Industry blogging…to pay or not to pay!

The office products market is fascinating. A vast market servicing dealers, offices, retailers and end consumers with everything from coat racks to coffee and pens to printers. Catalogues play host to nearly 20,000 different products. It’s big business.

And within this market in the UK there are a number of blogs springing up. Some have been around for a while, others, such as Moving Stationery, are much more recent.

Dealer Support, one of the key trade titles, recently launched an Editor’s Blog. It’s a great move, however there needs to be a review to ascertain the difference between the Blog and the Forum on this site as they currently appear to be serving a similar purpose but with the blog being neglected. A quick look at the objectives for both would soon rectify this and give clarity for users.

Strangely, however, the oldest of the blogs on the radar in the industry, Proficiency 2020, has taken the decision that people should now pay to read the content. In a bizarre move, its editor, Peter Frost, has asked for £120 per annum for access to his industry blog starting from 15th September 2008. However, with all the material currently fully accessible (at date of publication of this post), I’m sure any who agreed to pay the fee will be suitably dis-engaged!

This brings us to the question about how or should people monetise blogging activity. What do people see as the benefits to blogging? For me it’s about sharing and exchanging information and insight with a like-minded community. I can also see the value for those who run a business in offering knowledge and information freely to generate other sources of revenue such as speaker opportunities or contract work in your area of expertise.

What are your thoughts on the subject? To pay or nor to pay…that is the question.