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Unfortunately, I don’t know the answer to this question. I have heard people complain about the Adsense on the side of the blog, and indeed, one person was deeply offended by it. People definitely don’t enjoy paid posts–every time I do paid posts I see the subscriber count drop in a sickening way. I try to put “quality content” on here as well–after all, it is my blog, and I do enjoy writing on it, but the money-making part definitely turns people off.
So what to do? If I’m able to make $50 a day with a blog, it seems like an incredible luxury to turn down paid opportunities. I don’t feel wealthy enough to turn them down, especially when:
–They are something that I enjoy doing
–I need to make extra money
and…
–I started this blog with the express goal of making money and giving myself more choices.
So what to do? The people who don’t seem to turn off others with their money-making efforts are those who are so successful that people visit their blogs in order to drool over photos of Google checks or screenshots of Clickbank payments. With online earnings of $1000 a month, I am hardly inspirational. It’s like having a weight loss blog when you have only lost 15 pounds and you are competing with people who have lost 300, and have the before and after pictures to prove it. I’m not knocking the money I’m making, it’s just that it’s not an amount that gets people to fantasize about quitting their jobs.
Sigh.
I’m going to branch out my online money-making, but I’m waiting to have time. That would be this summer. We’ll see if I can move up the ladder of Internet mogulism by August… Then perhaps people will be inspired. Meanwhile, please enjoy reading occasional articles about plastic surgery and so on. 
I subscribed to this blog after finding it on stumbleupon because as a first impression i thought you (and whatever post I was linked to) were cool
To be honest, since that day I’ve been very turned off at your paid posts, and found myself wondering why anyone would enjoy reading them. Even when im reading your stuff that *isnt* a paid post, in the back of my head I wonder if I’m being “sold” a product.
So Why don’t I just unsubscribe? I’ve been asking myself that for about a week now. I’m not trying to attack you, but since you made a post on this subject I figured I’d give you my two cents.
At this rate, I’ll be unsubscribed by next week… Maybe you care, maybe you don’t. I figured I’d just give you feedback.
Have you considered a money-making blog and a separate personal blog? I also tire of the paid posts, frankly, and often just pass them by. We are absolutely INUNDATED with advertising on the net, and I don’t care for it in something that I do as a recreational escape, such as blog reading.
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[...] Michelle at Bloggrrl wrote today about something that has been on my mind more and more recently. Basically, it’s about the use of our blogs and who should be the primary focus. [...]
You’ll probably get the trackback to this here shortly, but needless to say, I feel your pain. We’ve had conversations about this elsewhere, though.
And I do find your $1000 a month inspirational, as I consider that a pretty hefty feat. I guess the trick is to figure out how not to lose yourself (and your content) in the mix.
What happened to your “Rockin your world with blog tips” tagline? (I know, that’s not quite it, but I always liked it.) Somewhere along the way I forgot what your blog theme was, so I may have been slightly unfair in the past. I mean, if this is a blog about making money, why should you not show how through practice?
Of course, if you’re losing readers, then wouldn’t that lead you to not recommend some of your methods?
Forehead slap moment: there’s a difference between showing how to keep and sustain readers and showing how to make money from blogs. Readership can go down while money goes up.
What’s the point of diminishing returns?
Sigh
I’ll go sit down before I hurt myself.
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Hi Michelle - This is just my opinion but - I hated your paid ad posts. I can understand why you did them. But, you’re an excellent writer.
And I prefer you’re slightly longer posts to lots of shorter ones. Mind you, that may just be me, as I know many bloggers do get a lot of traffic with several shorter posts.
I don’t see anything wrong with Ads on your blog though. But the rest depends upon the majority of your audience and what they seem to like reading best. IMHO you are too talented to be one of the make money online crowd.
But, I can definitely see why the paid posts thing is tempting. It’s a nice amount of extra cash each month.
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I love your blog, anyway, so will pass through from time to time.
Another thing: I totally understand why you’re doing paid posts. I don’t pay your bills. You do. And you’ve got to do what you feel you have to do.
I must also say that your talent for writing makes the paid posts interesting to read. I have to admit, I don’t always read them, but when I do, I think you do a great job at trying to inject humour into them.
I think part of the problem might be something similar to ad blindness - some people seize to see paid posts, while some get instantly irritated by them.
The thing is some of these Adsense ads can be quite useful. I’ve clicked on one or two and they turned out to be kosher sites.
take care…
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Hi Michelle
I’m a mostly lurker subscriber, but today I thought I’d chip in my 10 cents worth. I subscribe to your blog because I think you’re a great writer and I’m intrigued by how well you’ve done considering you don’t have a particular niche.
As another blogger (albeit a new one) with a vague niche, you are an inspiration that maybe I can build a reasonably high ranking blog on the back of my writing alone. To find out you also earn $1,000 a month well that just impresses me to no end.
I’ve so far resisted monetizing my blog (I have had offers) because nothing has felt right for a blog which really does represent me as a person and a writer. But I would like the extra cash, so I can appreciate your conundrum.
I think advertising is better than paid posts myself, but neither bothers me as a reader because I just ignore whatever I don’t like. In business terms I would say if paid posts drop subscriber numbers then they need to go. I know they are current cash, but I am sure you can find alternatives and maybe more advertising is it. I’m sorry if I sound blindly optimistic to you, but that’s just me.
Good luck and I’ll keep reading regardless. Might even speak up again too!
Kelly
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I’m not a fan of PayPerPost myself either, so I’m more likely not to read any of those unless by accident.
I don’t know that it would cause me to unsubscribe, unless it got to where those were occurring more than anything else.
I don’t care about the Google ads at all, it doesn’t bother me in the least. While regular readers are unlikely to use the links, search engine traffic are the likely source of clicks.
I don’t use Google ads on my blog, but I do use others and they work for me. Some people don’t like it, but by far everyone has appreciated my bringing valuable resources and/or books to their attention on various topics.
I think it’s all about balance and moderation.
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Since you are so talented, you should spend time, energy and effort on an project that offers no return on your investment? Sorry, that doesn’t fly for me.
You are a talented writer. If you wrote for a magazine, no one would have an attitude about advertising.
I don’t subscribe to anybody, but I have been visiting you on a regular basis for at least six months.
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I have no clue how you still maintain 375 readers with all the paid posts that you do.
Point is, you’ve got to be doing something right, keep at it…
$1000 not much huh??? Damn, I’m still trying to get to double digits…
But do what you do, a sister’s gotta eat right?
–
Baz L
Day In The Life of Baz
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