Thursday 23 December 2010

Would you do it?

Le gros souper, hôtel de ville d'Avignon
As I am busy getting ready to host this year's large family Christmas get together, I received an email this morning that got me thinking. It was from an online hotel reservations website and the content was as follows " I would like to know if it would be possible to place some form of advertisement on your website. By advertisement I mean 2 or 3 links in the content of a post.
So I would like to suggest you create a new post with a nice picture of a hotel in Avignon (That we propose on our website obviously!). For this I can offer you 50 euros."
So far I've never made any money directly from my blog. It's a great way to show what I do and I've had a few people contact me through the blog and buy a single photo or several, or hire me for a photo shoot (see the wedding photos in the side bar) but there has never been any advertising on the blog itself. Should I sprinkle one of my posts with links to a merchant website for 50 euros ? Would you do it? I'd love to have your opinion.

Alors que je me prépare à accueillir un grand rassemblement de famille pour Noël, j'ai reçu ce matin un e-mail qui m'a donné à réfléchir. Il émanait d'un site de réservations d'hôtels en ligne. En voici le contenu : "Je voudrais savoir s'il serait possible de placer de la publicité sur votre blog. Par publicité, j'entends deux ou trois liens vers notre site dans le contenu d'un de vos billets. Je voudrais vous proposer de créer un nouveau post avec une belle photo d'un hôtel d'Avignon (que nous proposons sur notre site évidemment !). Pour cela je peux vous proposer 50 euros."
Jusqu'à présent je n'ai jamais gagné d'argent avec mon blog. J'ai déja eu des contacts avec des personnes qui m'ont trouvée par mon blog et qui m'ont acheté une ou plusieurs photos, ou qui m'ont embauchée pour une mission (voir les photos de mariage dans la marge droite) mais je n'ai jamais mis de publicité nulle part sur mon blog. Alors voilà : est-ce une bonne idée de parsemer l'un de mes posts de liens vers un site marchand pour gagner 50 euros ? Le feriez-vous ? J'aimerais bien avoir votre avis.

41 comments:

Pepe Le Pew said...

Are you rich? If you don't need the money then don't do it. The rest of us would do it.

Nathalie said...

Pepe no I don't consider myself rich. Fifty euros do make a difference in my budget. Yet...

Nathalie said...

Let me add that the table laid above is not mine but a sample of "le gros souper" (traditional Christmas eve dinner in Provence)displayed in the lobby of the Avignon town hall.

Unknown said...

Do you know the hotel? If it were my blog... I'd feel like I'd have to be able to recommend what was advertised on my blog. I think that it's perfectly fine to advertise.... the hotel obviously fits your blog...

My feeling is that as long as you would support the company/product advertised... why not??

Bob Crowe said...

There is no clear answer. I personally would not but that's because I prefer to keep my blog non-commercial and I make a comfortable living from my practice. Besides, I'd have to revoke the "Empty Cart Award" I gave myself.

But I think it's fine if you do it, as long as it does not cause you similar concerns. Is it a nice place and not some kind of drug den? Well then, why not. You already advertise your wedding photography business. And negotiate! See if you can get75 euros from them.

Leif Hagen said...

Salut Nathalie! I'd be tempted to try it! Why not for just a posting - 50 Euros! I love the elegant table setting and food on the table! I always set the dining room table at our house; my wife makes the food!
Merry Christmas to you and yours
(I hope you'll post a family Christmas dinner photo....)

jb said...

I'm sure Leif has been doing it for years, the old rascal. Not with adverts, but a free haircut here and latte there ;-)

I'd do it for a trial period - see how it works for them and for you and if you don't feel comfortable, don't continue.
Get someone to show you how to use Google Analytics to analyse your traffic and see if it's working
J

Anonymous said...

Je vous propose d'encaisser les 50 euros, et de les reverser aux restos du coeur pour ceux qui n'auront ni une si jolie table, ni une si jolie petite famille pour fêter Noël. Chiche ?

claude said...

Ah, les coms anonymes, j'aime !
Je suis un peu de l'avis de Bob. Moi, perso, je n'aimerais pas faire de la pub sur mon blog. De toute façon, je trouve que 50 €, ce n'est pas cher payé pour faire de la publicité.
C'est à négocier éventuelmement, si ça t'dit !
JOYEUX NOEL,Nathalie !

nathalie said...

