Experiment: Free Advertising On The Stretched Blog

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Many aspects of blogging are an experiment.  Picking the right theme.  Choosing the right layout.  Deciding on a catchy title for the whole blog or for just a blog post.  In some ways, I feel like a scientist as I daily work on the craft of writing.  Yesterday’s experiment proved to be worth while.  The experiment involved guest posting over at Jeremy Statton’s blog (Living Better Stories) and hosting guest blogger Kevin Haggerty (TheIsleOfMan.Net).  Yesterday, The Stretched Blog experienced its single biggest day of traffic to date.  (If you haven’t done so already check out those two posts titled Rediscovering My Dream and Learning To Count To Five.)

With this in mind, I’d like to try another experiment today.  Are you ready?

I’d like to offer three free advertising spots that will go on the right hand menu bar of my main page.  I will select the “winners” of the spots based on response to this post.  All you need to do is tell me why you think The Stretched Blog would be a good place to promote your blog.  I’ll choose the three winners, and I’ll reach out to you via e-mail to coordinate the actual advertisement.  I can probably help out a little with creating the advertisement, but I’m hoping that you might already have an idea that would fit in this spot.  The spots will be 125 x 125.  I’ll announce the winners in a few days.  Sound good?  Let’s try it!

Why do you think The Stretched Blog would be a good place to promote your blog?

How are you experimenting on your blog these days?

Related posts:

  1. A New Start For The Stretched Blog
  2. The Stretched Blog Visits Deuceology
  3. The Stretched Blog Visits Expect The Exceptional
  4. The Stretched Blog Visits The Point
  5. The Stretched Blog Visits Living Better Stories
  • http://www.jmlalonde.com Joe Lalonde

    I’ve experimented by starting a new series. Doing interviews with leaders and posting it on the blog.

    So far it’s been a smash hit. The first interview had awesome traffic. Part 2 should be coming any day now.

    As for why I think advertising on your blog would be worthwhile…. Let’s go with “Because I’m stretching leaders to grow.”

  • Trek23rider

    Why?  You da man!  :)    Seriously, because stretching is more than physical exercise.

    How am I experimenting?  I am in the fourth week of guest posts on Wednesday, allowing people to tell their story.  They have been the highest response posts. 

  • http://www.facebook.com/michael.shaw18 Michael Shaw

    Ha! You know I ain’t gonna pass this up.

    I think it would be good to promote my blog “I Love Skippack” on the Stretched Blog because:

    1. Blogging is at the core of our friendship and by strengthening the relationship between our blogs, we could strengthen the dialogue that we have started together and that I find both productive and enjoyable.

    2. You Jon Stolpe are part of the greater Skippack community and your readers could learn more about the area in which you live if you link to my blog through ads.

    3. Many of the issues I write about in my blog, the struggles of humanity, spirituality, the meaning of friendship, family and relationships, are similar to what you write about, and yet I approach these issues from a perspective that is at once different from and complementary to yours.

    That’s my pitch!

    To answer your second question, a lot of experimenting going on here at I Love Skippack. We recently posted our first videos, began selling ads and I am also in negotiation with local newspapers to help us reach more people. Its all very exciting. We are also hosting more guest authors, and one day I hope to snag that talented, thoughtful and always-fascinating blogger Jon Stolpe as a guest author!

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    • http://www.brandongilliland.com/ Brandon Gilliland

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  • http://www.robsorbo.com/p/welcome-from-disqus.html Rob Sorbo

    Well, an experiment that I’m trying is to comment a lot more on blogs. When people click on my disqus profile, it takes them a landing page and I track the pageviews on that landing page. The results are pretty clear–more comments= more traffic.

    Also, I’m thinking about rebranding my blog, but still figuring out how. I am setting up a Word Press page to see if that will be/do what I need it to be/do.

    At this point I don’t know what I would do with a free ad spot, but I’m sure I could fill it with something.

  • http://tcavey.blogspot.com/ TCAvey

    Wonderful idea- I’ve been doing some experimenting of my own with my blog. This month will be my first Newsletter! So far I have almost 2 dozen people signed up but I’m having difficulty getting the word out. I think advertizing on your blog would be a great way to get the message out that I am offering a new service to my readers.
    Why is this Newsletter important to you and everyone else?
    Simple, in each monthly edition I am promoting 1 Featured Blogger. This is great advertizing for other bloggers!
    So you see, helping me will be helping countless other bloggers (and potentially you) get more followers and traffic. It’s a great way for us to meet bloggers we may otherwise never know about.
    Thanks for the opportunity to potentially get some free advertizing here. I know whoever wins will be blessed.

  • http://www.jeffrandleman.com Jeff Randleman

    My experiments over the past few weeks have involved discovering a new stride and routine after our move of 1000 miles.  I’m not sure I’ve found it yet, either.  And with summer camp season upon us, my world is about to get really crazy.

    That said, I am consistently writing as much as I can.  I’ve dropped from 4 posts per week to 2-3, but I hope to regain my momentum in the near future. 

    I think a spot on your blog for an add would be a boost to me.  I love what I read here and would be excited to have a visible representation on your page.  Thanks for the opportunity!

    • http://www.brandongilliland.com/ Brandon Gilliland

      I’ve dropped in amounts of posts per wk as well. I have decided to focus on quality rather than quantity.

  • http://www.theanalogoustruth.wordpress.com/ Arny

    Congrats on your growth Jon!

  • http://www.brandongilliland.com/ Brandon Gilliland

    I’m giving away free ads on my site at the end of this month…I’m excited to see how this works for you. I think it will be good!