Timewaster's Guide Archive

General => Site News => Topic started by: Fellfrosch on January 20, 2006, 12:55:09 PM

Title: Google Ads
Post by: Fellfrosch on January 20, 2006, 12:55:09 PM
Given our recent boom in traffic (we've more than doubled in the past three weeks, and continue to rise) we're seriously considering the addition of Google Ads to the site. Now I hate banners as much as you do, if not more, and I recognize that an ad-free environment is one of the draws of TWG. That said, I really think that some text-only ads along the top or right side could be fairly unobtrusive, and since google ads are context-based we might actually get something interesting (though certain threads and articles are bound to generate Naked Fairy links).

The benefit of google ads would be, of course, money, which I would control, and which I would use exclusively for the good of the site; in most cases that will mean "buying games we can't get for free." This money will not be used to buy myself lunch, and I like to think that I'm a pretty fair guy, so don't worry that it is being misused.

It is important to me to get your opinions on this issue, so please let me know what you think. Are ads a wonderful idea? A tolerable idea? A horrible travesty? Sound off.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers on January 20, 2006, 12:59:59 PM
I think it's a good idea.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: stacer on January 20, 2006, 01:46:31 PM
I think it's a tolerable idea. Not great, but for a good cause.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Skar on January 20, 2006, 02:00:41 PM
I think perhaps it's hasty.  If the boom were to continue to rise or stay at this higher level then yes,  I think it's a good idea.   But I don't think it's worth it if the boom is a fleeting thing, like it might be if the extra hits are some function of the spam posts we're starting to get.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Fellfrosch on January 20, 2006, 02:21:04 PM
It's something Tage and I have talked about for months, and even at our previous traffic level it would still bring in some money, just not as much. The recent upward trend is not the reason, just the catalyst.

You are quite correct in saying that traffic might go back down, and of course there's always the possibility that we're just getting 900 spambots per day and the ads will do nothing for us. Would you be averse to trying it out and then taking them down if they prove either useless or annoying (or both)?
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Spriggan on January 20, 2006, 03:08:20 PM
I'm fine with them.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Fellfrosch on January 20, 2006, 04:47:36 PM
Some ads are up on both the articles and the forum. Please give feedback (including placement and color).
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: 42 on January 20, 2006, 04:48:25 PM
Could they not be where I'm used to clicking?

Maybe above the TWG logo or at the very bottom of the page.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Tage on January 20, 2006, 04:50:39 PM
C'mon, it's like an inch. Click lower. Besides, where else can we put them? Above the logo would look REALLY weird, and the bottom of the page defeats the entire purpose.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Spriggan on January 20, 2006, 04:52:27 PM
For the ones in the article is might be good to give them some padding/margines so they're not right up next to the article text.

maybe <div style="padding 0px 0px 0px 10px;"> Google adds</div>

Besides that I think they look fine
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: 42 on January 20, 2006, 04:52:55 PM
they are also coming up in the very middle of the browser, kind of overshadowing the rest of the site.

So I would suggest higher or lower.

And an inch is a lot of space when you only have 9 inches to work with.

Not to whine or anything, but the scale is off too. The color is fine and everything.

Think;             [adadadadadad]
      [logologogloglogolgogoggogoglogoggogo]
      [stuffstuffstuffstuffstuffstuffstuffstuffstuffs]
      [stuffstuffstuffstuffstuffstuffstuffstuffstuffs]

Not;
      [logologogloglogolgogoggogoglogoggogo]
                    [adadadadadad]
      [stuffstuffstuffstuffstuffstuffstuffstuffstuffs]
      [stuffstuffstuffstuffstuffstuffstuffstuffstuffs]

see the difference?
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Tage on January 20, 2006, 04:57:40 PM
I increased the padding on the articles a bit. Should be better now.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Spriggan on January 20, 2006, 05:01:49 PM
Yes that's much better.  
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Fellfrosch on January 20, 2006, 05:03:51 PM
Above the logo would be nice, if possible. I'd at least like to see it. Let's get more feedback before tweaking, though.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Tage on January 20, 2006, 05:05:01 PM
Quote
Not to whine or anything, but the scale is off too. The color is fine and everything.

