Comments on: The ads are back! http://facibus.com/onblogging/2007/12/04/the-ads-are-back/ Andrew looks at Blogging and Blog Life Sun, 07 Sep 2008 15:30:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: The cost-benefit equation for theme customisation at On Blogging Australia http://facibus.com/onblogging/2007/12/04/the-ads-are-back/#comment-1375 The cost-benefit equation for theme customisation at On Blogging Australia Thu, 27 Dec 2007 07:55:32 +0000 http://facibus.com/onblogging/2007/12/04/the-ads-are-back/#comment-1375 [...] response to a comment from Cerebralmum on a post about advertising, I wrote the following: There is a chicken-and-egg question in themes - if I leave customising the [...] […] response to a comment from Cerebralmum on a post about advertising, I wrote the following: There is a chicken-and-egg question in themes - if I leave customising the […]

]]> By: AndrewBoyd http://facibus.com/onblogging/2007/12/04/the-ads-are-back/#comment-1301 AndrewBoyd Sat, 08 Dec 2007 01:32:39 +0000 http://facibus.com/onblogging/2007/12/04/the-ads-are-back/#comment-1301 Hi Cerebralmum, thank you for your comment. The load order (sidebar-with-ads vs main content area) depends on the theme as well as the external site that is serving the ads up - that said, if the BlogHer blogs that you're reading have no problems, then chances are that there are no problems :) Getting a second sidebar with the base K2 theme is easy, as is widget management. All K2 blogs look pretty much the same out of the box, which works for some people and not for others. There is a chicken-and-egg question in themes - if I leave customising the theme until I can afford to pay for the customisation, my blogs may never get popular enough to fund that customisation. For now that is a chance I may have to take. Best regards, Andrew Hi Cerebralmum,

thank you for your comment.

The load order (sidebar-with-ads vs main content area) depends on the theme as well as the external site that is serving the ads up - that said, if the BlogHer blogs that you’re reading have no problems, then chances are that there are no problems :)
Getting a second sidebar with the base K2 theme is easy, as is widget management. All K2 blogs look pretty much the same out of the box, which works for some people and not for others. There is a chicken-and-egg question in themes - if I leave customising the theme until I can afford to pay for the customisation, my blogs may never get popular enough to fund that customisation. For now that is a chance I may have to take.

Best regards, Andrew

]]> By: cerebralmum http://facibus.com/onblogging/2007/12/04/the-ads-are-back/#comment-1297 cerebralmum Sat, 08 Dec 2007 00:03:40 +0000 http://facibus.com/onblogging/2007/12/04/the-ads-are-back/#comment-1297 That's a good point. I just double checked the BlogHer sites I know and the content does come up before the ads load. You can select no flash, too. I might go and finalise my application. That'll give me a month to get a second sidebar. Thanks for the links. Very helpful. That’s a good point. I just double checked the BlogHer sites I know and the content does come up before the ads load. You can select no flash, too. I might go and finalise my application. That’ll give me a month to get a second sidebar.

Thanks for the links. Very helpful.

]]> By: AndrewBoyd http://facibus.com/onblogging/2007/12/04/the-ads-are-back/#comment-1294 AndrewBoyd Fri, 07 Dec 2007 23:52:16 +0000 http://facibus.com/onblogging/2007/12/04/the-ads-are-back/#comment-1294 Hi cerebralmum, thank you for your comment. I think that Meg hit the nail on the head - as long as the ads don't get in the way, they are OK. Where they do get in the way is when there is more advertisement than content (see John Chow's RSS feed for an example - short articles are actually shorter than the ads in between them) and there are hidden affiliate links - i.e. you expect the linked text to take you to a related article rather than an ad landing page. Load time is an important consideration - and I think that this is an example of the ads getting in the way. This is certainly the case with some templates that are set up (basically the code order) to load the left hand ad-filled sidebar first - in other words, you don't get to read the content before the #$%^& ads. This comes across as rude to me - while there is a basic understanding that the reader puts up with the ads to see the content, waiting for a sidebar widget to load can be very offputting. It is where I believe that <a href="http://facibus.com/onblogging/2007/09/20/susie-bright-blows-it/" rel="nofollow">Susie Bright went wrong with her RSS feed</a>. I think that it is possible to have a community with advertising, as long as it is done with a little class. Best regards, Andrew Hi cerebralmum,

thank you for your comment. I think that Meg hit the nail on the head - as long as the ads don’t get in the way, they are OK. Where they do get in the way is when there is more advertisement than content (see John Chow’s RSS feed for an example - short articles are actually shorter than the ads in between them) and there are hidden affiliate links - i.e. you expect the linked text to take you to a related article rather than an ad landing page.

