Your arrangement here, by the way, is just what it should be. The ads are not so overpowering that they distract me from the content. Only one thing blinks. There is quite a bit of color, but it isn’t overdone. So keep up the good work and I hope this works out for you. Right now, I’ve chosen the more indirect method for my blogs and that works well. If I do choose to monetize any time soon, it will likely be with related books from Amazon or related Internet marketing products (haven’t decided yet, though there are fortunately several options). But I agree with you, keeping an open mind to this aspect of blogging is necessary. Good luck to you!

-Ina
Open Season: Choosing the RIGHT Home Business!

Ina @ Open Seasons last blog post..How Secure Is Job Security?

@Peter- I believe there’s room for different approaches. I have long been a critic of the establishment of “rules” for blogs. I don’t have a personal problem with blogs that are just set up to make money, without regard to content – but I don’t read them, get feeds from them or link to them

@Barbara – Great point. At the same time, if newspapers – or, say, television networks, allow “advertorial” content to swamp real editorial content, they will surely lose the more discerning readers/viewers in the longer haul. Bloggers, like mainstream media editors, have to work out who their desired audience is and what they need to do to attract and hold that audience – including not thoughtlessly driving them away in the search for a quick buck. Locally in Australia, we have recently had an example of journalists for a formerly respected journal of record saying “Enough!” http://standsalone.org/blog/2008/04/13/journalist-revolt-at-the-age/ As with life, it’s a matter of balance, as I’m sure you’ll agree.

@Solo Business Marketing: Thanks Shirley – I appreciate your encouraging words, as always. You are the Great Encourager (and I know you don’t do that lightly) – take a bow!

@Lightening – Thank you. Yes, sometimes I wonder, when I visit a site which has so many ads, Google adsense included, scattered around the site, and I can’t easily find a blog post, whether the author actually wants anyone to read his or her posts, or just click on ad and go and buy something!