Comments on: Paying for YouWorkForThem’s Book Archive http://generalprojects.com/blog/?p=549 General Projects is the working name of designer Ben Pieratt. Sat, 26 Jun 2010 00:14:54 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Stretch http://generalprojects.com/blog/?p=549&cpage=1#comment-266 Stretch Thu, 11 Feb 2010 10:45:06 +0000 http://generalprojects.com/blog/?p=549#comment-266 I think the Book Cover Archive is an awesome piece of design & a great resource. I have no problem at all with the necessity of the economy underpinning such sites. I would want you to make a bit of money & at the end of the day the book covers are designed to stimulate you to notice them & purchase them. I have never felt the advertising on the site to be detrimental or distracting. I look forward to seeing what you unannounced project is! I think the Book Cover Archive is an awesome piece of design & a great resource. I have no problem at all with the necessity of the economy underpinning such sites. I would want you to make a bit of money & at the end of the day the book covers are designed to stimulate you to notice them & purchase them. I have never felt the advertising on the site to be detrimental or distracting. I look forward to seeing what you unannounced project is!

]]> By: Marc Köhlbrugge http://generalprojects.com/blog/?p=549&cpage=1#comment-230 Marc Köhlbrugge Fri, 15 Jan 2010 22:58:11 +0000 http://generalprojects.com/blog/?p=549#comment-230 I think it all depends on where the value of the website lies. If it other's people content, I don't think it's right to make money of it. But in your case it's not the content that holds the value, but your curatorship and the platform you have built. I'm not sure about the legal side of things (are book covers in the public domain?), but aside from that I'd say you have every right to make a profit of the website. If banners are the right choice for this is another question altogether. If you DO choose to place banners on the site these should be curated as well to fit with the rest of the website. If you still feel bad making a profit from the site I suggest donating a part of your revenue to CRI like you do with visitor's donations. This way every time you earn something from BCA you know CRI will have earned something as well. I think it all depends on where the value of the website lies. If it other’s people content, I don’t think it’s right to make money of it. But in your case it’s not the content that holds the value, but your curatorship and the platform you have built.

I’m not sure about the legal side of things (are book covers in the public domain?), but aside from that I’d say you have every right to make a profit of the website.

If banners are the right choice for this is another question altogether. If you DO choose to place banners on the site these should be curated as well to fit with the rest of the website.

If you still feel bad making a profit from the site I suggest donating a part of your revenue to CRI like you do with visitor’s donations. This way every time you earn something from BCA you know CRI will have earned something as well.

]]> By: Bobby http://generalprojects.com/blog/?p=549&cpage=1#comment-228 Bobby Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:10:07 +0000 http://generalprojects.com/blog/?p=549#comment-228 I quit my job to blog full time, so advertising was a must for me. Since I can concentrate 300% more on my blog that means that the content and ideas are a lot better. Advertising is a necessary evil and anyone who tries to tell you differently hasn't tried to live off of a blog. I quit my job to blog full time, so advertising was a must for me. Since I can concentrate 300% more on my blog that means that the content and ideas are a lot better. Advertising is a necessary evil and anyone who tries to tell you differently hasn’t tried to live off of a blog.

]]> By: Stephen Coles http://generalprojects.com/blog/?p=549&cpage=1#comment-227 Stephen Coles Mon, 11 Jan 2010 19:15:17 +0000 http://generalprojects.com/blog/?p=549#comment-227 Don't overthink it. If the ads are in the way, they aren't right for the site. If they are styled and relevant no reasonable visitor should have complaint. Personally, I want you to support your work somehow because I want you to continue producing it. In that sense, as a visitor I prefer ads on your sites. Don’t overthink it. If the ads are in the way, they aren’t right for the site. If they are styled and relevant no reasonable visitor should have complaint.

Personally, I want you to support your work somehow because I want you to continue producing it. In that sense, as a visitor I prefer ads on your sites.

]]> By: Dan http://generalprojects.com/blog/?p=549&cpage=1#comment-226 Dan Mon, 11 Jan 2010 18:35:40 +0000 http://generalprojects.com/blog/?p=549#comment-226 PS: Talking Points Memo is a pretty egregious example of ads that don't match content: http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/ But it's not like they're the only guilty party. Just don't do that OK? PS: Talking Points Memo is a pretty egregious example of ads that don’t match content:

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/

But it’s not like they’re the only guilty party.

Just don’t do that OK?

