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We are pleased to present the results of our recent poll and some statistics regarding this LAFD News & Information blog.
As you likely know, our blog needs an infusion of style and technology.
Surprised to learn that this blog (like all LAFD Internet offerings) is a non-funded endeavor, local residents suggested that a simple banner advertisement might raise funds for the LAFD Blog Team through the Adopt-a-Fire-Station Program.
Would it work? There was only one way to find out.
For the past five weeks, the LAFD Internet Lab has displayed an ad banner from our friends at Amazon.com in the right column of our blog, with an adjacent link to an on-line poll (now closed).
Our goal?
First, to see if funds might be raised passively for a blog-specific 'Adopt-A-Fire-Station' account, and secondly to see what visitors thought of the sample advertising.
The results were intriguing...
During the five week period, the LAFD blog was visited 94,758 times. The most viewed blog story was the United Airlines Boeing 767 incident at LAX, and the most popular referrer? Our very own Flickr photo album.
The results of the poll:
Only eleven (yes, a genuine micro-percentage) of our visitors chose to participate in the poll, making it far from scientific. No respondent suggested we remove the ad banner, and a whopping 82% made it clear they had no particular concern about such advertising.
Of course, that's only half the story.
With nearly 95,000 humans (and some machines) viewing the Amazon.com banner, a mere 219 visitors chose to click on the dynamic advertising content, which most often displayed books related to the keyword 'fire'.
Of the 219 that dared to click on the banner, not a single purchase was made, and our total blog generated funding to the Adopt-A-Fire-Station-Fund was zero.
So much for those that think blog ads bring revenue. It does however, bring attention. Namely yours, and for that we are appreciative.
We wish to thank those who helped with this experiment. Now that we've answered the question, the Amazon.com banner will soon be removed.
Do you have a question, concern or suggestion specific to the LAFD News & Information blog? Please use the comments link below to tell us what's on your mind.
Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department
Tags: LA, Los Angeles, LAFD, Los Angeles Fire Department
Fire Blogging: Dollars and Sense
Sunday, July 09, 2006 | 
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4 comments:
Hi LAFD! I am a avid reader of your blog, and enjoy very much this very personal connection to such a large part of the monolith which is Los Angeles City Government. As one time volunteer firefighter in NY and CT, I like to keep up to date with the goings-on in my local (sort of) department.
I do, however, read your blog at Bloglines, where nothing but your text and links come through. I had NO IDEA that there was a survey. I also almost never visit the actual blog webpage in order to see your banners etc.
I would encourage you to post about every new and interesting thing worth seeing at your site, so that folks like me who read your RSS feed know to come look around!
Mike
Pasadena, CA
Good afternoon,
I suggest running a test with Google AdWords. Great blog!
Too bad that didn't work out. I will say this though - I have google adsense on my blog and it has been paying out. My sight is not nearly as busy as yours, if you notice I have google adsense links across the top of my post area. I do not think this takes away from the look of the blog. Although your blog is certainly more kept than mine. I make about 10 dollars a month off of it. I would imagine you all could make more.
Thanks for some of your ideas as well. I just added the little flags for translated links. I hope you don't mind.
Yes, I agree with all of the above from Mike and Bernice. But why do you say there's a need for an infusion of style and technology? I like the simplicity of the blog as it is now, as well as the content. Keep up the good work!
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