Think;             [adadadadadad]
      [logologogloglogolgogoggogoglogoggogo]
      [stuffstuffstuffstuffstuffstuffstuffstuffstuffs]
      [stuffstuffstuffstuffstuffstuffstuffstuffstuffs]

Not;
      [logologogloglogolgogoggogoglogoggogo]
                    [adadadadadad]
      [stuffstuffstuffstuffstuffstuffstuffstuffstuffs]
      [stuffstuffstuffstuffstuffstuffstuffstuffstuffs]

see the difference?


Unfortunately, that's not really an option. Google has a limited number of ad formats. We can use one that's wider, but it's also taller, and personally, I think the thinner one is better.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Fellfrosch on January 20, 2006, 05:13:26 PM
I want the logogogo version. That one sounds like a party!
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Tage on January 20, 2006, 05:14:21 PM
I think the ads above the logo looks ridiculous. However, what does everyone else think?
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: 42 on January 20, 2006, 05:14:32 PM
The add doesn't need to be wider, just not breaking up the unity of the page context. I'm looking at the scale of the whole page together, not just the ad.

But as of now, I do like the positioning at the top of the page more. Just not the size of the ad itself.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Spriggan on January 20, 2006, 05:16:10 PM
I agree with Tage it looks silly up there.  What about on the site or after the first post in every thread?
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: 42 on January 20, 2006, 05:17:45 PM
Is there a reason it can't be placed at the bottom? Like before the TWG powered by...
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Fellfrosch on January 20, 2006, 05:18:11 PM
I wouldn't want to break up the flow from post to post, that would be very obtrusive.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: stacer on January 20, 2006, 05:18:15 PM
I liked it better when it wasn't as wide. And I prefer the logo at the top of the page. Smaller and under the logo wasn't as obtrusive.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Fellfrosch on January 20, 2006, 05:27:13 PM
How about on top with no border and whatnot? I'm not sure it's the best, but it looks better than the big bright box up there.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Tage on January 20, 2006, 05:29:02 PM
I still like the two thin ads under the logo, but if ya'll like the "just words" version above the logo, I can live with that.

We can switch to the thin two-word ads above the logo, too, if the wider one is too much.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Spriggan on January 20, 2006, 05:29:10 PM
part of the reason it looks off is that the header graphic doesn't fill the screen.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Tage on January 20, 2006, 05:31:25 PM
Yeah, and it never has. We always had the "white box" on the right because of it. But if we're centering ads at the top of the page, we might as well center the freaking logo.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Fellfrosch on January 20, 2006, 05:36:09 PM
I really like them under the logo better, now that I've seen it both ways. And I dig the "just words" version.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Tage on January 20, 2006, 05:37:51 PM
I have to say, I really like the "just words" under the logo as well. Can we try this out for a bit?
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Spriggan on January 20, 2006, 05:48:59 PM
Is there anyway to change it so these adds open in a new window?  Right now they cause you to leave TWG which is a bad thing, if we can't then I vote to dump the adds.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Skar on January 20, 2006, 06:31:58 PM
Um... I can't see any ads.  Anywhere.

Why would that be?
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Spriggan on January 20, 2006, 06:40:46 PM
if you have firefox with the add block plug-in then you won't see any.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Harbinger on January 20, 2006, 08:40:09 PM
I find them tolerable. As small, text-only ads they're reasonably unobtrusive.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: JP Dogberry on January 20, 2006, 09:21:16 PM
Ok, so I view the daoily article, and in the one site on the net I feel safe from ads, I see ads.

