You may or may not have noticed, but I have been experimenting with putting ads on the bottom of the blog posts. (Paying server costs and so on.)
So here is? the question: Do having ads on this blog amount to selling out? Do they devalue the content of the posts? Do they make you see the blog in a different light?
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Update: I removed the ads again.
I typically read your site via RSS, so I haven’t noticed any ads. I think, however, that Google ads (when kept to a minimum) are pretty unobtrusive and don’t detract from content.
I’m currently grappling with the idea of ads for my own sites. While I’m vehemently opposed to in-game ads in specific and the over saturation of marketing in general, I understand that web ads can be very beneficial in offsetting server costs, etc.
The way I see it, blogs are online serial publications. Few magazines/newspapers are without advertisements, so I don’t see why blogs would be “tainted” by having tastefully placed ads to support continued publication. If you used a 2+ column layout, you could even place them higher up without interfering with the main content. That’s what I do on mine, at least.
I’ll be making a couple presentations at the non-academic sessions of DiGRA–interested in hearing about your paper while I’m there!
I also read via RSS so hadn’t noticed anything, but even if I had I don’t see anything wrong with some adverts to monetise a site.
Its a bit different when a site has 20 adverts, popups and are trying to mislead users into clicking, but a few small text based adverts doesn’t harm anyone
Hello there. Just for the record: I also get your posts from RSS.
I think the Google Ads on your page are very discrete and completely unobstrusive. Personally, I don?t think there should be any prejudice agains websites carrying ads. And if they help you keep the site running, that?s great.
Myself, I?ve tried that but haven?t got a single click, so I quit it. But I?m sure you?ll do better. Good luck!
ps: my anti-spam word was “rule”, which is kind of neat.
A RSS reader is my entry point, so I probably wouldn’t see them most of the time. Only rarely do I visit the web page, for example to comment on a post. (Hmm, a RSS reader that allows comments anyone?)
If the ads are text only, they don’t bother me so much. If they’re graphic or SWF, I block them with a plugin.
I think that content in exchange for viewing advertising is a good deal. IMO it is the inherant cleptomania of the internet which leads to the idea of advertising being a sell out, ie. most people seem to expect something for nothing.