Load time is an important consideration - and I think that this is an example of the ads getting in the way. This is certainly the case with some templates that are set up (basically the code order) to load the left hand ad-filled sidebar first - in other words, you don’t get to read the content before the #$%^& ads. This comes across as rude to me - while there is a basic understanding that the reader puts up with the ads to see the content, waiting for a sidebar widget to load can be very offputting. It is where I believe that Susie Bright went wrong with her RSS feed.

I think that it is possible to have a community with advertising, as long as it is done with a little class.

Best regards, Andrew

]]> By: cerebralmum http://facibus.com/onblogging/2007/12/04/the-ads-are-back/#comment-1269 cerebralmum Wed, 05 Dec 2007 00:01:57 +0000 http://facibus.com/onblogging/2007/12/04/the-ads-are-back/#comment-1269 Hmm, I've been thinking about placing a couple of ads, hoping just to cover the cost of my hosting because money is pretty tight for me, but I'm not sure how they would work on my site. I agree with Meg, as long as the content is the main focus of the page, monetisation doen't bother me. When ads dominate, however, I'm outta there. I've been considering the BlogHer ad network because I think they are tidy and suit my niche but I've read some complaints about their load time. Overall, because it's a personal site I just worry that it might take away the sense of community I trying to build. Hmm, I’ve been thinking about placing a couple of ads, hoping just to cover the cost of my hosting because money is pretty tight for me, but I’m not sure how they would work on my site.

I agree with Meg, as long as the content is the main focus of the page, monetisation doen’t bother me. When ads dominate, however, I’m outta there.

I’ve been considering the BlogHer ad network because I think they are tidy and suit my niche but I’ve read some complaints about their load time. Overall, because it’s a personal site I just worry that it might take away the sense of community I trying to build.

]]> By: AndrewBoyd http://facibus.com/onblogging/2007/12/04/the-ads-are-back/#comment-1267 AndrewBoyd Tue, 04 Dec 2007 11:38:42 +0000 http://facibus.com/onblogging/2007/12/04/the-ads-are-back/#comment-1267 Hi Thiru, thank you for your comment. I believe that Ad-blindness and money making are not mutually incompatible - that is, if you can write good content and get CPM (cost per thousand impressions) advertising - the ad-blind contribute to revenue anyhow just by looking at the post :) Best regards, Andrew Hi Thiru,

thank you for your comment.

I believe that Ad-blindness and money making are not mutually incompatible - that is, if you can write good content and get CPM (cost per thousand impressions) advertising - the ad-blind contribute to revenue anyhow just by looking at the post :)
Best regards, Andrew

]]> By: AndrewBoyd http://facibus.com/onblogging/2007/12/04/the-ads-are-back/#comment-1266 AndrewBoyd Tue, 04 Dec 2007 11:33:22 +0000 http://facibus.com/onblogging/2007/12/04/the-ads-are-back/#comment-1266 Hi Meg, thank you for your comment. That is OK, what are friends for? :) I take your word that the "too many ads" dig was not at me, but it still did make me think about what I was doing and why - hence getting rid of the ads. I'll let you know if I do make stacks - if I do, WordCamp Canberra will be on me :) Best regards, Andrew Hi Meg,

thank you for your comment.

That is OK, what are friends for? :)
I take your word that the “too many ads” dig was not at me, but it still did make me think about what I was doing and why - hence getting rid of the ads.

I’ll let you know if I do make stacks - if I do, WordCamp Canberra will be on me :)
Best regards, Andrew

]]> By: Thiru http://facibus.com/onblogging/2007/12/04/the-ads-are-back/#comment-1264 Thiru Tue, 04 Dec 2007 08:59:06 +0000 http://facibus.com/onblogging/2007/12/04/the-ads-are-back/#comment-1264 Hi Andrew, If you provide good content, readers never mind about ads. We all get used to Ad-blindness. Oops , how do we make money> Hi Andrew, If you provide good content, readers never mind about ads. We all get used to Ad-blindness. Oops , how do we make money>

]]> By: Meg http://facibus.com/onblogging/2007/12/04/the-ads-are-back/#comment-1263 Meg Tue, 04 Dec 2007 07:18:49 +0000 http://facibus.com/onblogging/2007/12/04/the-ads-are-back/#comment-1263 Hi Andrew Oh, I thought we were going to let that post die a natural death - thanks for resurrecting it (NOT) ;) BTW, I have never objected to monetisation - just when you can't find the content for all the AdSense! Good for you - I hope you make stacks :D Hi Andrew

Oh, I thought we were going to let that post die a natural death - thanks for resurrecting it (NOT) ;)
BTW, I have never objected to monetisation - just when you can’t find the content for all the AdSense!

Good for you - I hope you make stacks :D

]]>