TWG for the lose.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Spriggan on January 20, 2006, 09:49:07 PM
Desperate times call for desperate measures.  We don't get as much review material as we did a year ago and so to keep us getting new content we need adds.  This may not be permanent, we're just trying it out for a few weeks too see what the outcome is.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Tekiel on January 20, 2006, 10:29:15 PM
Why is mine telling me where I can find cheap pills and Viagra? . . . Oh wait, now I can find atomic clocks.  Nevermind.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Spriggan on January 20, 2006, 10:33:19 PM
Ya, they're not the brightest.  We can add filters to the adds and you'll probably see them get more relevant after a few weeks and Fell and Tage rejecting things.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Oldie Black Witch on January 20, 2006, 10:42:17 PM
I find them highly irritating. I know it'll help the forum bottom-line, but consider the fact that the people who are here most often are us regulars. Are you really trying to target the advertising to the regulars, or to the lurkers and newbies? Because even if you're starting the advertising in the hopes that some of the new people who have been giving us hits see it and take a link or two, the ones who are going to see it (and have to deal with it the most) are the 20 or so of us who are on almost daily.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Entsuropi on January 20, 2006, 10:45:10 PM
I've yet to see a google add that didn't look ugly. Dunno why.

Wheres the new traffic from?
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: MsFish on January 20, 2006, 11:19:44 PM
So, do you get paid just for having them there, or only if people click on them, or only if people click and then spend money?  

I find them annoying where they are, but I'm sure I'll get used to it.  
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Spriggan on January 20, 2006, 11:29:20 PM
We get paid by click.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Tage on January 21, 2006, 02:38:59 AM
Personally, I don't see any need for the ads. On the other hand, the way they're set up now, I find them completely unobtrusive. If anything, the forum one could go, and the article one I almost don't even see. Fell has a good point, though, in that most of our traffic is from the forum.

Reactions from people on this thread, aside from the admins, has been mostly negative. Perhaps if we don't make enough money to get a review game in a month, we should seriously consider taking them off.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: fuzzyoctopus on January 21, 2006, 02:45:17 AM
Give me a week to get used to them and then ask me how I think.  If they can really generate revenue, great.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: 42 on January 21, 2006, 03:35:11 AM
I agree, I need at least week to decide about it overall.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Chimera on January 21, 2006, 06:20:38 AM
I am seriously annoyed by them. But I am willing to do the trial Tage suggested and see if after a month it generates enough $ that it's worth keeping.

But I want it known that I am not a fan.  :P
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Tekiel on January 21, 2006, 02:52:47 PM
Actually, I'm already starting to ignore them.  So I don't mind them, aside from using more energy to scroll farther down the pages.  ;)
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on January 21, 2006, 03:48:15 PM
Easy to ignore.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Shrain on January 21, 2006, 04:31:25 PM
Yeah, ditto. At first, they were disorienting but the format and placement they have now is easy enough to ignore after a bit. Sure, I wish we didn't have to have them. But w/o trying it out, it's near impossible to see if they'd generate enough $ to buy a game or two. *shrug* Wait and see, I guess.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Marche100 on January 21, 2006, 06:14:57 PM
Its easy to ignore them. Veeerrrryyy easy.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Fellfrosch on January 22, 2006, 02:26:45 AM
Like I said, I have always loved the fact that TWG is ad-free, and this is only a trial. That said, we have earned 4 and a half bucks since putting them up on Friday afternoon, so that's what, just over $2 a day? We get paid for both click-throughs and page impressions, for those who are curious, and in a purely monetary sense it does seem to be working out. Most of you seem to hate them, though, so in that sense they're not working out at all.

I've been thinking about how best to use this money, and one of the ideas that came up was helping to subsidize the mass trip to WorldCon in August. There are ten or so forum regulars going, and if we buy nothing else (and if this rate keeps up) we'll have a few hundred dollars by then to help pay for hotels and gas and meals. It won't be a lot, especially spread out over that many people, but it would help. It's just a thought. There are plenty of other possibilities, too: paying for Magic drafts and other games/food at TWG get-togethers, buying RPG books we can't otherwise get (which applies to those outside of Utah as well), paying Tage for the web space that thus far he has more or less been comping us, and so on. This is money that you guys are earning via writing articles and posting on the site, and I want to make sure it gets used to benefit you.

