Changes are underway here at Canon Blogger. When traffic started to ramp up a bit after getting a mention on a couple of other popular blogs like Photoshop Insider, The Digital Photography Show, and Tips from The Top Floor, someone mentioned to me that I really should be monetizing the site.
Monetizing the site? What the heck is that? They told me about banner ads, Pay-per-clicks, and referral profit sharing through companies like Google, Amazon, and even B&H. I love these companies! So, after looking into the programs, thought I’d give it a go.
Well, after a month or so of banner ads, text-link ads, and not-so-sublte hints about their presence, last night I made my Monday post and in previewing it was finding it difficult to find the content through all the ads.
I don’t know about others, but I have something of an automatic filter – when I see ads, I just tune them out. If I come across a site where the content is hard to find through the ads – I just tune the site out. I could not, in good conscience, expect any readers I may have to go through what I hate to deal with myself when reading through online photography material and content. So, the ads are all but gone. With the exception of a footer ad that will simply change from its current layout to one that shows the company logos for products that I enjoy, they will not come back.
This is not to say that I will not refer people to companies that I purchase and find good deals from – on the contrary, B&H, Amazon, and Google are still excellent companies – it was CB that was not so great in its implementation of “ad-supported” content. I promise, that will never happen again.