A few weeks ago I finally unsubscribed to Mom Advice, not at all because of content, but because I couldn’t get the content. There have been loads of blog posts about whether or not to include a full post in RSS feeds or just an excerpt. I’ve done both. The summary is good for scrapers who might re-post your entire blog somewhere else. But the summary stinks for readers who don’t have time to click over to your blog from their feed reader and just want the info here and now.

I fall into that category now. I have 3 kids running around me all day and I barely have time to steal a glance at my feed reader to see what’s new. If I have to click on something, I just “star” it for later (and usually forget all about it).

Do you want people to hear what you have to say or do you just want your page numbers to go up?

Now, the Mom Advice feed doesn’t even show summaries, but simply the title. As you can imagine that doesn’t tell me a whole lot. When I asked Amy Clark on twitter just casually, “hey, how ’bout those articles” she gave me a very kind explanation we’re all familiar with: “I have to feed my family.” And I completely understand that! You see, her advertisers want people to have to click over to her site to read the posts because that’s how they get their clicks (and kicks). And that’s how Amy gets paid.

This bothers me on a personal level simply because I’ve never felt it was good business for a company to do something that hinders a customer just to appease its shareholders. The same would be true for me on the web. I understand it’s done all the time, but I’m disappointed that such a great website, full of awesome resources for busy moms, is practically inaccessible to this particular busy mom. Ironic too, that I’m busy enough that a website that is supposed to cater to my kind actually stands in its way.

My point (there is one somewhere) is that I’m getting ready to consider advertising again as I’ve for so long written it off. I never wanted my blog (my personal blog) to be influenced by people who have paid me to plant their product or brand next to my words. It’s not about them. It’s about me, and then you, the reader. So as long as I can control it, you’ll get full posts in the feeds and maybe some minimal unobtrusive advertising. Stay tuned as I flesh out an idea I have for you to advertise here.

But first…

Tell me who you are. I have an idea of what kind of computer you have and what part of the world you live in because I have a web stat program running in the background, but that doesn’t tell me anything about who you are.

So…

  1. what do you do?
  2. what are your interests?
  3. why do you read this blog?
  4. how did you find me?
  5. if you’re an Etsy buyer, what interests you?
  6. if you’re a seller, what do you sell?

Tell me what would be helpful to potential advertisers (including yourself).

PSST! You won’t have to pay me for advertising.

I may not post your comment publicly since the information you give is really just relevant to me, but if you’ve commented here before it will be posted automatically.

THANKS!