In other words: I know they're distasteful, but if you can get used to them they do look like they'll have a direct and significant effect on what we can do. Give it a week and see what you think; if you really hate them, we'll take them down. They're no good to anyone if they drive people away.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Spriggan on January 22, 2006, 02:37:38 AM
Wow $4 already!  I was expecting something along the line of $.10-$.25 a day.

Quote
Most of you seem to hate them, though, so in that sense they're not working out at all.


I don't think that's the case, I think it's more 60-40 with only 40% not liking them and the others not bothered by them.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: EUOL on January 22, 2006, 05:20:33 AM
That's good money, Fell.  It's worth the slight annoyance.  Think of it this way, folks:  Tage hosts this all for free for us.  Without him, we'd have to be paying what, fifty bucks a month for this bandwidth?  I have to say that the google ads are the most unobtrusive, well-targeted ads you can get without actually seeking individual advertisers.  I think it's a good and simple balance for the site.  

Just a personal opinion, but I'm not sure subsidizing the trip to Worldcon sounds right to me.  Too many of us go to it in order to advance are careers.  It seems to me that the money from the site should go toward directly improving the experience for all of its readers--meaning getting more review materials.  (Though, perhaps sending one person to the con, who then blogged about it a lot, might be appropriate.)
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Entsuropi on January 22, 2006, 08:27:01 AM
You could buy me computer games =)
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: fuzzyoctopus on January 22, 2006, 04:19:19 PM
Quote
Most of you seem to hate them, though, so in that sense they're not working out at all.


I'm starting to get used to them; it's not like I"m not used to seeing them on other webpages, just I'm not used to the way it looks on this one.   You know how we all are with change.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: MsFish on January 22, 2006, 04:41:14 PM
I don't mind them at all.  I think people in general are likely to oppose change, so that could account for a lot of the opposition.  

I also don't think subsidizing World Con is a practical idea.  You could easily spend a couple hundred dollars on game books etc. in eight months, right?  So the site gets more and better reviews, and members get free stuff.  Seems logical to me.  
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Tekiel on January 22, 2006, 07:24:41 PM
Quote
We get paid for both click-throughs and page impressions, for those who are curious, and in a purely monetary sense it does seem to be working out.


So all we have to do to boost that monetary income (and thereby get more games) would be to click on one of the ads each time we visit?
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: MsFish on January 22, 2006, 07:26:10 PM
That was my understanding, so that's what I've been doing.  I figure it's not that far out of my way to click on some of these things.  Some of them are amusing, too.  
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Shrain on January 22, 2006, 08:29:38 PM
Ah, there's nothing like a little group intrigue to keep me coming back to TWG. 8)

Edit: But I second someone else's comment that it'd be nice if another window would come up when you click on a google ad so that you wouldn't get spirited away from the TWG site.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Tage on January 22, 2006, 09:42:59 PM
Quote
You could buy me computer games =)


Although probably said in jest, I think this is *exactly* what ad money should be used for. Well ok, not for Entropy exclusively, but for anyone who will write a good review.

Most of the regulars here contribute to our site content. I think we should help those people who have reliably written good reviews. So if we get $60 in a month, I think a fair distribution would be to get:
an RPG book
a board game
a movie pass for each of the brothers Gibbs
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Spriggan on January 22, 2006, 09:52:38 PM
Yea! Time for the bickering to start.

I don't think the Gibbs should get a single penny until they start using the site's review system.  If we get rid of that silly 2 score system that they're insisting on using then ya they deserve a ticket or two a month.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Entsuropi on January 23, 2006, 12:17:45 AM
We should subsidise their tickets to crap films though. Otherwise we'd have nothing but good reviews, and that looks bad ;)
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Spriggan on January 23, 2006, 12:31:13 AM
Hehe force them to go see Uwle Bowl films...na that's too mean.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Fellfrosch on January 23, 2006, 12:41:17 AM
I don't want to set up any specific month-to-month plans; I'd rather be free to say, "oh, a new 40k video game is out this month, I'll buy it for Entropy and get a review," or "e's in town this month, so let's buy a ton of Magic boosters, do a draft, and make him write about it."

