Blegging (Blog Begging) and TipJars

I've been meaning to write a post about blegging or 'blog begging' for a couple of days. Then I read today that SixApart is adding features to allow Pro uses to add sponsored-links to their blog and that later this year additional features such as a TipJar will be added (via The Blog Herald).

I first came across the term blegging from Vaspers the Grate blog when I was reading his 'How to Improve Your Blog' post where he advocates not having a PayPal button or tip jar or other donation widget on your blog.

Vaspers the Grate (aka Steven Streight) says:

I will not pay to read anybody's blog.

And I will not leave a blogger a "tip" like he or she is a waiter in a restaurant. This is contrary to the free exchange and dissemination of web information.

Does rampant commercialism have to invade even blogs?

It's called "blegging", using a blog to beg. I've seen it mostly on political blogs. Are the political bloggers merely imitating the politicians, trying to raise cash for their pet causes or their own pockets?

A function that enables users to send you money is a bad idea. It could be a turn off to many users, could make you look greedy, and could lower your credibility.

There's something about tip jars and PayPal donation widgets that seems desperate to me. It reminds me of panhandling. I'd rather buy them a sandwich and a cup of coffee, since I'm not sure what they'll do with the "tip" money.

I wholeheartedly agree.

I've been to a few sites that have a PayPal or Visa button or Google Adsense ads so that you can donate to the blogger. I've never been tempted to do so. I don't envision myself clicking on the buttons in the future.

In fact, I was surprised at some of the blogs that have them. I won't name names, but a blog that I visit pretty frequently has both a PayPal and Visa donation button, in addition to Adsense ads. All on one blog! This seems like a pretty excessive plea for money and it is a turn-off for me.

It's bad enough that every second blog that I read have the Google Adsense ads up and down and everywhere on their blogs, now they're even showing up in RSS feeds.

I don't think that there's anything wrong if you are blogging as a living and are relying on your income to come from people donating to you or clicking on your ads so that you have feed yourself and your family. I'm all for capitalism. Money makes the world go round and all that. What I find objectionable is that if you have a full-time job and you blog for a hobby and you expect people to donate money to you. If your hobby was teaching soccer to little kids, would you ask them to donate to you for your coaching expertise? If your hobby was knitting, would you ask fellow knitters for donations to pay for your needles and wool? How about if your hobby was dancing? Would you ask for money from other dancers if they saw you on the dance floor and used 'your move'?

I agree with the view that blegging is against the "free exchange and dissemination of web information". If I point you to a great website that I think is really cool or an article that I think would help you or provide a book review on a great book, I don't expect to be paid. I refer my friends in real life to great websites, cool software, interesting/newsworthy articles, books that I've read that I think they should read too, etc. and don't expect them to open their wallet to me at the end of the conversation. Blogging is no different, except that instead of face-to-face vocal interaction, it's faceless, written communication.

I was talking to a friend of mine about this idea of blegging the other day. She said that she 'might' donate a few pennies to me because she knew me personally <grin>. I asked her to just buy me a cup of coffee instead since we were on the way to Tim Hortons.Then I asked her what she thought of having an Amazon Wish List posted on my blog. Would she buy me something from that? I was surprised to hear that she would actually consider buying me something from that. (I have to note that TypePad excludes Amazon.ca from their list of web services on their blogs, otherwise I would probably display my Wish List).

Somehow having a Wish List on your blog is different that directly asking for money. I guess people don't know what you would do with their donated money, but if you asked for an inexpensive book or CD/DVD, they would be more willing to buy that for you as a small token 'Thank You'.

The whole idea reminds me of those people from a couple of years ago who begged for money on their websites to pay to finish their schooling, or pay to leave their abusive husband, or to help them pay for some insurmountable hospital bill that they couldn't pay for themselves. What's the difference from that, from blegging, and from the person standing on the street corner holding out a empty cup?

Just my opinion. Feel free to try to change my mind by leaving a comment.

What do you think? Are you for or against blegging? Have you ever donated money to a blogger?

Comments

[Karen]

Thanks Carrie for your comment.

Just wondering: does Google actually pay you if you click on your own ads? I know Amazon doesn't pay you if you click on your own links and order from yourself.

[carrie s]

i think it's perfectly fine to have a donation button on your blog. i have actually donated before on those buttons, if i felt like it, and it was to my advantage to do so.

in addition, i enjoy my google ad that i have on my page and it is usually quite relevant and i even click on them sometimes myself, and i have even purchased something by doing so!!!!!!

just my two bits!

[Karen]

I love Google, too!
I love Google Maps.
I love Google Groups.
I love using Google to look up words I don't know. :-)
I love Google News.
I love Google Toolbar.
I love using Google to find well-written blogs.
And, I love Picasa.

