Comments on: Who Do You Think You’re Talking To? http://www.teachingvillage.org/2009/07/31/who-do-you-think-youre-talking-to/ We're better when we work together Mon, 26 Jul 2010 05:20:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Barbara http://www.teachingvillage.org/2009/07/31/who-do-you-think-youre-talking-to/comment-page-1/#comment-60 Barbara Tue, 04 Aug 2009 23:50:24 +0000 http://www.teachingvillage.org/?p=103#comment-60 Thanks, Sue. Inappropriate (or embarrassing) ads were a big reason I decided to purchase a domain. I didn't want anyone to think I endorsed some of the things being sold. But, I know that having free blog hosting makes it possible for more teachers to share their thoughts, and the ads are a fair enough trade off. There's no simple answer--just a process of continually evaluating our audience and aims, I guess. Thanks, Sue. Inappropriate (or embarrassing) ads were a big reason I decided to purchase a domain. I didn’t want anyone to think I endorsed some of the things being sold. But, I know that having free blog hosting makes it possible for more teachers to share their thoughts, and the ads are a fair enough trade off. There’s no simple answer–just a process of continually evaluating our audience and aims, I guess.

]]> By: Sue Lyon-Jones http://www.teachingvillage.org/2009/07/31/who-do-you-think-youre-talking-to/comment-page-1/#comment-59 Sue Lyon-Jones Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:06:20 +0000 http://www.teachingvillage.org/?p=103#comment-59 Hi Barbara, I find myself in agreement with a lot of what you have to say here. We tried using ads on our lesson blog for a while, but decided to pull them at the beginning of the month because we weren't happy with some of the ads that were being displayed, and blogger didn't allow us enough control over the process to weed out the irrelevant/inappropriate ones out. I'd pretty much decided that having ads on the blog wasn't working before reading your post, but it's always good to get another perspective and it did help confirm that we'd made the right decision, so thank you for sharing your thoughts on this. :-) Sue Hi Barbara,

I find myself in agreement with a lot of what you have to say here.

We tried using ads on our lesson blog for a while, but decided to pull them at the beginning of the month because we weren’t happy with some of the ads that were being displayed, and blogger didn’t allow us enough control over the process to weed out the irrelevant/inappropriate ones out.

I’d pretty much decided that having ads on the blog wasn’t working before reading your post, but it’s always good to get another perspective and it did help confirm that we’d made the right decision, so thank you for sharing your thoughts on this. :-)

Sue

]]> By: Barbara http://www.teachingvillage.org/2009/07/31/who-do-you-think-youre-talking-to/comment-page-1/#comment-51 Barbara Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:56:46 +0000 http://www.teachingvillage.org/?p=103#comment-51 Thanks for your thoughtful comments Shelly, Karenne, and Ozge. I'm not actually against ads on blogs, perse. I just think whether or not to include them should be part of a conscious consideration of the people we hope to reach with our blogs. Clearly, Karenne, including ads is an active part of your strategy, so has obviously been thought through. If I limited my blogroll only to blogs that didn't include ads, it would be a much shorter list, and I'd be eliminating some of my favorite blogs (the three of you included!). So, it's not an all or nothing situation for me, either. But, I would probably not link to a blog whose main aim was to sell materials or subscriptions--as much as I respect the person maintaining the website, or as good as the materials may be. That one was a hard decision, as there are some very good sites that either sell materials directly, or depend on ad revenue to provide lesson materials. But, I just have to remember the feeling I had on similar sites in my weak languages and I feel better about the choices I've made :-) Thanks for your thoughtful comments Shelly, Karenne, and Ozge. I’m not actually against ads on blogs, perse. I just think whether or not to include them should be part of a conscious consideration of the people we hope to reach with our blogs. Clearly, Karenne, including ads is an active part of your strategy, so has obviously been thought through.

If I limited my blogroll only to blogs that didn’t include ads, it would be a much shorter list, and I’d be eliminating some of my favorite blogs (the three of you included!). So, it’s not an all or nothing situation for me, either.