Also note: only 20 cents today. Sundays are notoriously low, I admit, but I wonder if the initial rush of money was some kind of signing bonus, and we're actually making about a tenth of what we thought. I suppose time will tell.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Spriggan on January 23, 2006, 12:46:55 AM
I also think part of the initial rush was people clicking on the adds to see what they're like.  I did that a few times on Friday to see how they worked, which is why I complained about them not opening up a new window, but haven't clicked on one since then.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers on January 23, 2006, 10:01:56 AM
now, now, the Gibbs have given bad reviews.

Now, my thing about paying for material.
If you get material paid for by TWG, I'm thinking we need to insist not just on getting hte review, but that there be a deadline associated with it. The deadline will be determined by the editor (fell or me) and the reviewer, so it will be a mutual agreement. But they need to be timely.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Entsuropi on January 23, 2006, 10:17:54 AM
Quote
now, now, the Gibbs have given bad reviews.

Now, my thing about paying for material.
If you get material paid for by TWG, I'm thinking we need to insist not just on getting hte review, but that there be a deadline associated with it. The deadline will be determined by the editor (fell or me) and the reviewer, so it will be a mutual agreement. But they need to be timely.


As someone who is unreliable as hell, I fully agree. Once you get paidment, which is what free items is, a more professional approach should be demanded.

Also:
Quote

Fear no man
Discover what martial artists and the army don't want you to know


*cries*
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Tink on January 23, 2006, 12:27:34 PM
So let's say I have a Web site and I'm thinking of putting google ads on it. Can you guys tell me how it works? Do you have to program your code and know how to do that? Do you get money per click, or only if they click and stay on the page for some time (cause really I'd think we all could be clicking on the ads like crazy to get the money up if it's just a click. So is it?) How much per click? Is there a site I should check out that talks about this?
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Mad Dr Jeffe on January 23, 2006, 12:38:08 PM
I started just clicking, but found one or two cool t-shirt sites..

Curse you
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Fellfrosch on January 23, 2006, 12:54:35 PM
The info is here, Tink: https://www.google.com/adsense/

The site will generate the html for you, and it looks fairly easy to drop in. In my case it was especially easy, because I have Tage the Magic Webmaster to do it for me.

Update to the money thing: the 20 cents I thought we earned yesterday turned out to just be a fluke of when I looked at the site, and when their thingy updated the total. Rest assured that we earned well over 20 cents yesterday, and all is well.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Tink on January 23, 2006, 01:20:10 PM
Thanks for the info. Looks like a good way to get money, if you can get people coming to your site.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Fellfrosch on January 23, 2006, 03:08:12 PM
As I learn more about the system (it doesn't hide info, it just doesn't present it very intuitively), I've found that the money you make depends on the click-through-rate, meaning the ratio between impressions and clicks. For example, 1000 impressions and 10 clicks will get you more money than 2000 impressions and 10 clicks.

Impressions, by the way, are page views.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: EUOL on January 23, 2006, 04:34:26 PM
Another thing we could consider is doing a TWG Amazon link.  This is more of a begging thing than the Google ads.  

The idea for those of you who don't know is this:  If a site has up a link to Amazon, and you click on it (setting a cookie on your browser) then buy something on Amazon, that site makes 5% or so off your purchase.

So, if there are those of you who are buying things off of Amazon anyway, and aren't clicking through anybody's link, then you might as well click through the (as of yet non-existent) TWG link and make the site some cash.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Spriggan on January 24, 2006, 12:57:03 AM
I actually have code that I wrote for EUOL's site, and haven't added yet, that will place amazon links on the page for you automatically. All you have to do is add the ISBN or equivalent number into a text field of the article.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Spriggan on January 24, 2006, 06:55:13 AM
Umm am I missing something?  All the adds are gone now.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Chimera on January 24, 2006, 12:00:57 PM
Quote
So, if there are those of you who are buying things off of Amazon anyway, and aren't clicking through anybody's link, then you might as well click through the (as of yet non-existent) TWG link and make the site some cash.

