Last weekend, I gave a session at PodCamp Montreal 2010 where I talked about blog monetization. I highlighted several advertising options, other than banners, that bloggers can offer on their blog or via Twitter.
The session was designed for bloggers who wish to take their blog to the next level and turn it into a business. Still, I made an effort to give options that part-time bloggers could use. The topics include a talk on what is content and what is advertising, the need to maintain your credibility and ethics, the ABC of pricing, and why you need to deal with media buyers instead of PR if you wish to monetize your blog. Media buyers and PR people have different roles, objectives and budgets. Melanie of Mel of All Trades wrote a summary of the things what she thought was important.
I plan to revisit all these questions on this blog over the future months. Each issue has enough ramifications to be the subject of a post or two. In the meantime, you can watch the session. I am sorry if you do not hear some questions; not everyone had access to a microphone (this happens at unconferences).
I founded Media Sidekick because I believe that the future of blog monetization is not in banner ads. Brands and agencies are looking for something else. And influential bloggers can charge more if they can differentiate themselves with added services instead of depending on their number of page views to make money. Over the last two years, I saw many initiatives driven by women, design and lifestyle bloggers.
On September 11th, 2010 at 13:30, I will show you good examples of what is happening right now. This session will explore ethical monetization trends from no nonsense ideas to recent techniques that popped out across Canada and the United States. I invite you to join me. PodCamp Montreal 2010 changed venue this year. It will be held for the first time at the UQAM’s Cœur des sciences located in downtown Montreal.
If you have not registered yet for PodCamp Montreal, you still have time. It costs only $20 to attend. The topics are diverse from Life after journalism by Bruno Guglielminetti (in French) to How an artist and gallery owner makes the most of blogging, Facebook, and Twitter
Successful bloggers accumulated a sought-after knowledge of social media. As a consultant, I advised big organizations about social media culture and worked on defining a good strategy for them.
More and more bloggers are capitalizing on their know-how. Design*Sponge is the latest design blogger who jumped into blog and business consulting services. Over the last couple of years, I have seen my share of lifestyle designers who launched training programs for like-minded bloggers. Here are a few good examples:
+ Holly Becker of Decor8 coached over 200 bloggers worldwide with her blogging and creativity workshop. Her Blogging Your Way e-courses aim to take to bloggers with some experience to the next level.
+ Blog Out Loud organizes social media events for inspiring creative people. Their sixth event was last Monday in New York City; read the recap of Blog Out Loud 6 here. Blog Out Loud is the idea of seasoned design bloggers, Megan Arquette of Beach Bungalow 8 and Rebecca Orlov of Loving.Living.Small. In April 2010, Rebecca launched Sweetline Agency, an online brand project management company that works with lifestyle companies to define, shape and build their online presences.
+ There is Liene Stevens who founded Think Splendid to provide social media consulting for the wedding and hospitality event industries. Her journey started with the Blue Orchid blog, the blog of her wedding planning company. She realized that the creative people that she was working with could get more insight in how to run a business and with marketing. To do her part, Liene launched the Smart Planner blog, which she then turns into blogging and social workshops for wedding professionals.
Each blogging sphere has its particularities. The same way that mass-advertising differs from niche marketing, it is important to know the general blogging rules but also to understand the specifics of your niche market.
