Are you starting, or thinking of starting, a commercial blog? Do you have a question that you’ve been trying to figure out around some of the topics of ProBlogging? Feel free to submit your question for ProBloggers in comments below and I’ll try to get back to you with an answer – or at least point you to a previously written article on the topic. Questions might also feature in future interviews with ProBloggers.
Your questions can focus on anything from using Adsense on your blog, to which Blog tools are best, to Affiliate programs, to Search Engine Optimization, to writing content through to business blogs. No question is too stupid to ask. If I don’t know the answer I’ll open it for general discussion and see if our collective knowledge as probloggers can work it out.
My question:
How do you deal with comment spammers?
Just how important is the software you choose?
I’m likely to use blogging software that is slightly off the beaten track (read: not MT), it has nealy all of the standard features. Are there drawbacks to not choosing Moveable Type? What are the features that experience has taught you are the most valuable?
Do you ever go back and edit old entries, perhaps fill them out a little more?
“Do you ever go back and edit old entries, perhaps fill them out a little more?”
IMHO, this should only be done if you make it clear where the new parts are. And if the entry is too old, it’s not worth going back and adding to it anyway.
My ads are always irrelevant…. How do I make them more relevant to the actual content of my site? Especially since my site is not focused on anything in particular.
How do you think adblocking software will effect revenue sources for bloggers in the upcoming months and years?
Hi ,
I’m working on my blog website layout and wondering which placement is best for the ads. Which work best for you? The top banner, the footer. or the ones intermixed with your content?
Thanks,
Frank
What is the current average notion of the “proper” rate for an ad based upon a site’s pageviews statistics?
Granted, this will vary widely, in part because we’re talking about markets and sites will charge what they can get awy with in their respective markets. But what’s the general rule of thumb, currently?
At the moment, I’m ending up with widely and wildly different sets of data depending on whether I look at the ratio between traffic and rates for sites like, say, Wonkette and Gothamist (on the one hand), and rate standards I’m finding on websites about online advertising?
This question is more than merely academic, since if I don’t find a way to put together a decent ad rate policy, my site dies within the next two months.
What should be the relationship between a traditional website that basicall serves as an online brochure and a blog? I am at the point of needing to establish a better coordination or integration of the two.
I’m a software developer. What tools can I write to help probloggers to be more successful?
Hi Darren
Excellent site, I’m a relative newbie blogger and have managed for two years with html pages self designed and with text I write in Dreamweaver. Now I have realised for some time now that other blogs, all other blogs, seem to be running under some other system into which they upload a simple text file. Other than the simplicity, can you tell me the advantages of this, and whether it’s possible to use a blogger tool without knowledge of code/tags etc. as I’m pretty much wysiwyg, although now using css and php. I would appreciate a system which organised the chaos for me! I’m sure I’ll learn a lot from regular visits to you blog.
Great site…very informative !
*
I have so many diverse hobbies and interests that I want to start a blog about, plus I’d also like to make some $ through AdSense & the likes. My question is this: Am I better off having one blog site with multiple categories or multiple blog sites highlighting specific interests? Thanks
Hi Darren,
Quick question that other might be interested in also…do you know anything about what drives the sometimes wild variation in day to day click values…
To give you some context, I have recently launched a site which carries Adsense ads and these are pretty tightly focussed on a niche. It works well with the same niche ads showing up consistently. The site is getting consistent and growing traffic, and the CTR is good and reasonably consistent, but I am finding that the daily earnings vary wildly from day to day…one day it is great, then the next day it is bad, eventhough the same ads are showing and the CTR is about the same. The only variable is changing click values.
I know that this is driven by demand and they do change but the variance seems really random considering that the advertisers are consistently the same.
I am not sure if this is normal supply/demand market forces changing the click values or if my share of the revenue is changing based on some other factors. Any clues?
Cheers
I am trying to decide what software to use for a new blog. I have a little experience with blogger, but have looked a lot at WordPress and Moveable Type.
But, I sure would appreciate what you think are the pros and cons and even a recommendation on the various blogging formats.
Thanks,
Dave
What’s the deal with Site Meter? It seems like lots of big time, monkey-making blogs have their stats readily available to the public via Site Meter. Is there an advantage to this vs. relying on my sever generated AW Stats? Does Site Meter justify advertising on your site and enable you to earn more money? Is it a more trusted source of stats? Is it just a way of bragging (and will I look like a dork if I have minimal traffic in comparison)?
My web site at http://www.pool-room.com is currently broken up into subdomains. I did this because it was easier to manage with the software I was using at the time (CityDesk). I’m now looking at moving everything into WordPress, and am wondering about the best strategy.
Do you think I should install a separate instance of WP for each subdomain and continue operating separate mini-sites, or would I be better off moving everything back under my primary domain and separating content in WP using categories?
Is breaking the content into tightly-focussed subdomains better from an SEO point of view? Or do subdomains not make much difference to the SEs, compared to having that content in separate subdirectories of my domain? I don’t think it’s worth breaking the separate topics out into full-blown separate domains of their own.
What are your thoughts?
I am being indexed by the search engines, but they only index the front page of my blog – not the permalinks. Its not a problem with wordpress because i’ve seen other sites have their pages indexed.
