I dont deny blogs are excellent marketing and networking tools, and I won’t deny that my blog is rocking the advertising right now. However, I’ve also written enough to sell several books. I have no doubt there are people who would pay for that information offline. Online, in non book form? Not so much.

Like James, it would have to be an effing great blog for me to pay to read it. I do pay to receive a couple of freelance writing newsletters and I belong to one paying community. If I wasn’t getting something of value from these places, I wouldn’t invest.

When I began blogging a lot of people complained about the blogs with ads and called them sell outs. Now, blog ads are accepted and even expected. I imagine the pay to read blogs model will also be met with resistance, but eventually people will warm up to the idea.

Thank you for stopping by and sharing your thoughts.

In regards to your 4th point, I find myself doing the same thing. I have somewhat of a tech background, and searching for tech solutions is a good example of how I pass over pay-per-access posts. When searching Google for a solution to a computer or software related problem, the top results are often at a site called “Experts Exchange” which is a site that requires a paid membership to view their content. When I click on the link to their answer and realize this, I too felt exactly what you described and then continued on in search of a free solution.

On a side note, I just discovered your blog yesterday and am both impressed and disappointed with it. I’m impressed with the quality and style of your writing, and disappointed that I never discovered it until yesterday. The voice in your writing is both informative and humorous, something that I think is desirable to many people.

Signed,
A new fan

There’s more on the topic here, btw: http://menwithpens.ca/sweatshop-blogging

Let me wear the shoe of a reader, for the purpose of responding to your post. I’ve thought of three blogs, and if they suddenly decided they’d like me to pay for some content, here’s what I’d think:

1. If it was all the time, long term, I’m afraid I’d probably say no, depending on the amount of payment required to keep reading. Three times $10 a month adds up over time.
2. If it was information I desired or needed to grow further in my career or business building, I’d pause and consider it. Then I might select one of the three and say yes, then test for a time to see if my decision was good.
3. If I could get some info free and some at a pay-per-post option, I’d probably buy access to several pieces over time from each of the three blogs. Kind of a win-win for both parties.
4. That said, I would have to be buying from someone I know and trust. When I do search for info I need and land on a pay-per-access post, I tend to feel regret and disappointment, then click to go find something else for free – but I do so knowing that the paid version is probably exactly what I need and that I’m wasting time.

Five minute thoughts, on the fly!