You’ve likely noticed the not-so-subtle injection of ads floating throughout this website.  People tell us that websites like this shouldn’t show advertising.  To be honest, we couldn’t agree more.

A company like ours – who promotes extensive experience in working with third party services like Google Places – shouldn’t have a suspended listing.  However, our own Google Places listing has been suspended three times in the last year for not adhering to various unwritten rules concocted by a machine.  Sometimes you don’t know the rules until they’re broken – and I’d rather it be our listing than yours.

The point is – we’re more than a web design firm.  In most cases, we also serve as small business consultants.  We consult on everything from the critically simple (business card design) to the subtly obvious (fix the light bulbs in your sign and your prices won’t seem too high). We also consult on the various forms of marketing and advertising that all small business owners are bombarded with on a daily basis.

We are proud to say that our clients ask our opinion on a wide variety of topics – and we take that trust seriously.  In other words, our opinion better be more than hyperbole.

To that end, we are constantly wriggling our way outside the box so as to expand our knowledge and experience.

Recently, I was asked about the potential of monetizing a website through automatically fed advertising.  I knew enough to know that I couldn’t quantify it.  The best way to learn about something is to do it.  And since clients rarely enjoy being test subjects, we tend to use ourselves.

This website has been a testing ground from day one. Usually our experiments come and go without anyone even knowing.  Others – like running ads – tend to garner a bit more attention.  If something seems unorthodox to the casual visitor, that’s OK.  Our clients appreciate that when we don’t know something we’re not only willing to admit it, but we’re willing to do what it takes to find an answer.

As of today, I don’t know the potential for local organization to monetize a website. Give me a little time, though and I’ll be able to tell you.

So far, we’ve made $1.22 in the first two weeks from Adsense.  Amazon hasn’t been nearly so successful.

Go ahead, click on an ad.  You know you want to.