# How do you like your ads?



## Arden (May 23, 2003)

As everyone who hasn't contributed to this site or isn't a mod or volunteer knows, Scott has added intrusive, full-page advertisements to the site.  They pop up every 3-5 pages, and you have to click a small link to continue.  Some people have complained about having the ads themselves, others have complained about how the ads are implemented.  I pose the question:  How would you change this scheme to make it less intrusive or more likely for you to click?  What would make it less annoying for you?  I do not want any "Remove them altogether" posts, because Scott just won't comply.  I'm asking for changes.

My suggestion is to put the ads into floating divs and hover them over every pages (or every few pages).  They would have a "button" to remove the ad as well.  That way, the ads are still there, but they do not mess up navigation.  You can see examples of this on Amazon and the MIDI Database, and probably many other sites.

What do you guys think?


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## toast (May 23, 2003)

I think Scott put the ads to incite users to contribute, and I don't think he'll change his actual system, for it is very incentive indeed.


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## dlloyd (May 23, 2003)

Ardan: good idea. Geocities used to have something like that: it would have a large div ad that would compact into the corner when the page finished loading. You could then close it if you wanted to. Something like that would be ideal.
The idea about the avatars is good, but not ideal (people's avatars would be replaces with small ads, unless they contributed).

toast: after posting in that other thread, I am inclined to agree with you.


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## Arden (May 23, 2003)

Perhaps putting small ads into *everyone's* sidebar, right next to their avatar if they have one... that way, we could retain our originality, yet the site would have subtle advertisements on every page, in every post.  True, most people would probably ignore them (especially certification ones), but they'd be there and some people would surely click on them if they were more interesting.


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## dlloyd (May 23, 2003)

I was going to suggest that actually  (Really, I just must have forgotten )
I guess that would work, but they need to be _interesting_ ads for me to want to click on them. These ones that we have now are dead boring. (I don't need another email address, I have no wish to be OS 9 certified, after using and messing with it for three years, I think I probably know just about everything about it, and that one about iMovieStar plain sux: what is it, I should know that without having to click on a link. With an image that size you could fit a whole product description on there )


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## ScottW (May 23, 2003)

hahahaha... you all are so funny. Why is the committee that doesn't have any money, trying to decide which where ad placements should be, their click-ability... etc.  

Dear Advertiser,

I don't have any money, but, I still would like to have you place your ads at other locations besides the current locations. In fact, your ads are not clickable enough, I need something that will entice me to click, like a naked girl or something. Anyhow, please feel free to attempt to get my attention and my dollars, but just remember, I don't have any.

Thank you...

13 year old with no money and no credit card and someone who isn't in your marketing scope.


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## pds (May 23, 2003)

I don't know exactly what the pay scheme is, but some of the mailing lists that I get come with an ad tag at the end. This site must be sending out hundreds of posts every day saying that *** has responded to a thread. 

Would a company pay to have their name recognition ad tagged onto such a notice? Then we could all ignore them and the site would collect the dough.


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## Arden (May 23, 2003)

That's a good suggestion pds.

Scott:  I'm sure you can track the number of people who click on those ads, right?  How many people actually click on the certification one?  How about the email one or the products one?  (By the way, putting an ad like that in this scheme is kind of stupid:  Here, buy this stuff that we're showing you because you haven't donated any money.  No thanks, I'll donate first.)

What is your business address?  I want to send you money (cash), but you don't respond any time I ask you.


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## adambyte (May 23, 2003)

I wouldn't mind the ads at all, if they weren't so buggy. I thought I posted, like, 8 things, but when i went back, they weren't there.

I don't mind the ads much, but I do wish they wouldn't make the site so buggy.


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## dlloyd (May 23, 2003)

Good lord Scott, that is my _point!_ It took you that long to realize?!
Why put ads in for me if I'm not going to click on them? It is a waste of my bandwidth, not to mention yours. (How much profit are you actually making off these ads after you have paid the extra bandwidth fees anyway?)
Also, we don't want to have the ads in other places _in addition_ to he current one, we want them there _instead._


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