Recently, we have been approached to put advertisements on our blog in return for some monetary compensation. That compensation comes as a result of individuals buying products through the portal on our site. This does not make sense to me on many different levels. After all, we are Ideas In Food, not ideas in advertising. We have taken an enormous amount of time and effort to provide a medium in which we can openly share our ideas. Why would we bastardize our work for the possibility of making a few dollars? If we were to integrate advertising into our website what would that do to our credibility?
And yet, there still exists the financial temptation. How to sustain a website based on the continued development of ideas? This is a question that has plagued us in recent months. As our readership expands so does our visibility. That is a good thing. Yet, in order to continue to take chances, catalogue results and integrate technology we are faced with financial obstacles. I have always believed that ideas are free. Still, I spend thousands of dollars on cookbooks, tools, ingredients and dining experiences in order to constantly expose myself to different ideas, which in turn often spark new thoughts and concepts that we are able to develop and share.
Still, we have heard the stories, --possibly and most likely just fairy tales--of websites that are financially successful via the integration of advertisements and tip jars. I guess I understand the tip jar concept, though it can be frustrating at a pizza joint, a bakery, a local coffee shop and a website.
I have contemplated repackaging the tip jar and calling it a donation box or idea funding. Sure, why not put out a hat and see if anyone chooses to contribute. But, right now, that thought feels as though it belongs in the box of dumb ass ideas, a completely different box than my stupid one.
Where does that leave us? We are always looking ahead for new ways to challenge and excite in the kitchen. We continue to search for ways to make our ideas more accessible and to collaborate with other like-minded individuals. The goal is to turn the process of searching for and sharing culinary knowledge into a profitable career. One day we will figure out a way to make that happen. For now, it is all still a work in progress where there are always more questions than answers.