]]> By: Dan http://generalprojects.com/blog/?p=549&cpage=1#comment-224 Dan Mon, 11 Jan 2010 17:59:10 +0000 http://generalprojects.com/blog/?p=549#comment-224 I've been wondering about ads on The Casual Optimist for a while. I've not done it because for two reasons: 1) if the ads aren't a good fit (and there seems to be no way to guarantee they would be) then they'd be obtrusive to my readers and ME! and 2) my traffic probably doesn't make it worthwhile! If my traffic shot through the roof (ha!) and someone could do a decent job of curating the ads (hello Coudal Partners/The Deck) then I would think about it more seriously. I mean I love publishing a blog, but it would be nice to able to nice to get some financial support for it... Anyway, I don't really notice the ads on the BCA. They're not intrusive (I find the ones on Facebook more irritating) but I think I just blank them out because they're not that interesting/relevant to me (sorry Fusion) which takes us back to the whole good fit/appropriateness thing... I do use affiliate links for books mentioned on the site because I want to link to additional information and encourage people to buy/read books. The affiliate side of it is unobtrusive (at least in my opinion and no one has complained). But I don't use Amazon for a variety of very complicated reasons, and I would love to see the BCA start offering IndieBound links (in addition to Amazon) to give people an alternative. Anyway, I don't know what these means for svpply or Secret Unannounced Project X other than I think ads are OK if you're up front about it (ie no product endorsements masquerading as reviews, or horrid pop-ups, blind links etc) and the ads are actually a good fit with the site's content... Not sure that helps does it? ;-) I’ve been wondering about ads on The Casual Optimist for a while.

I’ve not done it because for two reasons:

1) if the ads aren’t a good fit (and there seems to be no way to guarantee they would be) then they’d be obtrusive to my readers and ME!

and

2) my traffic probably doesn’t make it worthwhile!

If my traffic shot through the roof (ha!) and someone could do a decent job of curating the ads (hello Coudal Partners/The Deck) then I would think about it more seriously. I mean I love publishing a blog, but it would be nice to able to nice to get some financial support for it…

Anyway, I don’t really notice the ads on the BCA. They’re not intrusive (I find the ones on Facebook more irritating) but I think I just blank them out because they’re not that interesting/relevant to me (sorry Fusion) which takes us back to the whole good fit/appropriateness thing…

I do use affiliate links for books mentioned on the site because I want to link to additional information and encourage people to buy/read books. The affiliate side of it is unobtrusive (at least in my opinion and no one has complained). But I don’t use Amazon for a variety of very complicated reasons, and I would love to see the BCA start offering IndieBound links (in addition to Amazon) to give people an alternative.

Anyway, I don’t know what these means for svpply or Secret Unannounced Project X other than I think ads are OK if you’re up front about it (ie no product endorsements masquerading as reviews, or horrid pop-ups, blind links etc) and the ads are actually a good fit with the site’s content…

Not sure that helps does it? ;-)

]]> By: pieratt http://generalprojects.com/blog/?p=549&cpage=1#comment-223 pieratt Mon, 11 Jan 2010 15:31:08 +0000 http://generalprojects.com/blog/?p=549#comment-223 Duane, you said "it’s my intention to keep the content pure and figure out new ways to make money of this type of project." If you intend to make money off it then in what sense is it kept "pure"? Or rather, what's worse about a placed ad than whatever alternative means you have in mind? Also, for what it’s worth, Svpply definitely does not fall into this category. It is 100% capitalistic hedonism. Haha. I would already have ads placed all over it if it wouldn’t completely ruin the user’s experience and brand impression. Duane, you said “it’s my intention to keep the content pure and figure out new ways to make money of this type of project.” If you intend to make money off it then in what sense is it kept “pure”? Or rather, what’s worse about a placed ad than whatever alternative means you have in mind?

Also, for what it’s worth, Svpply definitely does not fall into this category. It is 100% capitalistic hedonism. Haha. I would already have ads placed all over it if it wouldn’t completely ruin the user’s experience and brand impression.

]]> By: Duane King http://generalprojects.com/blog/?p=549&cpage=1#comment-221 Duane King Mon, 11 Jan 2010 15:25:29 +0000 http://generalprojects.com/blog/?p=549#comment-221 I've struggled with this issue myself, and in the end, I decided that I prefer my design content ad free. It's a bit of a conundrum as it takes a long time to put together projects like Thinking for a Living, Svpply, Book Cover Archive or YWFT's Book Archive. Still, I think in the end, I prefer a separation of church and state so to speak. In our personal projects it feels like the one place you can keep things clean. With that said, t's my intention to keep the content pure and figure out new ways to make money of this type of project. Easier said than done. I will say that it's less of an issue to me when it's promoting projects by the same person (i.e. the YWFT example — or if the Book Cover Archive pimped Svpply). I’ve struggled with this issue myself, and in the end, I decided that I prefer my design content ad free. It’s a bit of a conundrum as it takes a long time to put together projects like Thinking for a Living, Svpply, Book Cover Archive or YWFT’s Book Archive. Still, I think in the end, I prefer a separation of church and state so to speak. In our personal projects it feels like the one place you can keep things clean. With that said, t’s my intention to keep the content pure and figure out new ways to make money of this type of project. Easier said than done.

I will say that it’s less of an issue to me when it’s promoting projects by the same person (i.e. the YWFT example — or if the Book Cover Archive pimped Svpply).

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