I'd do this. I buy at Amazon all the time--all of my books--and then I'd feel like I was supporting a good cause!  ;D

And, as I've read through this and seen the benefit of the ads, I've repented of my grumpy ways. Go ahead and keep them if it's going to fund the site. That is really nice of Tage to host TWG for free, and it is a good idea to use the $ to get stuff to review. So, with all those good things, I don't mind the ads staying.
Title: ?Re: Google Ads
Post by: Fellfrosch on January 24, 2006, 12:03:34 PM
The ads should still be there, Sprig. Were you on a different computer, or behind some kind of firewall, either of which might have prevented them?
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Spriggan on January 24, 2006, 03:53:58 PM
the problem turned out to be IE terminating the script do to it running slow.  Once I closed the browsers and reloaded the site they were back up.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Fellfrosch on January 24, 2006, 04:06:35 PM
Interesting. I'm glad that the browser just killed the script and showed you the site without it, instead of just making the whole site run slowly for you. Has anyone else noticed any slowing issues?
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: The Jade Knight on January 24, 2006, 05:25:00 PM
The forum sure seems to be going slowly for me.  But I don't know if that's the forum or me.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Fellfrosch on January 24, 2006, 05:26:55 PM
When did it start?
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: The Jade Knight on January 24, 2006, 05:51:31 PM
Not sure.  At least today.  It might be worth noting that no ads are showing up for me anywhere.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Fellfrosch on January 24, 2006, 08:02:16 PM
Hmmmmm. This looks like a job for...not me! I bet Spriggy can help, though.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Tekiel on January 24, 2006, 08:39:31 PM
Mine's doing the same thing.  I haven't had any ads since yesterday.  And I didn't even mind them that much.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on January 25, 2006, 12:18:50 AM
I see ads.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Chimera on January 25, 2006, 12:25:14 AM
I see dead people.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: fuzzyoctopus on January 25, 2006, 12:27:33 AM
I see a little silhouetto of a man.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Fellfrosch on January 25, 2006, 12:34:48 AM
Scaramouche! Scaramouche!

10 Fell Points(tm) for Fuzzy.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Spriggan on January 25, 2006, 01:11:19 AM
Quote
Not sure.  At least today.  It might be worth noting that no ads are showing up for me anywhere.


If you're using Firefox there's a chance they won't show up, Firefox has an add blocking feature that when turned on will not display Google and other like adds.


The Slowness of the forum could be lots of things, like that it's a text based file system that's gotten very bogged down (that's why we got a beta forum running somewhere else that we'll eventually switch over too).  I notice the forum is much slower on my lappy then my pc due to the internet connection and pc speed.  It's hard to know exactly what's causing the problem without more details.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: stacer on January 25, 2006, 02:17:31 AM
I use Firefox and see ads. Perhaps I don't have the no-ad plugin, though.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Mad Dr Jeffe on January 25, 2006, 01:52:59 PM
I think Firefox has a built in google componant which allows google ads.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: EUOL on January 25, 2006, 03:29:29 PM
Easy way to test.  Go to pvponline or any other of a million sites that regularly have Google ads, then see if your browser removes them from those pages too.  That way, we can know if it is something particular about the coding of this site, or if you really do just have a plug-in that stops the ads from appearing.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Mr_Pleasington on January 26, 2006, 01:01:29 AM
Just to add my two cents on the main topic here.  I barely even noticed the google ads when they first appeared and they certainly don't detract from the site.

