I know it's a little strange that I can't stand advertising, seeing as I spent most of my 20's and early 30's creating ads in New York and Philadelphia. Maybe I'm like those people who quit smoking and then wretch at the slightest whiff of nicotine? I don't even watch the Super Bowl ads anymore--they're just a lot of hype to me.
I don't think I'm alone. After all, TiVo and the DVR industry are doing pretty well, enabling millions of viewers to skip ads altogether. The problem now is that advertisers are looking to "New Media" to sell you that box of cereal or tube of toothpaste. Blogs and social networks are part of New Media, so I get a load of pitches (usually starting with "Hey Joyfully Green!", as if that's my name).
In particular, I get lots of offers for "guest articles" or "sponsored posts." As if I would just hand over the reins of my blog to companies who are trying to sell you something while pretending that they're not.
Advertisers are wasting their time (and mine), because I don't accept ads here, and this is why:
1) I've become more aware (and frankly, scared silly) of the strain that manufacturing, shipping, and disposing of products puts on the planet. I don't want to be part of the problem, creating artificial needs for more stuff.
2) One of the greenest things we can do is not buy anything new. I'm hardly a minimalist, but I don't want any more new stuff. I've come to value experiences over things. I'm always looking for new homes for stuff I no longer use. Quite simply, I have enough--more than enough!
3) Green-washing. Although I do buy my share of eco-friendly products, I don't want to be a product tester or researcher, figuring out if the product being pitched to me is truly green, or if the company just wants the green stuff in your wallet!
4) If I skip ads, it's only fair that I don't subject you to them either. I'm grateful that you're here, and I don't want to muck up your visit with noise and distractions.
5) It's just not worth it. When I started blogging in July 2012, I signed up as an Amazon.com affiliate, which meant that if I linked to a product I actually believed in, I'd get a few coins if somebody bought it. But I don't want my blog to read like an infomercial.
6) I want a cleaner design. Recently, I took down my sidebar that listed green books for kids and adults. I'd rather keep it clean and simple in here, and ads in the margins just add visual clutter.
7) I want to stay on-message. I have a category on this blog called "Minimalism and Non-Consumerism." More and more, I find myself encouraging people to buy things from a consignment store, or to check out books from the library. If I don't like shopping, why on earth would I encourage you to do it?
Having said all that--and this might come as a surprise--this blog is my business, a registered LLC in the state of New Jersey. I'm not writing it just for fun (although it is fun, 99.9% of the time). I'd like to turn a modest profit in a way that feels natural to me and not unwelcome to you. So, I thought long and hard about ways to monetize without advertising or violating any of the seven reasons I just listed.
Since beginning Joyfully Green in July 2012, the thing I've gotten the most comments on (by far) is my photography. So, in a way, you all helped me find the answer. (Thank you!) I started teaching an online photography course, How to Take Better Photos of Nature and the World Around You in March of this year, and it totally suited me. I think I can safely say that it suited my students as well. I ran the intro course again this past July, and will run it a third time in January 2015. (Update: This course will run again from July 6-17, 2015. More info at the link above.)
But I want to continue the journey that I've started with my intro students, as well as reach out to photographers who already know the basics, so I'll be offering an intermediate photography e-course called "The Art of Photography: How to Take Your Pictures to the Next Level", from November 3-21, 2014. (Update: This course will run again from August 10-28, 2015.)
Am I "advertising" my photography classes here? Yes, I guess I am. But I'm not selling you stuff to fill up your house, or stuff that will pollute the air and water. I'm teaching a skill that I honestly believe will make your days more enjoyable (unlike advertising). And, as I'm offering my own services, I don't have to worry about whether to trust it (unlike advertising).
So if you enjoy this blog, I hope you'll consider supporting it by taking one of my photography e-courses. If the timing or pricing doesn't work for you, there are two really easy and totally free things you can do: (1) subscribe and (2) spread the word about this blog and the e-courses. There are links at the end of my posts (including this one) to connect and share on social media. Or, you could just use good, old-fashioned word-of-mouth. I'd be eternally grateful. That's the kind of "advertising" I like!
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How 'bout you? How do you feel about advertising? Do tell!
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© 2014 by Joy Sussman/JoyfullyGreen.com. All rights reserved. All photos and text digitally fingerprinted and watermarked. Please do not use any of my photographs without asking me first for permission at [email protected] and then clearly linking back to this site with photo credits. Site licensed by Creative Commons.
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