Hey blog asediadoros (google tells me that means 'stalkers' in Spanish and google is never wrong.)
So no Cabo Day 3 post because we literally did nothing today, just ate eggs and then sat by the pool reading and turning the color of tomatoes. I will definitely be back with an update tomorrow, because we are doing adventures tomorrow.
I did want to take a moment to address something I've been dealing with recently.
I've been getting more emails lately asking if I was accepting sponsors or willing to do a sponsored giveaway. In the past I've just responded that I had not yet decided how I felt about paid sponsorship and thus was not taking sponsors at that point in time.
But thanks to all of you effing wonderful people, this blog is growing. It's growing faster than I had ever anticipated when I started it. It's sort of freaking me out.
I average over 2,000 hits a day and get more than 50,000 page views in a month. And that's not taking into account readers that use an RSS feed or hit me up using Google Reader.
I've talked to some of my friends that are MUCH more famous bloggers than I and they've made some of my bad feelings about this go away.
So I'm going to start taking sponsors.
Please please don't hate me. Please please.
So if anyone is interested my current rates are $20 a month for an ad on the sidebar, with the first month being totally free if you lock in for more than two months.
I'll also accept sponsors for individual posts, with a shout out/blurb of your choice at the bottom of the post for $5.
I'm still now sure how I feel about sponsored giveaways, so I'm going to hold off on those for the moment.
Any and all money earned from sponsors (and also from my Zazzle store which now features a "Blogstalker" tee shirt) will be going directly back into this blog in the form of ridiculous giveaways and such.
Just email me at LaurenRaeGallagher@gmail.com with any questions or concerns.
Try not to think me a sell-out blogstalkers.
Love from Cabo San Lucas <3






Awwww man, I'm done with this blog. You're such a sell-out, Lauren. I'm going to go wear my fake mustache stick and eat my mustache cookies and think about how I'll miss reading all the awesome blog entries you used to have before you sold out. There's no way any post of yours can even be remotely funny, entertaining or enjoyable now that this blog has sponsorship. Now wipe up all the sarcasm dripping from this comment, and start drafting your next post...
ReplyDelete... which I wouldn't miss. :)
I'm totes jelly of your blog success. Though admittedly, I have not (until very recently) publicly admitted that I actually had a blog so I could not have had any blog success. Glad I found yours!
Haha. Thanks. Did you have your mustache party last weekend as planned?
DeleteI'm not even sure how this "success" thing happened. It's all very odd to me.
I would agree with you that complicated tax returns can be fun but the March 15th deadline just passed and I pushed out 45 extentions this week along with three big complicated returns and I'm spent. Right now I want one W-2 and a mortgage statement returns please. ;)
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your time in Cabo. I don't care if you take sponsors as long as you make me laugh during tax season stress times.
Robin
I don't do tax returns for my job so the only one I get to do is my own. I get so excited about it every year. Ryan thinks I am crazy. But doesn't say anything because he's just happy he doesn't ever have to do taxes ever again.
DeleteYou should try calculating your return two ways this year - one with the dependent and one without. Then show a certain RYAN how much of a difference it will make. Unless it doesn't make a big difference and then just pretend you didn't do it.
DeleteWhat is funny about this situation is that I already did this exact thing this year. Ryan wasn't pleased.
DeleteI'm totally interested in advertising with you. I just have to get my tax return, and we'll see how many months advance I can get.
ReplyDelete<3
Yay!! You all are the best!
DeleteYAY sponsorships. Only becuse I'm a fan of things that make money. I'm with comment number 1, I'm still afraid to admit I have a blog, so brave to you!! :)
ReplyDeleteAdmit you have a blog right now! I want to reeeeaaaddd it.
DeleteDoes this make money for rubies?
ReplyDeleteI would say yes but I refuse to buy my own rubies with my own money.
DeleteI figure since I have a real life job for my real life expenses, this money will just right back into the blog in the form of giveaways and other fun things.
I do not, in any way, think you are a sell-out. Although I do think if the rubber tentacle people come a'calling that you should change your "no sponsored giveaways" policy immediately. Because, let's be real, people need rubber tentacles. Badly. And unicorns, but I don't know if there are unicorn breeders looking to sell more unicorns who would be interested in sponsoring a giveaway, so that probably won't be an issue.
ReplyDeleteOH I would for sure do a rubber tentacle sponsored giveaway. I actually brought my tentacles to Mexico. And then they went through my bag at Customs. And the lady was like "Um?" And Ryan was like "Are you kidding me Lauren?"
DeleteI don't know why he thought it was possible for me to be at an ocean and not have my tentacles.
I expected nothing less and I don't even really know you, so I'm not sure why Ryan didn't know that was going to happen. But now you can say, "at least it wasn't a giant knife I got fined for!" and totally have the last word. Thank you, brother-in-law.
DeleteAND I remembered this time not to put all of my liquids in my carry-on. So really it was a pretty smooth international traveling experience. Ryan is such an overreacter.
DeleteLauren,
ReplyDeleteYou got to do your thing! If this blog can make you money, then that'd be freakin' awesome! However, when you get crazy ad requests from freaky people/companies, and I mean way more freaky than we already all are, then do as the Bloggess does and send them a picture of a weird semi-celeb holding/doing something strange. Haha, gets 'em every time.
