Ads on Blogs

I’m not a fan of ads on blogs.

They’re ugly. There’s usually too many of them. They add visual clutter and distract from the user experience. And I’ve seen people put making a few bucks ahead of good content.

But not too long ago, I started seeing Ads by the Deck appear on a few of my favorite blogs. The brain child of Coudal Partners, the deck offers beautiful, minimal ads to a highly targeted audience - design professionals. They control what sites the ads appear on, and require those sites to post just a single ad. Fusion Ads uses a similar model.

I like this model. The ads are obvious but unobtrusive. They feel like they belong there, and they fit the audience very well.

The Empty Sidebar

Go Make Things has a minimal sidebar. After I spoke at TSW two weeks ago I removed the banner from my site, and it felt a bit empty. I wasn’t sure how to fill the space.

I decided to try something new: A single, unpaid ad for PAWS New England, an organization I care deeply about.

They rescue abandoned, neglected and abused dogs from high-kill shelters and place them in safe, loving homes. They work closely with a shelter in Tipton County, TN, that has an 85% kill rate. For every ten dogs that go in, only one or two come out.

Last year, my wife and I adopted our newest dog, Bailey, from PAWS. Shortly thereafter, I helped them redesign their website, setup a Facebook Fan Page, and create some branding materials. We continue to partner on an ongoing basis.

So for the next month or so, they’ll get a banner on Go Make Things. Next month, I may switch it up with another organization I like. Who knows.

And if you’re looking for a great dog from an amazing organization, check out PAWS. They’re awesome.