When I wrote my WordPress SEO book, Duct Tape SEO, I didn’t think about my keywords too much. I figured I’d sell the book here mostly and affiliates would help sell more, but it taught me something of the value of advertising space.

EDIT: I am no longer selling advertising space. Wow. That was short-lived!

Piggy Bank Thinker

Being primarily an SEO “guy” I don’t really buy ads. I prefer free traffic generation, thank you very much (but I’ve already bought a course that I’ll gladly share the details of once I implement it and see something to write about, maybe in 2012 I can finally enter the PPC world).

All of a sudden, I realized I needed to start advertising for once to make more book sales. Since I’m still new at it, I’m not really keen to buy tons of ads in a massive experiment to see what works…at the same time, until I test these things out, I’ll just never know for sure.

As I was shopping around for opportunities, I inquired at ProBlogger.net for a quote on their advertising. I won’t come out and say how much it was, but let’s say I now have no doubt about his income reports of six figures.

The cost floored me, I couldn’t afford that right now unless we stopped eating as a family and got into photosynthesis instead.

Wow.

But it also got me thinking a bit about actually making some steady money on this blog – and I’ve decided to open it up for advertising. You can see the rates at the Advertise page I have in the header…but here’s my thinking on the matter just so we’re clear.

Why I Haven’t Done It Before

Nobody likes the thought of running a bunch of ads on their blog.  That’s my perspective anyway.  I’m happy with my cleanish-looking blog. But I don’t plan on making a TON of money on the internet marketing niche…

Rather than change that and try to sell you stuff you don’t need – or get into bed with a bunch of folks pitching products all day long to the IM crowd, I figured ads were the way to go. That way it alleviates the pressure of blogging here “for fun” when other activities, namely my niche website development, is where I really make my cheddar and moose milk cheese.

(I just threw that in because the saying is “make my cheddar,” but moose milk cheese is $500 a pound…so what’s with comparing money to cheddar if moose milk cheese is closer to the gold?)

And that, folks, is why I think I may have A.D.D…where was I?

Oh, right – I’m explaining why I want to do advertising on my own blog without coming off sounding like a greasy used car salesman (no offense to grease).

Without ad revenue here, the pressure is to review product after product with links to stuff you likely don’t need. I’d just rather not, quite frankly.

I do plan on reviewing products I use, though. That’s how I’ve funded my ventures online anyway – buying tools and selling those that work best for me. That won’t change, but you see the difference?

On the one hand, I’d like to make my investments back and get some money for my efforts here. On the other hand, I absolutely dislike the approach of pitching something to the internet marketing niche – or any make money ‘plan’ for that matter – that plagues this industry.

It’s tacky. I feel slimy inside like snails gutted me at the thought of, “Oh! Lookie! I can sell that…”

[Pardon me for throwing up a bit on my keys here. Perish the thought and all that.]

Ironically, the ads would help me avoid being overly commercial here (which I don’t want to do).

That may sound like a self-contradicting statement, “I want to show ads so I’m not too commercial…”  Accidentally that was a pun.  But I simply mean that this blog isn’t a “review” blog.

As I’ve tried products out, I’ve reviewed them here in my own process of discovering what works and what’s hype, etc.  Now that phase is primarily done with, and I have more than plenty tools to satisfy my link-building addiction – what’s a guy to do?

Well…there is the LIST…money’s in the list, right?

Honestly I’d rather not sell to my list, either.  (Thanks to reading Pat Flynn on the matter.) In the internet marketing “niche” that reads like this:

You and I have a common problem: we need traffic…so join my mailing list to give me the opportunity to parade in front of your very eyes over 1,000 different tools and services that frankly you won’t need but I could use the affiliate sales…Of course I’ll give you first dibs on the occasional $1900 course, too, since we’re pals…

Well.  It doesn’t quite sound that crass, but that’s the name of the game, right? You read me, I sell to you?

Forget it.  Count me out.

My “a-ha!” moment came when I set out to weigh my options marketing my own e-book, looking at the various blogs I could choose from – and realizing it’s a better alternative than constantly finding stuff to promote just to make a few quid.

(I hear “quid” means “dollars” in the U.K.   How’s that for cultural fancy-pants?)

My solution is to sell advertising here, but I dunno…

What do You Think?

I’ve said my piece – and look forward to doing business with those interested. Personally I don’t foresee a ton of ads going up here, but we’ll see how it goes.

But what do you think? A step in the wrong direction?  Am I the mayor of Tacky City?

As far as a passive income opportunity, it’s unexplored territory for me, hopefully it’s something that pans out, but I dunno. It really matters to me what you all think, too.

So let me know if this is lame or if it’s something that’s just not a big deal. If you’re interested, then read the Advertise page for more details.

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