But, I would probably not link to a blog whose main aim was to sell materials or subscriptions–as much as I respect the person maintaining the website, or as good as the materials may be. That one was a hard decision, as there are some very good sites that either sell materials directly, or depend on ad revenue to provide lesson materials. But, I just have to remember the feeling I had on similar sites in my weak languages and I feel better about the choices I’ve made :-)

]]> By: Ozge Karaoglu http://www.teachingvillage.org/2009/07/31/who-do-you-think-youre-talking-to/comment-page-1/#comment-50 Ozge Karaoglu Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:36:12 +0000 http://www.teachingvillage.org/?p=103#comment-50 You have mentioned really good and important points on your blog, Barbara. I like widgets and a crowded blogroll but I still try to keep everything look neat and clean =) BTW, Your post has also reminded me the ads on my blog. I should be a edublog supporter very soon =) You have mentioned really good and important points on your blog, Barbara. I like widgets and a crowded blogroll but I still try to keep everything look neat and clean =)
BTW, Your post has also reminded me the ads on my blog. I should be a edublog supporter very soon =)

]]> By: Karenne Sylvester http://www.teachingvillage.org/2009/07/31/who-do-you-think-youre-talking-to/comment-page-1/#comment-49 Karenne Sylvester Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:27:33 +0000 http://www.teachingvillage.org/?p=103#comment-49 Very interesting post, Barbara and enjoyed reading your viewpoint. I do fall into the category of those with some ads on my page. I try to keep them all towards one end of the page and via my content, pray that no dating ads show up! Unfortunately it's all down to google and what you write about re what shows up on the page. Placing ads on my site is actually part of a strategy, regarding your "who are you talking to?" question you asked - I have had a number of (too many) e-learning/technology companies who have approached me with requests to have links on my blog. HOWEVER they want to have this <i>advertising space</i> without paying for the privilege! This annoys me hugely as the blog is an enormous part of my life and an uncountable number of hours go into it. So even though I write the blog out of pleasure, aiming at teachers -therefore 99% of my blog is related to only teaching issues and provides other useful links on TEFL, I decided to send a very clear message to those companies looking for a place to advertise their work - that simply just because I'm a language teacher doesn't mean that I'm an idiot who would give away the cow for free ;-). If they do have a product or service aimed at our industry, I have no objections to placing their banner - but they should pay for it, just like they do to have an ad in a magazine or newsletter. Well, I've been rambling on - hope that's a slight explanation regarding the route some bloggers take regarding advertising on their pages! Karenne Very interesting post, Barbara and enjoyed reading your viewpoint.

I do fall into the category of those with some ads on my page. I try to keep them all towards one end of the page and via my content, pray that no dating ads show up!

Unfortunately it’s all down to google and what you write about re what shows up on the page.

Placing ads on my site is actually part of a strategy, regarding your “who are you talking to?” question you asked – I have had a number of (too many) e-learning/technology companies who have approached me with requests to have links on my blog.

HOWEVER they want to have this advertising space without paying for the privilege!

This annoys me hugely as the blog is an enormous part of my life and an uncountable number of hours go into it.

So even though I write the blog out of pleasure, aiming at teachers -therefore 99% of my blog is related to only teaching issues and provides other useful links on TEFL, I decided to send a very clear message to those companies looking for a place to advertise their work – that simply just because I’m a language teacher doesn’t mean that I’m an idiot who would give away the cow for free ;-) .

If they do have a product or service aimed at our industry, I have no objections to placing their banner – but they should pay for it, just like they do to have an ad in a magazine or newsletter.

Well, I’ve been rambling on – hope that’s a slight explanation regarding the route some bloggers take regarding advertising on their pages!

Karenne

]]> By: ShellTerrell http://www.teachingvillage.org/2009/07/31/who-do-you-think-youre-talking-to/comment-page-1/#comment-48 ShellTerrell Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:07:02 +0000 http://www.teachingvillage.org/?p=103#comment-48 Barbara, Another great post with practical advice for new bloggers. I have been contemplating the ads myself after having some people tell me that my recent numbers would be great for it! I have weighed the costs/ benefits and purpose of my blog which is for professional development. To this end I will keep my blogs Ad Free as well! Not even a SecondLife blind date? LOL! Barbara,
Another great post with practical advice for new bloggers. I have been contemplating the ads myself after having some people tell me that my recent numbers would be great for it! I have weighed the costs/ benefits and purpose of my blog which is for professional development. To this end I will keep my blogs Ad Free as well! Not even a SecondLife blind date? LOL!

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