February 19, 2005
More blogging lessons
Thomas Pierce and I were discussing how trackback links work.
I will fully admit I’m still a novice when it comes to all the aspects of how blogs work and proper blog etiquette.
However, I think it’s really interesting to see how different people react to advertising messages and how they are either “good” or “bad.”
The reality of life is that, if you can’t make a profit… you can’t stay in business.
If you don’t stay in business… you can’t help anyone.
The attitude that blogs should be clearly non-promotion or without “hype” (which I assume is *any* advertising to the blogging purist) is unrealistic…. it ain’t gonna happen.
What we all need to do is find a happy balance between commercial and content… but to think that blogs won’t advertise is folly.
Look back at email… it all started out as geeks communicating back and forth across networks.
But once something like this enters the mainstream public consciousness, there must be an eventual inclusion of commercial messages and content… or it cannot expand to benefit everyone.
My 2 cents about what will eventually drive blogs.
Once it comes out of the basement and there is demand for people to spend full time providing content to an audience.. it stops being a money-hobby… and as such, it requires MONEY to come into the person publishing the blog, otherwise they can’t support their “habit” of sharing quality information.
Bottom line:
1. Blogs and ads will be going hand in hand.
2. Depending on the audience you’re targeting, the types of ads you run will vary. What’s seen as an acceptable ad in one market will be viewed as a completely ineffective ad in another.
3. I think we all need to respect each other’s opinions and experiments as this medium evolves… but I expect the “purists” will hold on and cry and moan that they have the ONLY answer and anyone who does it differently is WRONG and BAD. (And everyone is entitled to their opportunity to be the topic of a Friday Night Smackdown)!
4. … and that’s how the world moves forward 
To Your Success!
Jim
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7 Comments »
February 19, 2005
Thomas :
LOL…and well put.
Thanks for the trackback.
That is really what it comes to and your right, the purists will become a minority and they can hold fast to that ideology if they choose. Advertising and money from and with blog is inevitable and is already well underway right now. Blogs are so effective at speaking with customers, clients and prospects that it is only natural for commericial interests to find expression through blogs. That means advertising and money.
Blogs powerfully allow you to match your message to “your” market. Each market responds differently and requires and certain type of outreach.
Again, well said my friend.
~Thomas
Llewellyn :
Hi
all your other “I gotta tell you” subscribers that post to your blog seem so clued up! I however have a few stupid questions to ask:
(1) what are the advantages of having a blog to market a product and say running your own discussion group? Is it a search engine advantage,better and quicker interactivity or both?
(2) I feel that if you could send an email but in a blog format, without having to link to a separate blog from the email, it would combine the best of both worlds. Has this been done?
(3)In one of his websites Corey Rudl talked about direct to desktop publishing as the wave of the future. What do you think about this?
Llewellyn :
Another question! Are use of blogs suitable for promoting every type of online information product, or would certain types of subscribers (for example to a website selling car products) react negatively rather than positively to a blog format?
February 20, 2005
Jay :
We are promoting a new product for Emergency Medical Techs to communicate with patients that speak limited English. I am new to Blogs and looking for advise how to use a blog to promote our business. Would a Blog work to have EMT’s communicate their patient stories about encountering patients that spoke no English?… Can we get advise here?
February 21, 2005
Tony :
Hi Jim
I enjoyed the informative blogging videos.
Thank you..
Tony
OLima :
Nice post and nice reasoning. But you haven’t even given the chance to thing of blogging as a pure free time activity like playing the violin or playing the piano, or simply reading. And that you can’t deny it is possible. Cheers.
BigJim :
I’ll give you that
Jim