Is there something you need to do to get your whole site indexed? Or do you need to wait until your site becomes famous?
Nice site/design. Here’s my 2 cent bloglet:
1) Trends in blogging seem to be changing at a feverish pace.. What is the latest trend in blogging that seems to generate income? Blogging, pinging, etc drive traffic=$$, but aside from dontations, and paid ads through traffic, what else is on the net horizon??
Thanks,
Brian
http://www.nodents.com
paintless dent repair
Darren this is more of a technical question about word press. Basically I’ve just started a blog and I created my own header graphic. Having done this I left the blog title and byline in the dashboard options blank.
However having just looked at my feed in feedreader I see that title and byline are used in newsreaders… what can I do?
I went to college to be a journalist many years ago, but went into business instead. I see blogging as a chance to have my journalistic longing reborn. I’d like it to grow into some level of income, starting small and building.But I don’t know how to get started. Let me start with this: sites like livejournal.com or myspace.com–would they let someone have revenue sources on their blob page? Also, where would an older guy like me (in my 40’s) learn the basics? Many thanks for your help.
How important is a blog title? Also does have a domain name with the same name as your blog title matter?
I am looking at getting a laptop that will primarily be just for my blog site The Rock and Roll Report. From writing my posts, to working on the design of the site to researching over the net to listening and downloading online audio and video content, this laptop will do it all. I want it to be wireless capable and high quality within a reasonable budget ($1500.00 or less). My heart says iBook (I do not currently use a Mac) but my head says a Windows based laptop for extreme flexibility. It will also be used for a potential podcast. What should I do?
Hi Darren……….I’m a “virgin blogger.”
Honestly.
This is my very, very first time.
Watched form the sidelines for about the last 6 months but really couldn’t make heads or tails of it untl I saw a big news item in a business mag last month stating how blogging was helping a large Asian company get to the top of its market……somehow….still don’t understand.
My situation is this: am about to publish drawings on a technology that will make your (any vehicle, petrol or diesel) car go 60 mpg….yes I did say 60 miles per gallon……. about 24 kilometres per litre.
And I want to blog it on blog sites.
……………am I out of line?
do bloggers accept adverts?
In this case I will give away a free report on “how to build a tech-nology that makes your car do 60 mpg.” And secondly, if they want they can then buy the plans off me for a small fee.
Darren, I need to clarify this point (please be gentle, remember, I’m like Madonna, a virgin!) as I really don’t know what to do.
(Shheeeeeeeesh! I think I was in this scene in the backseat of a VW in 1965!)
Is there some kind of “how to blog” documentary somewhere you can point me to….my main question is: vcan I advertise a product and upload a pdf file for them to take if they read my small advert?
From Aussie…..Seeedneeee,
Wally Royal.
Do you have any idea how many blogs carry some type of advertising: affiliates, adsense, etc.? Either actual number of percent of blogs would do.
The ideal piece of info i’m looking for would read something like this:
“reports that in 2004 25% of the estimated 1 million blogs on the web use advertising” (i’m making up these numbers of course, but you get my drift)
thanks, michele
Darren … I’m starting a kayak fishing blog and the design of your blog looks perfect for my needs. How do I go about creating one that is designed much like your own? I don’t have a clue.
Hi there Problogger,
I have a question that I was hoping you might ponder..
I’ve been giving away a peice of software for quite some time now and have well over a thousand users. I’ve now rewritten, upgraded, improved and created a new version of the same software.. the new version is great.. I’m really excited about it.. but I’m considering what the best revenue model might be for this software.. I was considering some form of link between a blog that the software occasionally encourages you to visit and adsense running on the blog..
Ideally, I’d actually like to embed the google ads in the software but it would seem Google forbid this in their terms and conditions. I’ve fired the question at google, but no response from them yet.. do you have any sage thoughts you might like to share on the matter?
Cheers, and Thanks,
Duncan.
Can you please tell us if BlogAds and AdSense are allowed together on the same page?
As well…which income sources are NOT allowable together?
Thanks!
I just started my blog May 31, 2005. I have threequestions that are important for me.
(1) Are you really answering these questions?
(2) I control PetLvr.com .. I’m finally comfortable with blogspot. Will I be seriously screwed later on if I move it from google to my own server? It’s just that I don’t know the software and not a programmer. I think I should change this question to be “Why NOT stay with Google? They’ll be around for a lot longer than some of these newer hosting companies that are popping up..
(3) Am I really “blogging”? Does the regurgitation of headlines from the lesser known and obscure news and interest websites something bloggers want to see? My ‘big plan’ is to obtain a large number of contributors that in a shared environment, my ‘true’ blogging stories and insights and comments and observations are not as needed on a regular basis.
Any links to previous articles would be helpful, I’m sure you have them around somewhere .. you seem to talk about everything :-D That’s why I come back to read you and browse.
Take care
HART
Do you think joining some traffic exchange program could help ?
I have joined one, but Im wondering it is not quality traffic, as they only go to my website to earn credits.
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I would like to know more about choosing a domain name. You and some other successful bloggers have your keywords in the domain. Others, like Brett Tabke, claims that keyword domains are out and that easily brandable names are in. I suppose that it is possible to combine these principles; you have done that haven’t you?