I've been doing some research around the web to figure out when you should monetize a website or blog? It appears there are 2 very different opinions on this: Opinion 1. Begin monetizing it on day 1, you probably won't make any revenue but this will get any future visitors comfortable with ads on your site. This would prevent possible backlash from followers in the future if all of the sudden they start seeing ads. This also gets you familiar with the different ways to monetize your site right off the bat. Opinion 2. Wait until you have a large base of loyal followers. This would build trust with visitors, to them it appears you aren't initially trying to profit from the website. Once you have a large following, you then begin to monetize as you can make targeted recommendations to your audience. They will be more likely to buy because they value your opinion. Or maybe neither of these are good suggestions, this is just the 2 main opinions I have come across so far. Anyone else have any suggestions or personal experiences on monetizing their site?
I think that backlash from visitors idea is some kind of fantasy. It really doesn't exist. In my experience, nobody really cares whether you have ads on your site or not. Obviously, it has to be done tastefully, but other than that, it's all good. Today, anywhere you go, each and every site has ads. Large, small, well-known and unknown. It's almost weird to come to a site that doesn't have AdSense or something similar. Those sites look empty and abandoned. Just slap those ads on and don't worry much about anything.
Yeah I agree with the post above. Ads on websites are more about their placement and respect for visitors. As long as the ad is well placed and not annoying the visitor with popup after popup I think it is fine. Also honestly I've started to hate those stupid js popups telling me to sign-up for the newsletter or something. Yeah they covert, but damn are they annoying.
I'd go with Opinion no. 2. I couldn't agree more. It's quite risky to bomb your site with ads, chances are visitors will be fed up and this narrows the chance that they'll come back to pay another visit.
1. Content first 2. Ads The main point of your site should be centered on your content. Allow your visitors to read first, then view your ads. Don't let your ads distract them.
Ideally, you would have an opt-in box on your site where your visitors could sign up to your list to receive notification from you when you make a new post. This will get your list built to which you can then market related products that you believe in assuming that you have been providing great content to your subscribers all along.
Googs, I agree with cborrx, build a subscriber list from day one. With email marketing you can build an intimate and trusting relationship with your subscribers and then market to them over and over again. Email marketing will convert at a higher rate than SEO traffic to your site. Focus on the optin; a customer database is a valuable business asset.
Ok Email Marketing allows you to promote items, but the main point should always be providing value. You should always build an asset with your traffic = Building a List of Subscribers.
Right away, but how you do it is what matters. In the beginning if you have only 2 articles on your site then it would not be wise to have 30 ads all over the place. But, a few strategically placed in-line affiliate links could work out well and provide a few bucks for growth. al
Except for certain 'sensitive' niches it doesn't really matter whether you monetize from day 1 or later on, as 95% of visitors aren't going to click your ad or buy something anyway. You might not want to have a no-ad site that focuses on missing children (for example) suddenly peppered with ads for kids' products.