Best place for revenue-generating ads

OK- so the truth of the matter is that our bandwidth costs are insane. We need to add another banner on the forums. We have two options- one is the one you're currently seeing- a vertical skyscraper on the right side of the forums. Another option is to insert a banner ad every 8-15 posts are so. The revenue from these can help to seriously offset the cost of keeping our servers up, and act as incentive for us to put cool shit up on the web (like better photo galleries for trip reports, new blog software, better avy content, more organized gear reviews, etc....). We will never MAKE $ off the forums, but at least the cost of the site won't be so insane we have to make a choice between the forums or a film editor. I don't want to know the outcome of that decision.

So, input is welcome-

Leave the skyscraper! I frequent another site that has banners interspersed within threads every several posts. It is horrible. I think the immediate backlash of the skyscraper is that it is a change. Once people get used to it (I have) it won't much matter and will become second nature to frequent players. The interspersed within threads will ALWAYS be annoying for everyone.

I know this would suck but if you HAD to put one sideways in each thread, maybe put only one and at the very top. Check this one out...

It is placed at the top of every page inside the thread, but that is it.

If you need to pay for your HD podcasts find some other way there's a reason I use Adblock :)

I think f2f had a good idea when he mentioned putting one ad on each side. As long as the content is even in the middle of the window, it is less aggravating to look at.

Not voting in the poll.

The skyscraper is most bothersome in threads with pictures, so I'd favor an alternative -- any alternative -- there. Other than that, whatever.

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Originally Posted by alpinedad

Not voting in the poll.

The skyscraper is most bothersome in threads with pictures, so I'd favor an alternative -- any alternative -- there. Other than that, whatever.

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Someone already proved it doesn't cause a problem with pictures... I don't get it!!! If the pictures are too big for your viewing window you have to scroll over, same with this. This skyscraper just gets pushed over. I don't see your problem.

If your window is 1000 pixels wide and the picture is 1000 pixels wide, it will display the same with and w/o the skyscraper.

The left AND right sucks! viewing area too small even on a 1280x854 15" laptop

i think you need to examine the goals of the ad campaign first, then make a decision based on that: is the priority to serve as many banner ads as you can (in which case you probably want to serve it to all the regular users, as well as the bozos that just happen to stumble upon here from search engines); or is the priority to generate the most banner clicks, in which case you need to pelter unsuspecting transients with as much banners as possible, while leaving us regulars relatively banner-free (we all use adblock anyway ;)) so we can keep generating that lovely scheisse-content everybody keeps coming back for.

i think you have a good thing going with the separate "clean" theme. make it available only to registered users and treat guests to all the banners you want.

NB: admittedly i have no real knowledge of whether this scheme will work out better in the end for you. you've got all the web server hit stats, only you can make that judgement :)

edit: what about adsense? a banner on the bottom could give you yet another revenue stream. or are you trying to push only stuff you have contracts for?

ok- just implemented the collapsable function.
SO if you click the little arrow on the right side of the column, it will disappear.
i think you can actually diable them in your control panel as well.

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Originally Posted by the webguy

ok- just implemented the collapsable function.
SO if you click the little arrow on the right side of the column, it will disappear.
i think you can actually diable them in your control panel as well.

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:yourock::yourock::yourock::yourock::yourock:

I vote that you're able to pay the bills... Do what it takes.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by the webguy

ok- just implemented the collapsable function.
SO if you click the little arrow on the right side of the column, it will disappear.
i think you can actually diable them in your control panel as well.

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That's a cool feature.
Doesn't it negate the impact of the ads, though ? Especialy if there's a "default" user's CP disabling option ?

^^^Constant users like us who aren't going to click the ads will get rid of them. The casual observer/new poster is not going to realize it and let them stay.

All the ads I'm getting in the side bar are for TGR movies.

How is that creating any revenue?

we'll sell that space sometime soon. for now just plan on buying the new film.

Doesn't matter, can't see them anyway.