Ah oui Anonyme, voilà une bonne idée qui irait tout à fait avec l'esprit de Noël. Et dans ce cas il faudrait que je fasse ce que me conseille Bob: négocier pour obtenir plus !

Nathalie said...

Je précise que la photo de table de fête ne vient pas de chez moi, c'est la table du "gros souper" provençal présentée dans le hall de la mairie d'Avignon. Mon Noël à moi sera familial et chaleureux mais n'aura rien de luxueux. Je n'ai pas d'aussi belle vaisselle.

Julie said...

I would not do it at all. There is a silver thread here. If you do advertise, even for a trial, the silver thread is broken.

Is it just if money exchanges hands? Not in my opinion. Whether for money or for free, something fine is sullied.

jb said...

The other question is: is it the sort of place you'd go to or feel comfortable in recommending to friends.
If the answers "NO', then forget it. Unless of course they cros your palm with a tad more argent...

Cuisine de Provence said...

Have a look at my blog: Your blog is worth much more than 50 Euros, especially now that you have got the Beautiful Blogger Award!

Nathalie said...

Jb - From the exchange I've had with these people, the photo would be mine and the choice of hotel also. So it's just a matter of choosing a hotel I like, taking a nice photo of it and writing a short blurb about it. That's worth more than 50 euros though.

Nathalie said...

Cuisine de Provence, thanks for the award, you're too sweet!

Thérèse said...

Pourquoi ne pas créer un autre blog en parallèle où tu insères de la pub... et commercialise tes produits.
Ton blog actuel est nature et c'est super!
Joyeux Noël!

chri said...

Si l'hôtel est sympa, je négocierais l'échange d'hébergement: J'héberge votre pub sur mon blog, vous m'hébergez une nuitée par mois... Une pub, une nuitée!

chri said...

Plus sérieusement, je ne vendrais pas l'espace de mon blog pour cinquante malheureux euros... Je pense que le tien vaut beaucoup bien plus, Nathalie!

jb said...

So it's just a matter of choosing a hotel I like, taking a nice photo of it and writing a short blurb about it. That's worth more than 50 euros though.

Absolutely and it also turns your blog into an advertorial which I don't think anyone wants, probably least of all you

Anonymous said...

Je ne pense pas que ce soit une bonne idée, 50.00 euros c'est trop peu pour polluer un blog avec des photos nature.

Anonymous said...

Never sell yourself out for 50€! Dear god in heaven! If it should ever take up space that you could post one of your exquisite photos, I would weep!

Michel Benoit said...

Faut-il se battre avec les mêmes armes que nos adversaires ou bien tendre l'autre joue ?
Personnellement, j'ai placé de tous petits liens commerciaux discrets qui me servent de test... et ne rapportent presque rien (70 € en 3 ans).
Pour en palper, il faut encadrer sa page d'annonces visibles, alors... Il est insupportable d'avoir à choisir un camp !
Donc mon conseil : fais un essai ! (Ou un double blog...)

jeandler said...

Faire des messages d'annonces publicitaires et mettre le blog en pub!
Faire l'homme ou la femme-sandwich!

jeandler said...

Au moins l'anonyme ne fait pas de pub pour son blog!

Mary Howell Cromer said...

:))) I have no idea how much 1 Euro would amount to, but I think that your images are amazing and if someone is willing to pay to use some, then by all means. However, make sure that they are honest and that you get paid ahead of the use of your blog. Also a security issue so they cannot have access , just because you gave them a one time offer~

Val said...

Aw, great pics there, good color choices !

Kris McCracken said...

If the tucker was decent, why not? You could always allude to the deal...

Also, from the (almost) very bottom of the World down here in Tasmania, I wish you a very Merry Christmas/Yule/Jul/Winter Solstice/Summer Solstice/Amaterasu/Brumalia/ Deygān/Dōngzhì/Hanukkah/Hogmanay/Jonkonnu/Korochun/Kolyada/koleda/Wren day/Lenæa/Meán Geimhridh/Lohri/Midvinterblót/Modranicht/Mummer's Day/Rozhanitsa Feast/Şewy Yelda/Soyalangwul/Ziemassvētki/Āshūrā/Ras as-Sana al-Hijreya or whatever festival you choose to Celebrate!

