Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Free from fall.

Fervent and loyal blog readers may have noticed a rather drastic change that has been made to the postings.
In the past every posting was having a Google advertisement.
An ad trying to have the fervent and loyal blog reader click on it to be diverted to the website of the company trying to sell a product or even an ideology.

The way this works is that after a blog publisher signs up for this service, called Google Ad, the Google computer scans the blogtext and looks for advertisements of their clients that have somehow to do with the subject or the contents of the blog.
Next, each time a blog reader clicks on the announcement, the advertiser pays an amount that is shared between Google and the blogpublisher.

There are certain aspects to this way of making money with a blog.
And some of those aspects, after the initial test period, are responsible for eliminating the Google Ad on this blog.

One aspect is that the blog publisher has no control what kind of announcements Google decides to put on the blog.
It occurred repeatedly that an announcement was added to a posting that was not in line at all or even opposite to the philosophy and convictions of this blog publisher.

A second aspect is that this system of a Google computer scanning text for keywords to find matching announcements, may tempt the blog publisher to write in a money making way.
To write about subjects who lures many visitors and popular advertisements on which many people will click.

A third aspect is that it has been learned that there are blogs where visitors willingly click on the advertisements while they are not interested in the product of the company at all, simply to have the blog publisher make money.
The blog publisher doesn’t openly suggest this way of helping but does mention it and is not opposing it.

Being involved as a blog publisher and accepting Google Ad easily creates a situation of hypocrisy and insincerity.
Some blog publishers have managed to create a considerable monthly income through Google Ads on their blogs.
In order to safeguard that income nothing controversial will be published ever.
The blog readers and their clicks on the announcements are needed.
That is also the reason that the blog publisher portrays him or herself in a most sympathetic way like an ideal son in law or a best friend.
While in reality the person can be totally different.
On that kind of blogs uncensored comments are not allowed: only comments favourable to the blog publisher are filtered out and published helping to create the illusion.

This blog has different principles.
First of all, it is not important for this blog how many people read it.
And secondly, it is not important if it makes money or not.
This makes it possible to share, exclusively on a basis of honesty and sincerity, postings and comments.
Any subject is presented on this blog.
Any opinion is expressed.
And fervent and loyal blog readers have the opportunity to publish their opinions uncensored as long as it is not anonymously.

We have celebrated the publication of the 200th posting recently.
And with this we also celebrate being honest and not corrupt.
This is why the Google advertisement has been eliminated from the blog.
Our party takes place in a clean home.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sounds like you're very critical of your friend. You're talking about your famous vagabond friend, right?

Unknown said...

Why are you so critical of your vagabond friend? Jealousy?

Anonymous said...

I agree

Stephan said...

Michel,

I don't quite get it. The sincerity is all up to the blog writer and as long as you stay honest to the principles of this blog all will be well.
Nevertheless, it's good to see a blog without any (sometimes) distracting ads and to know (just for sure) that you are a honest man. Hah, that's a surprise ;-)

Anonymous said...

Some people have the luxury of not needing to bring in income by means of a blog. Others do. I don't think it's necessary to make judgements about how others handle their personal websites. If you feel satisfied about yours, then great. But it does sort of diminish it in my eyes when you compare it to someone else's and judge them as hypocritical. Do you know their heart? Do you know their thoughts? Do you know their motives, and why they do their blog the way they do? No, you do not. Do your blog your way you think you should, and let others do theirs the way they think they should. There's a lot of room on this world wide web for both.

rob said...

im a regular reader,and a new blogger and soon to be rv fulltimer. i agree google has its flaws, and had considered the ad revenue in the future,do they really censor your posts....unreal. I hope Tioga george is as he seems in his posts

Anonymous said...

well said

Anonymous said...

Who wants to read a blog anyway where they ask money to play Santa Claus for the own glory ?

Esther said...

I'm so glad to see other people have picked up on the criticism of "Poor Jorge" This has bothered me in past posts as well. I think there is some competition going on here.

Anonymous said...

I have been a loyal reader of your blog from the beginning. Were there Google ads on your blog? I never noticed. As to whether Google ads influence the content of the blog: why and how could they? Also, no one has to click the ads. They do sort of clutter the blog page, but one can condition themselves to ignore them altogether, if they so desire. I think it is wonderful that Google ads offer a little bit of income for bloggers who benefit (through need) from them. It is always nice to have a legal way to add a bit to one's income. What a wonderful way for a fulltime RV'r to do so.
As to our vagabond friend, George, if my clicking on the occasional ad helps support his lifestyle in some little way, I am happy to do so. He has come under some fire for the Google ads and even told his readers not to click the ads just to increase his earnings. I have noticed, though, that recently Google has been putting more ads on his blog. Some have even held relevancy for me.
I understand how you would be adverse to ads which differ from your fundamental beliefs and philosophies. As such, I probably wouldn't want them to appear either. But they don't in any way, that I can see, take away your freedom to state your opinions, however personal and possibly contrary to those of others they might be. That is want freedom of speech is all about. You for one, with your history, know about that.
Ultimately, it is totally up to you if you allow Google ads or not. However you do it, I will continue to read your blog.

Anonymous said...

"He has come under some fire for the Google ads and even told his readers not to click the ads just to increase his earnings. I have noticed, though, that recently Google has been putting more ads on his blog."

Google probably warned him about visitors just clicking on the ads and that is why he asked folks to quit doing it (although I suspect George warned himself since google will suspend and close adsense accounts *suspected* of "invalid clicks" without question). And google does not put more ads on any page – only the publisher can do that. Furthermore, that publisher chooses how big and annoying the ads can be, as in flashing "click me" instead of the passive google ads.

Michel, google states that you can filter the advertisements displayed, but when I wrote about spyware in my blog, and that most free spyware removers were spyware, you guessed it – google displayed those exact programs I just spent time warning people about. I applaud your decision to scrap adsense also. I am now in the process of moving my blog off of google's blogger as well.

Personally, I like your blog since I do not feel like I am reading a children's book filled with advertisements; I enjoy the mature, honest content and pictures. To each their own.