Those with keen eyes would have noticed that since Friday there are no more nuffnang ads on my site, for now at least. In fact, there are no syndicated ads at all. COCKTALES is currently ad-free.
Given a choice, i’d rather not have a third party get ads for me coz:
- U dont make much from the ads, so why clutter your site with them
- Ads are usually unrelated to the content
- I’d rather talk to the client direct to know exactly what they’re lookin to achieve
So if u’d like to advertise your outlet, brand or event on this site, u can talk to me direct: deep@spin.my / 019 382-4760. Am sure we can come to a very mutually-benefiting agreement, without the middleman. But not if ur in some irrelevant business like cement mixers.
One particular big client came to my agency (i run SPiN, a marketing & PR agency) after approaching one of the blog network companies to do an online campaign. Get some bloggers to write about them, tweet for them, and build and maintain their FB page. I quoted them about 50k for the 6-month timeline.
The blog company’s quote? $300,000.
Out of which, the bloggers get a small sum, while they keep the rest. The bloggers lose out, and more significantly the clients lose quite a bit.
Every blogger has e-mail. It doesnt take a brain surgeon to figure out how to contact them and discuss an arrangement. And by talking to friends and associates, its pretty easy these days to decide which blog you should use. And they are methods available to determine the impact of your ads or advertorials.
I think there are too many layers between clients and writers/bloggers. Client goes to their media agency. Media agency goes to nuffnang/advertlets/whoever. These people finally approach d writers.
By then, the cost has gone up like 5 times coz everyone wants their cut. Clients dont always get their money’s worth.
Well, maybe they got too much money to throw around. But I think small to medium companies should deal direct with the particular blogger. It’s easier than it seems.
Anyway for now, am on my own!
If things don work out, dont really matter. I wont starve. And companies like nuffnang and advertlets will always be around if I decide to rejoin.
Anyway what do u think bout these issues?
Wishing you all the best! Cheers…
If you’re in the industry and running a company in that line it’s fair enough.
But for most of us, writing proposals, managing client expectations, coming out with creatives, chasing payments and so on is beyond the realm of what we are comfortable doing.
So I think it’s fine, it works for me 😀
Yup, am sure d system works for some.
Tx Eiling
alcohol united… haha
yeap, it’s the assurance of payment and the whole management of the back end that works for most of us who aren’t otherwise savvy enough to be doing it on ourselves.
but you are of course, in a slightly different camp.
WELL SAID!! 😉
Why not do both? But best policy’s still ‘whatever works for you’, man. Kudos!
As a PR dude, I can attest to the confusion that reigns amongst various clients when it comes to engaging bloggers.
Having a support system to manage the back-end and upfront representation’s useful but they also perform a gatekeeper role which restricts (voluntary or otherwise) access to many bloggers but can be utilised to grant access too.
However things change, for PR, our role as consultants to our clients means that we should know how best to engage, whom, when, why, etc. Provided we are consulted, that is…
Tx Eric, BangsarBabe. Yea i guess i cd do both, but not having anyone to represent me means potential advertisers can talk to me direct. Anyway, advertising is not my main concern. My writing (and drinking!) is my priority, as well as pride in my work. D other stuff can come in later, as dis blog is still relatively new.
Ur right about the blog networks restricting access to certain bloggers, coz they make ’em sign sum sort of exclusivity. Some bloggers also refuse to talk to clients direct; dont understand why’d they do that. And i’ve heard complaints re bloggers acting like they’re superstars. Haha! Niga pleez! One of d underlying rationale for blogs is the democratization of media, and free speech for the masses, so to act like a star is pretty dumb. Coz ur nothing without your readers, and your readers could be anyone.
Well Deep, some client don’t care about the price, they get a certain comm from the media sellers as well. Say 15% from the total 300k so they might push for the bigger more expensive ones and at the same time also asking for discount so that their clients can view it as a good buy.
However if you are going direct to the client instead of via an agency than it might be a good bet.
Its a great idea anyhow, all the best!
OK. Tx Eden