31st, 2008 at 7:02 am →
[…] Making money or wanting to make money from your blog is your prerogative. Get over the “good girl” mentality and be proud of your talent, of your networking abilities, of the wonderful, thriving business that you have started from scratch and are building with your own hands. I enjoyed reading another prominent mommy blogger - Don Mills Diva’s - recent post “Show Me The Money”. Don Mills Diva does NOT apologize for aspiring to make money from her blog. I couldn’t agree with her more. […]
Making Money Opportunities responds:
Posted: August 27th, 2008 at 9:25 pm →
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