It just came to my attention that bloggers with TypePad Pro accounts can now earn money from their blogs via an integrated service from Kanoodle, a contextual advertising company. They have one tiny catch, though: Earnings for the first 90 days can only go towards future TypePad subscription payments. It’s only after 90 days that bloggers can obtain or spend their money via PayPal.
Anyway, apparently, this is just the beginning. Six Apart is planning to integrate other ways to help TypePad bloggers to turn pro, including adding Tip Jars.
I blogged about this at Weblogs.About.com, but I thought I’d share it here as well seeing as this is all about pro-blogging.
Now, I’m just wondering if anyone here has a TypePad Pro account who can talk more about this? Yes, even though I have a batallion of blog accounts, I’m not subscribed to TypePad.
I wonder how many other blog services will follow this practice?
I blogged this as well because it is news but from a user point of view whilst the service might be handy how insulting is it to TypePad Pro users: I mean seriously: if they are on the Pro version anyway I’d think they’d already be switched on and yet the media release/ statement from SixApart talks like they are all 3 year olds who have no idea about making a few dollars from their site: maybe I missed something along the way when I thought that TypePad was being pitched at serious business bloggers, maybe its meant to be “blogging for dummies”.
Duncan: I understand your point and I can empathise. You’re right. But, maybe not all bloggers with a TypePad Pro account have the experience/background with monetising their blogs? I’ve seen a few TypePad blogs that can possibly be monetised but haven’t done so – well, not that everyone would want to monetise their blogs in the first place anyway. I’m only guessing that for some ‘pro’ users, it’s more about the functions/features available with the TypePad Pro account rather than being “professional bloggers”? And perhaps, this move from Six Apart will open such doors for some of them who may not know how to do it themselves? Again, I’m only guessing here. :-)
I am a TypePad Pro subscriber and currently use Google AdSense. I’ll wait and see what TypePad comes up with and how others like it before I consider switching.
First 90 days goes to a Typepad subscription? No offense, but I find that to be a crock. I feel that anyone who is smart enough to start and continue a blog can find other alternatives. People like Darren the rest of you guest blogging make that possible via your own blogs and the help you give others.
It’s the bloggers on ProBlogger.net that have helped me get my start. I’ve only been blogging for about 2 months and have learned so much. I just find this to be poorly implemented.
BTW, do you have to use that program or can you use 3rd party ones? I use Blogware so I have no idea how Typepad works.
That’s clever… they get the PR of offering the feature, but it amounts to a coupon on service fees for all but five or six of the typepad users…
Howdy. I use TypePad and am VERY happy with it. But, I myself use AdSense and don’t see any reason to change. One point no one has made here is that not everyone will be accepted for AdSense, but I’m guessing TypePad may not be so picky.
Ken, you can use any ads you want on TypePad, just like any other blogware : )
Those Guys in Oceania Are Kicking Ass
Blogs enable even small companies to participate in the global information economy. A group of high-profile bloggers in Australia and New Zealand illustrate well the skill set required.
90 days is WAY to long. I could maybe see 30 days. I would avoid it just because of this ridiculous requirement.
“One point no one has made here is that not everyone will be accepted for AdSense, but I’m guessing TypePad may not be so picky.”
This is an important point… enabling ads on TypePad sites with this new feature doesn’t require any separate signup, or any copy-and-paste of ad code, so it’s a much lower barrier to entry than waiting for approval from a system and manually integrating the markup for the ads into your site. Plus, you can easily restyle the ads from right within TypePad and get reports and stats on their performance in the application as well. Integration is a pretty big benefit, from what our users have told us.
Nothing can justify the 90 day earnings to the subscriptions. I can understand integration and etc, but you Typepad has to be kidding the rest of us bloggers.
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FMF: Thanks! I’ll be interested to hear whether you decide to switch or not — and why.
Ken: Yes, that first 90 days thingy also got me stumped. Anyway, as far as I know, you can use other ways to earn money from your TypePad Pro blog — including AdSense. I think, from what I understand, is that the only differences here are: TypePad Pro users no longer need to be “approved” to get this started (you usually have to apply to these programmes and wait for approval)… and, the stats/tracking is built-in with the TypePad Pro admin.[Also See Cary and Anil’s comments.]
Michael: Six Apart does have a few clever tricks… :-)
Cary: I’m glad to know that you like TypePad. It’s always good to hear from different bloggers who use different blogging systems. I suppose it’s not easy to make the switch if you already know that AdSense is working for you. “If it ain’t broke…” and all that. ;-)
Strange: It does make me wonder what that 90 days thing is for.
Anil: Thanks for your input. I wonder if you’ll be providing some follow-up data on this (who’re using them, success rate, ease of integration… etc.)? Also, what IS up with the 90 days thing?!
TypePad sites with this new feature doesn’t require any separate signup, or any copy-and-paste of ad code, so it’s a much lower barrier to entry than waiting for approval from a system
I think most of us involved with online businesses need someway to manage it.