If you’re opting out this year, have a great time in the next few weeks and keep up the good work!

Delphinium said...

Pour répondre à ta question, mon blog est là avant tout pour créer des liens d'amitié et non pour des publicitaires... alors non je ne le ferai pas mais après tout le monde fait comme il le souhaite. En tous les cas, chère Dame du Sud, je t'envoie mes meilleurs voeux pour de belles fêtes de fin d'année. Gros gros bisous

Regardeuse said...

Ben si, faites-le. En annonçant la couleur "post sponsorisé".
Les reverser aux restos du coeur... bonne idée mais qui pêche par son côté "je suis une bien bonne personne bien gentille, vous avez vu ?".
Assumez ! Prenez, ne reversez rien et économisez pour, de pub en pub (discrètes pour l'amour de dieu !) investir dans du matériel photo (ou des nougats si vous en raffolez).
Mais négociez plus de 50 €, votre blog les mérite, flûte !

(de toute façon, entre nous, PERSONNE ne clique sur les liens publicitaires, alors on s'en fiche).

nathalie said...

Vos avis sont passionnants et très enrichissants :-)
J'en prends de la graine.

Olivier said...

désolé de ne pas être passer souvent, problème de rss qui ne marchait pas, je l'avais mal programmé, je vais me rattraper. Belle table de noël que tu nous proposes. J'ai eut le même dilemme que toi, mais j'ai décidé de ne pas mettre de publicité sur mon Daily principal, je trouve que l'on trouve déjà beaucoup trop de publicité partout, je préfère de temps en temps mettre des liens vers des associations. Je suis assez d'accord avec miss Suisse.

Je te souhaite un joyeux noël a toi et ta famille

alice said...

Bon, si tu décides de ne pas le faire, tu ne risques pas de te voir proposer mieux et/ou plus une autre fois (et qui peut cracher sur quelques pépètes facilement gagnées de nos jours?). Mais si tu le fais, tu donnes clairement un autre ton à ton blog...(qui nous plait bien comme il est!).
Donc, plouf plouf, je suis chez moi et je fais ce que je veux!
Joyeux Nono!

Babzy.B said...

Pas de pub pour moi , c'est tellement plus agréable !

Jack said...

This has been an interesting series of comments. I don't have advice for you. Do or don't do whatever makes you feel comfortable. I can't presume to know how important the money is to you or how it might affect the way you present your blog. Good luck, whatever you decide. (And Happy New Year.)

Sally said...

I don't know. I sold a photo to a non-profit education agency for $80 (about the same as 50 Euros), but it was for their use in curriculum materials. I didn't feel any qulams about it....and lots of other bloggers are either professional or semi-professional photographers. That is about the PHOTOGRAPHY though, and their skill, not advertising for another party. I don't think doing advertorial would be my thing, but it's an individual choice of course. And depends on what the money would be worth to me. If it makes a difference, it is a low-impact way of earning some welcome cash.

Jilly said...

Yes, I get asked the same from time to time. My feeling is that unless the money is going to change your life and 50 euros isn't, then don't do it?

I do sometimes wish tho, for all the work we put into our blogs, the time, the energy, not to mention the cost of cameras, that we could make something out of them, but then I don't care for blogs that are plastered with advertisements.

Anonymous said...

50 euros is WAY too low!

A said...

N,

From their perspective, 50€ is cheap. Your blog has real value and almost 1000 followers. I would ask 250€ plus only do it if you like their hotel.

All the best,

Your friend A in Portugal

crederae said...

I can understand all the ills of advertisement but on the other hand some commercial art is very attractive and well on the other hand some commercial art is attractive and I enjoy its interaction with everyday life.

If you can make a few dollars as an artist why not. I am sure you would do what is aesthetically right for your blog without cluttering it up.

BISES>

The author said...

Thank you so much to all who took the time to give me their advice or impressions. It's a fine line between the legitimate desire to make a bit of money from something I put so much effort into and the desire to keep my blog 'pure and clean'. Each of your comments brings forward a specific aspect of the question and I really value your input. One thing's for sure, it won't be 50 euros - negotiations have already brought the offer up to 150... I'll keep you posted.

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