The previous post of this miniseries was: What are Blogging networks and which ones are the best?
While doing my research on blog networks, I searched for posts dealing with the advantages and disadvantages. To my surprise there were very few on this subject. I tried to contact the networks through there emails but they haven't replied as yet. So, I went to some forums, dug up some discussions and got some ideas. To protect there anonymity, I wont mention the names but they were pretty useful.
This post will try to weigh the pros and cons of joining a blog network. I have also made it a part of the Top 5 writing project on Problogger, for better exposure. Here it goes:
Advantages of Blogging Network
The funds required for a blog design, domain name, hosting etc are substantial. The blog networks take care of these expenses for you.
Ranging from the technical stuff like latest blog hosting version to help for creating content, a blogging network will help you with everything. It will help you to notice a glitch on your blog or a way to improve the user friendliness. If you
don't want to handle the technical stuff, they will do it for you and you have to create only the content.
Makes you noticeable in blogosphere
Organizations pay more attention to bigger organizations. Whether it be sources, press access, freebies, review units or whatever.
Some blog networks pay you to blog which keeps you motivated. Indirectly, the increased traffic and exposure a network brings to your blog can be converted to money through
Adsense and similar networks.
This is an intangible benefit which brings a sense of team or a group in your blogging. The people of your network have similar goals and want you at the top. They will motivate you from time to time and wouldn't let you slack as far as posting or quality is concerned.
Cons of a Blogging Network
Believe it or not, people start calling you a member of the blog. Example: "Oh, that blog, yeah it is a XXX network blog, so it is good."
Sharing the good times and money
If you want a blog network to pick you up through your bad times, it naturally will pick up a share of your good times. The ad space is another think that you will have to sacrifice for the support.
Things might not work out
The blog networks have a lot of power in there hands. Suppose, you join a network and for one reason or the other, things
don't work out. After leaving the group, there is always a possibility(however small) of hard feelings or even worst, revenge of some kind.
For me being generalized as a part of the group is the worst thing. When you join a network you have to follow some of their procedures as a part of the group. Whatever you do you will always be a part of the group. Wherever your blog goes, the network name will reach first.
You are the boss of your own blog. You write whatever you want, whichever way you want to. After you join a blog network, you are responsible to someone else for your blog. However good a network might be, you will still have somebody above you questioning you and your blog.
