Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Posted

I'm now seeing ads at the top and bottom of threads.  I'm pretty sure the ads at the bottom of the threads masquerade as a post.  How many more ad locations should we expect to see going forward?

 

I reserve judgement until I see where this goes, and because Sanjeev has been a very good host for such a long time.  But, what is the limit?

 

 

  • Replies 67
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Posted

I find the ads quite distracting because they are large with vivid colours.  It seems like we had one at the top of he page yesterday but today there are 2 at the top of the page and one at the bottom.  We discussed earlier on the old board the idea of paying a certain amount to help defray the cost of the board.  Perhaps we decided against this idea already, but I would gladly pay to avoid the distractions.  Cheers, Jim

Posted

Hi Folks,

 

I was just testing out various places where ads could go, and then seeing how the reaction is to them and if they are distracting.  I've decided to remove the one that was just under the menu bar (HOME, HELP, SEARCH, etc) within posts.  It was a bit distracting.  We will be keeping the one at the end of the long string of posts, as that is not interfering with someone searching or using the menu bar.

 

In regards to a fee rather than ads, I don't like the idea of fees because I want to keep the site free.  The Motley Fool had a great BRK board for so long.  It was where I really got to learn alot about Berkshire.  But once they started a fee, alot of quality people left and I really didn't like that it was no longer a free board where knowledge could be shared.

 

Personally, and that is obviously biased, but I don't think the ads are distracting in this final format.  There is one at the top across from the log-in, one at the very bottom of all pages, and one at the very end of a long string of posts.  There will be no ads other than next to the log-in and the very bottom on the HOME page or INDEX pages.  The way it is now set, the ad revenue will pay for the site's annual costs, so it will remain completely free for users.  Thanks very much!  Cheers! 

Posted

I think that Sanjeev is making the right decision by going with ads. It might be difficult for donations or dues to cover the hosting cost and I think that by keeping it free we'll keep in tact a good community.

Posted

Ben, the old MSN board was completely free but MSN had their own ads plastered all over the site.  We also had little control over the board, the format, or what we could do with the site.

 

This board is also completely free with a few strategically placed ads.  It costs several hundred dollars a year to run the board including domain name registration, hosting, templates, etc.  I think the ad at the end of the long string of posts may not be ideal, but if it allows the site to pay for itself and allows us to manipulate the board in ways the old site couldn't, then it is probably worth it.  

 

I originally started with the one ad on top to see if that alone would cover costs.  It didn't come close.  I then ran for another week with an ad also on the bottom of the page.  It also came up short, but we were much closer.  I suspect now with the final ad at the bottom of the long threads of posts, we are closer to breakeven, and I will continue to eat any additional cost.  Eventually, as the members increase, it will become completely breakeven.  Cheers!

Posted

Sanjeev, please stop calling the in-thread ads as something that gets added to "long threads of posts."  One is inserted into every thread regardless of length, and I agree with Ben that those are tough to stomach.  I appreciate the need to have ads to support the board, but don't BS us about their nature.

Posted

Zarley I dont think he's trying to "BS us"

 

In general we have long threads of posts, so for the most part it holds true. Occasionally you might see the ad at the bottom of a short thread of posts, but thats mainly because its easier to implement the code in a way that says "place ad at bottom of threaded posts" rather than trying to create some kind of scaling rule where it depends on the amount of posts in the thread.

Posted

Sanjeev, please stop calling the in-thread ads as something that gets added to "long threads of posts."  One is inserted into every thread regardless of length, and I agree with Ben that those are tough to stomach.  I appreciate the need to have ads to support the board, but don't BS us about their nature.

 

Zarley, please don't take that tone with me.  If you think I'm giving you BS, then take it somewhere else, but I don't need that type of crap at all, thank you very much!

Posted

Sanjeev,

I think you may be a little optimistic about the ad revenue from the bottom of the thread. My guess is that a lot of people didn't pay much attention and clicked on it accidently, so it appears more effective at the begining. People will learn quickly and start avoid it.

 

Before tweaking for more distracting ads, why don't you just make a plea to members to click on the ads to help pay the dues, and see how it goes? At $0.50 to a few $ per click, you don't need that many clicks to pay for your hosting/domain fee.