Isn't it strange that Google has just as much power as Microsoft and yet does not garner as much vitrolic hatred as Microsoft?

Btw, I like you just fine, Steven. :-)

[Steven Streight aka Vaspers the Grate]

I'm a solid 100% Googlephile. I love Google because they load me with FREE stuff. Free Blogger blogs, free Hello/Picasa image uploading, free Gmail, etc.

Having said that, I think the Google ads are unattractive and my eyes are conditioned to not see them, I skip over them, and would Never click-select them.

They sound like spam or con jobs. I'm sure they're mostly or entirely legit, but they look unappetizing. They have low credibility due to appearance.

I also hate how bloggers will have the Google ads all over their blogs, even interrupting the flow of post text.

As a web usability analyst, prior to being a blogologist, I am shocked at how anyone would have text-derivative ads on their site.

These ads are supposed to be generated contextually, depending on what the nearby text is.

I've seen blog post text about loving something or passion for something, and the dumb ads are for sexual stuff, not porn, but sexual and dating and romantic products and services. Very irrelevant to the actual post text. LOL :^)

Offshore outsourcing? Don't get me started on that one. Greedy untrustworthy, nosey, privacy violating, dictatorial corporations? Again: grrrrr.

Nearly every corporation is another Enron.

Nearly every war is another Vietnam.

Nearly every CEO is another Charles Manson.

Nearly every church is another People's Temple.

Corruption, insincerity, and mediocrity are rapidly rising and spreading.

Thank God for crabby, questioning, rebellious blogs.

There.

How do you like me now?

:^)

[Izzy]

Well said Karen. I'm sick of all the ads, buttons, and other methods to make a buck on what's supposed to be a hobby.

What I'm wondering is who the morons are that are actually taking the time to click on these google ads. I've never clicked on an advertisement over the web and I don't see that changing anytime soon.

[Karen]

While writing posts for this blog, I am very aware of how much personal information I provide for potential weirdos out there or unscrupulous people.
Notice that I don't provide a picture of myself on this blog? I did get my picture taken with Matt Dusk at his singing/autograph session, but I have no intention of posting it online anywhere. I'm also very careful of what details I provide about myself - although I've written that I live in Toronto, I'm careful to never mention the company I work for, the street I live on or neighbourhood and try to limit other personal information.
I've been to a few websites where the authors have posted their full complete home addresses, including their home phone numbers! To me, that's just plain stupid and careless, especially for those with families.
Identify theft is real and does happen, more frequently than reported in the news.
There have been reports that US companies are requiring their Canadian subsidiaries to provide full disclosure details about their customers - their Canadian customers. Just because a company is based in the States and has an office up here, doesn't mean that I or any other Canadian is comfortable with my personal information in the hands of some foreign company. Look at what happened recently with CVS. And with the selling of call center data from that Indian outsourced company. That could happen anywhere, true, but it's scary to think that we've placed so much trust in companies and government organizations to protect our data and, like Steven says, they are not. When you sign up with company these days, you are providing them with all sorts of personal information which they mine and provide to all their affiliates and subsidiaries (regardless of where they are located). Scary.

[Steven Streight aka Vaspers the Grate]

Thank you for pointing your readers to my Vaspers the Grate site, and I appreciate your appreciation of fine writing and blogological thinking. heh

Seriously, I agree with both you and with me: blegging is idiotic.

And you know where I see blegging?

At the blogs of business consultants and marketing pundits! What wretched, dumb ass bloggers! How stupid of them to beg for money, while they try to attract clients, who generally do NOT hire panhandling bums to do anything, except maybe dig a drainage ditch.

The sorry state of the bloatosphere, indeed.

I know a famous law professor, highly paid, who I really like, and whose blog is a reference for news, but he has one or two tip jars. Ridiculous.

People are stubborn. Tip Jar Bleggers will not be persuaded by me or you that what they're doing is ignorant and decreasing their credibility.

Like my despised warnings about Identity Theft, Child Predators, Stalking, and other dangers of too much personal, private info in blogs. Personal drivel mundane trivia bloggers get angry and act like I'm trying to stifle their creativity.

Now the Consumer Reports Web Watch reports that around 46% of American web users refuse to order products online.

I think it should be 100% refusal to order online.

Never give your credit card or social security info, or any other sensitive info, to any online service. Period.

The banks, credit card companies, and other financial organizations are NOT protecting your info. Some may be secretly selling it to others. We currently have few laws to protect consumers. It's a total mess, with millions upon millions at high, and I mean High, risk.

Sorry to go on. I shut up now. I go back and tend my 8 or 9 web sites, blogs and wikis. I got plenty o' work to do. Bye for now.

[Classic]

_Asking people to do something - at no cost to them - (re: Hire a Blogger campaign support) doesn't work either.