Advertising and farm life

Value Study - Tripod
copyright Jeanette Jobson

Comfy?

Tripod, the cat who should be out guarding the barn against predators assumes his usual level of vigilance on any available lap.

Lately I've had a few requests from companies asking to put paid advertising on my blog. I find this a little surprising as my blog doesn't generate high traffic, averaging 60 -70 people a day. I know very little about advertising and its impact so I won't even begin to speculate on the reasons why my blog was selected. Perhaps luck of the draw or perhaps there was a specific genre of blogs that were being researched.

I haven't succumbed to the lure of paid advertising for my blog but it made me wonder...So why are advertisers targeting blogs?

Robin Good in Online Advertising Strategies: Why Is Best To Invest In Blogs Rather Than On Large Traffic Sites

1. Your message is more visible.

2. Your message has greater viral potential (there are more referrers and linkers among bloggers)

3. Your message is more relevant by being highly contextual to the content of the blog you have selected (more niche equals more selling power)

4. Your message stands out more (no flooding of ads or genres)

5. Your message is less prone to go unnoticed (by displaying it in many blogs vs. displaying it only on one site)

I have however, agreed for Antidull to use one of my images in the next issue of their online magazine in return for a text link to their sponsor. Am I selling out? No, I don' t think so. I'm just gaining exposure in the least invasive way for myself and my blog readers. A large part of art is in sharing your view of the world with others. This is one way of doing it.

Today a mink was found in the barn (again) and it had killed four Khaki Campbell ducks and attacked most of the others before it was found and shot. I know animals are acting on instinct, but I sure do hate mink. Coyotes aren't high on my list either...

I guess I can only be happy that it didn't find its way upstairs in the barn to the 100 week old chicks under heat lamps there. Yes, we did have Easter chicks - the real thing - purely by accident. The feed store had ordered half a box of day old chicks for a children's Easter display, but had been sent 3 boxes instead. They were looking for a home for the chicks at the end of the day and were selling them at a very reduced rate. Well, you know the rest. These are broiler chicks which are designated for the food market.