 

I just paid my due today. ;)

Posted

why don't you just make a plea to members to click on the ads to help pay the dues, and see how it goes?

I just paid my due today

 

I did mine just now.  ;)

Posted

Sanjeev, please stop calling the in-thread ads as something that gets added to "long threads of posts."  One is inserted into every thread regardless of length, and I agree with Ben that those are tough to stomach.  I appreciate the need to have ads to support the board, but don't BS us about their nature.

 

Zarley, that was uncalled for...

 

Sanj, I'm cool with the ads. To paraphrase, it is not the display of the screen but the content of the postings.

 

-Crip

Guest JackRiver
Posted

How much does the site cost per year?  Who controls the site?

 

Yours

 

Jack River

Posted

Zarley, please don't take that tone with me.  If you think I'm giving you BS, then take it somewhere else, but I don't need that type of crap at all, thank you very much!

 

LOL . . . Oh the umbrage!! ;)

 

Listen, this is your board and you can do what you want.  But save the outrage when you get called on being misleading.

Posted

I'll be honest,

I go on so many forums im used to ads. You learn to ignore them after a while.

 

Be patient, you'll get used to them.

 

Trust me, getting used to the ads is easier than getting used to me ;D

Posted
I go on so many forums im used to ads. You learn to ignore them after a while.

 

That's not helping though. All the google ads on the board need to be clicked to pay out anything, so if everyone just gets really good at ignoring them, you suck up with those ads (may even see more coming in order to meet target :-)) but not helping a dime.

 

 

Posted

Zarley, please don't take that tone with me.  If you think I'm giving you BS, then take it somewhere else, but I don't need that type of crap at all, thank you very much!

 

LOL . . . Oh the umbrage!! ;)

 

Listen, this is your board and you can do what you want.  But save the outrage when you get called on being misleading.

 

How the hell do you call any of this misleading?  I told the board right from the beginning that we will eventually use some ads to offset costs.  Zarley, you don't pay a dime to post here, yet I'm stuck with an annual $500 US bill for your pleasure.  Yet, you feel completely fine telling me that I'm feeding you bull. 

 

To date for the two weeks we've had the ads, we've made a grand sum of $4.28 US.  I have no problem with a boardmember telling me that they don't like the ads or the placement of an ad, but you've got to be kidding me when you decide to throw crap in my face for something that you get completely for free.  Are you really that ignorant, or are you just being a wise-ass?  I can only imagine how you actually treat a service provider that charges you for something.     

Posted

Sanj, my vote says do what you feel is best. You have done a great job hosting this (and the previous) site and my bank account is much larger as a result. More importantly, I have learned alot and for this I owe a very large debt to you and other posters. Keep up the good job!

Posted

Thanks very much Viking!  Much appreciated!  We won't have any more ads than we already do, and I've kept them as unobtrusive as possible.  Cheers!

Guest JackRiver
Posted

Parsad

 

I understand that you'll be able to boot me from this site if you don't like what I have to say, but I personally think the ads are in poor taste.  Remember, the posters are the content providers for your site.  We are no more getting something for free than we are giving something for free. 

 

So the way I see it we are all even, that $500 dollars per year buys you your replies to Zarley.  Please remove the ads.  They serve no purpose and $500/year is chump change.

 

Yours

 

Jack River

Posted

C'mon boys ... respect and ... the golden rule.

 

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

 

I think this site costs Sanjeev not just money, but some time & labor as well.

 

Let's work together rather than against each other. Last time anything like this happened Eric (if I remember his name correctly) left.

Posted

Parsad

 

I understand that you'll be able to boot me from this site if you don't like what I have to say, but I personally think the ads are in poor taste.  Remember, the posters are the content providers for your site.  We are no more getting something for free than we are giving something for free. 

 

So the way I see it we are all even, that $500 dollars per year buys you your replies to Zarley.  Please remove the ads.  They serve no purpose and $500/year is chump change.

 

Yours

 

Jack River

 

No problem Jack.  How about YOU pay the $500 annually then?

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now



×
×
  • Create New...