Hardly Noticeable + Making Money For One of My Favorite Sites = A Good Thing.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: hamletfan on January 26, 2006, 01:10:58 AM
I use Firefox and I see the ads.  (P.S. I don't mind the ads. There is advertising everywhere else so I don't really even notice them. And earning $$$ is always good.)
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: The Jade Knight on February 01, 2006, 01:21:57 AM
Site no longer slow.  I now see ads.  Not sure what changed.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Spriggan on February 01, 2006, 01:22:57 AM
hehe, IE 7 disables Google Adds.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Entsuropi on February 02, 2006, 09:40:34 AM
Wonder how long that'll last. M$ and Google are shaping up to be real competitors now, what with Google hiring programmers who have worked on both internet browsers and Linux operating systems.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: The Bot on February 05, 2006, 03:18:12 PM
Is anyone open to the suggestion that the thread "Messing With Google's Head" in "everything else" is just a deceitful way of making money?! Fellfrosch DID create the thread. And he IS the (co?) owner of the site. Hmmmm.....?
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Faster Master St. Pastor on February 06, 2006, 12:31:08 AM
He created it after comeone else suggested it (a couple pages back on this thread). Besides, how can it be a scam if Google knows full well that they will give him money, and the money is being used for strict time wasting?
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: fuzzyoctopus on February 06, 2006, 12:36:39 AM
I suggested it, because it's funny.  Has the site made any decent money from them, yet?
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Spriggan on February 06, 2006, 06:26:19 AM
We've made some money, though we really won't know how consistent the ad revenue will be until we have a month or two's worth of figures.  I think by the end of March or April we should have a decent idea on what the average amount earned per month will be.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Fellfrosch on February 06, 2006, 11:45:56 AM
For those who are curious, we get paid monthly, on a two month delay: i.e., our January check will arrive in March. January's check is not huge, but it's enough to make the ads worthwhile.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Faster Master St. Pastor on April 05, 2006, 04:12:16 AM
So, ya, whats the info on that? How much has our clicking through every once in a while made?

Yes, I know, I'm a necromancer, may your scorn attract lice to your head.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Spriggan on April 05, 2006, 05:47:40 AM
We're not going to release exact numbers, or even rough figures, on how much we're making via the Google adds.

I can tell you that we made more in the first two weeks then we have any month after that.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Faster Master St. Pastor on April 05, 2006, 05:58:21 AM
Which is to say not very much?
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Spriggan on April 05, 2006, 06:31:24 AM
Which is to say more then we originally thought but less then we thought after the first 2 weeks.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Faster Master St. Pastor on April 05, 2006, 06:49:46 AM
Gotcha, shutting up now. :)
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Fellfrosch on April 05, 2006, 12:31:09 PM
We will say this: we're making enough to make the ads worth it.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Spriggan on April 05, 2006, 01:01:54 PM
Heck we even had enough money left over for 42 to commission a music video staring his ferret.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALiuZQ3AEN8&search=ferret
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: fuzzyoctopus on April 05, 2006, 04:40:08 PM
Quote
We will say this: we're making enough to make the ads worth it.


Though the air of mystery amuses me slightly, I'm totally used to the darn things now, so I'm pleased that they're doing something useful
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: 42 on April 05, 2006, 06:02:34 PM
Quote
Heck we even had enough money left over for 42 to commission a music video staring his ferret.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALiuZQ3AEN8&search=ferret


That's not my ferret. She's a much better dancer. Nefer is offended by this imposter who can't even seem to get the basics of the Ferret Dance of Joy down. Nefer does the Ferret Dance of War in retaliation.

Nefer gets a critical hit and the ferret in video dies. Nefer then proceeds to embezzle proceeds from video as well as all TWG money made from google ads.
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Faster Master St. Pastor on April 05, 2006, 09:18:45 PM
Sprigg, you seem to have confused this thread with the cool things thread...it's okay, no ones perfect, if you feel the need to cry on a shoulder you can do it on anyone's but mine. :)
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers on July 26, 2006, 07:54:40 PM
(http://www.saintehlers.com/misc/images/anotherad.jpg)

So why are we getting Leonard Cohen references on the 10 most recent page?
Title: Re: Google Ads
Post by: Spriggan on September 07, 2006, 04:28:40 AM
Interesting, apparently you can use the following code to help target your google adsense words:

<!-- google_ad_section_start -->
Relevant Content
<!-- google_ad_section_end -->

This won't work on the forum since we don't allow HTML.