-Stacy
Will do! Now I just need to meet Justin Timberlake and snap a photo of him weaving a basket.
DeleteBloggess would be proud.
DeleteYesss!
DeleteNothing wrong with making money! I don't know why anyone would begrudge you for allowing ads. Carry on!
ReplyDeleteIt just feels weird to sort of shamelessly promote myself.
DeleteWhich doesn't make a lot of sense since everyone is always telling me I have no shame.
SELLOUT!!!!!
ReplyDeleteSorry about that... I blame my schizophrenia. Which I don't currently have yet. But I'm thinking I'll catch it sooner or later anyway since it runs in my family. Then all the asinine things I did prior to getting it, will be wiped out. CLEAN SLATE MOTHERFUCKERS!!!
Also, there is nothing wrong with making money for your hard work. :o) And One day, I shall become a sponsor... As soon as I get more regular and used to blogging. Its totally harder than it looks!!
<3
Val
OH I want a clean slate. I want one so badly. Then no one would remember the time that I was at the bowling alley and then I accidentally....nevermind.
DeleteAnd blogging is way harder than it looks right? Sometimes I'm like "I'm going to blog on ALL the days this week."
And then I post on Monday and Thursday.
I don't think you are a sellout. If you can make money making people laugh or bringing a bit of joy or connectedness to their lives, what's wrong with that? Just don't let the ads jump out annoyingly over the text or I'll cut you.
ReplyDelete(I have a blog, too, but can't sponsor you because it's just pics of my kids, mostly. I have a viewership of like 4 people, and 2 of those are my parents.)
Oh don't worry, I'll never ever use those annoying ads. They drive me bonkers. I'd cut myself if I let that happen.
DeleteI wish I had kids.
Stupid Ryan.
Good for you! If I had that many readers I would totes sell out, and wouldn't feel the least bit bad for it.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Lucille would be a fantastic name for your noodle. I approve. ;)
I'm feeling better about it after all of the nice replies. So thanks!
DeleteAnd yep, Lucille is definitely on the short list.
I saw this and thought of you and your noodle :)
ReplyDeletehttp://muddybootsblog.blogspot.com/2009/06/how-to-host-star-wars-party-in-5.html
Oh man I would totally be making my noodle into a light saber today if it didn't mean I would have to cut it in half.
DeleteWhy would we, who come here to read about the silly life of you and Ryan get mad 'cause you're gonna get paid for blogging and thus be able to blog more...?
ReplyDeleteThis is what we call a "good idea"...:)
Thanks Milo!
DeleteYou're all making me feel better about it.
It's hard for me to recognize a "good idea" when I come across one because it doesn't happen as often as I would hope.
Totally not mad at you for taking sponsors! Nothing wrong with it-- it means your blog is successful! Yay you!
ReplyDeleteYay me!
DeleteI just shouted that out loud.
You gotta do what you gotta do...People are going to hate on you either way you have ad's you don't have ad's. As long as you don't get the kind that cover the entire screen and moves when you try to cancel it and the ones that say click here to cancel and the cancel and the ok buttons are switched around and it takes you to some weird site for ring tones your good with me. Wow I really went in to deep thought over which ones I will allow in my life. lol
ReplyDeleteOH my god never. I HATE those ads. Why do they even exist? They always make me want to purchase the items in the ad less.
DeleteSeriously, NEVER.
As a reader of your blog Lauren, safe to say I'll apply to take the free stuff sponsors are looking to offload through sponsored giveaways! That's because I'm greedy and demanding. And self-aware (sort of).
ReplyDeleteGiveaway noodles plz. Noodlearama! A Noodlestravaganza!
Done Anna. I will forward all emails offering giveaways to you starting immediately.
DeleteAnd fine. Next giveaway box will include a pool noodle and a list of suggested names.
I actually love the days when I don't do anything on vacations. Isn't that what vacations are all about?
ReplyDeleteAlso, I don't think your a sellout as long as get to win free things!
Yeah we actually decided not to do anything again today. It's very relaxing.
DeleteAnd remember, giveaway April 7th, for my 1st quarter birthday.
For the record, pool noodles make decent boffer swords, but you can get better ones. If you wanted a foam lightsabe I could be convinced to make something...:)
ReplyDeleteWho DOESN'T want a foam lightsaber?
DeleteNot this girl, that's for sure.
I am torn! More giveaways = wheee!! But then, that also means more chances of NOT winning = crrrryy.
ReplyDeletexoxo!
Oh I think it'll still be the normal number of giveaways, just more spectacular in proportion.
DeleteI'm laughing because you posted this while I am working on a tax-season inspired blog too...stay tuned.
ReplyDeleteOh tax season. The suckiest suck part of the year. (Not for me anymore since I've changed jobs..but I get it, I really do.)
DeleteLooking forward to your post! (I totally do read your blog even if I am terrible at commenting.)
you are not a sell out, you are a genius! Making money by doing something I like to think you love at also entertains the masses? Sh*t yeah!
ReplyDeleteThanks! It's the self-promotion thing. Makes me squirmy. So happy to have you all behind me on this.
DeleteOn the subject of tentacles, I mention these as a primary selling point for your blog. Well mostly I just did today because I got to the pic of the tentacles and it was hilarious and this is a run on sentence.
ReplyDeleteI think I saw that on twitter right?! Thanks so much!
Delete