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Do you post more than once every 30 days? If so this post is not for you...

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  • 07-08-2014 2:40pm
    #1
    Dav
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,840 ✭✭✭


    What a pain in the arse of a title for a thread, eh? :)

    So, this is about banner ads. If you're a logged in member of the site, you see less banners than the logged out folks - it's one of our means of incentivising people to join.

    But we have lots of members and our number one goal for the company is to get more of them posting more regularly. Our number two goal for the company is to make it pay for itself. We have a plan that helps with both.

    We're looking at rolling out an update which will show a skyscraper ad beside thread content on the desktop version of the site only if you haven't posted in 30 days. It's on a rolling basis, so when you make a post, you won't see these ads again for another 30 days unless you make another post within that time frame in which case the count resets for you.

    Just to give you an idea of what these sky scraper ads currently look like, you can click here (the red box around the ad is my addition just to highlight it).
    Post edited by Shield on


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    #2
    The Hill Billy
    Registered Users Posts: 22,749 ✭✭✭✭The Hill Billy


    What is the rationale behind this? (If I may so bold to ask.)


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    #3
    NicsM
    Subscribers Posts: 342 ✭✭NicsM


    First reaction: this is so simple how come nobody thought of it before?!

    From a community perspective I hope it encourages people to post. I say this as the world's biggest lurker who spends 3+ hours a day logged in :)


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    #4
    Dav
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,840 ✭✭✭Dav


    You may indeed Hill Billy :)

    1) Engagement - one post per 30 day period from the people who have accounts and don't post often will see a massive jump in numbers. We might (and this is a *big* might) expand it - I'm pulling figures out of the air, but lets say you posted at least once per 7 day period, you may see even fewer ads. It's a pretty reasonable deal I think - there are 2 significant ways to contribute to this site - posting and viewing ads. If you do more of one, maybe you should do less of the other? It's something of an experiment, but it's too good an idea to pass on we think.

    2) Money - we estimate that this'll push out about a million and a half more ads than we currently do. That sounds like a lot (and it is), but in monetary terms it's not a big deal as the CPM (Cost Per Mille - this is the standard unit of price for banners on the tubes) for banners continues to drop and we don't want to introduce more actual ad slots into the site, so this lets us use one we already have.


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    #5
    The Hill Billy
    Registered Users Posts: 22,749 ✭✭✭✭The Hill Billy


    Cheers Dav. Makes sense now.


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    #6
    GreeBo
    Registered Users Posts: 27,087 ✭✭✭✭GreeBo


    Is there a danger that the ads drive away the people who are already possibly moving away (by not posting)?

    Also, will it increase people posting rubbish just to avoid ads, similar to getting to 50 to post links etc?

    However if it makes money for free I'm all for it.
    (It wont impact me either way!)


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    #7
    The Backwards Man
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,299 ✭✭✭✭The Backwards Man


    Looks like I'll have to start posting a bit more so.


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    #8
    Unknown Soldier
    Registered Users Posts: 2,124 ✭✭✭Unknown Soldier


    I use Ad block.

    Should I be worried?


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    #9
    degrassinoel
    Registered Users Posts: 10,733 ✭✭✭✭degrassinoel


    Unknown Soldier wrote: »
    I use Ad block.

    Should I be worried?

    Nah, you just shouldn't use it :P


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    #10
    Cabaal
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 28,465 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cabaal


    thing is, if people don't post that often how exactly will they know that posting more will reduce the amount of adverts they see? There is no incentive unless they know about it


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    #11
    Dav
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,840 ✭✭✭Dav


    I'm looking to have "Want to remove this ad? Make a post!" added in beside it to make it clear.

    And to the usual cries of "Just use AdBlock" I say that if you white-listed us, we wouldn't need to do this. We do our best to make our ads as unintrusive as possible - so I don't suggest you stop using it entirely, there are so many sites that abuse people with ads. However, there are 10 people who's wages are very much dependant on those ads, I don't know what you do for a living, but I don't imagine you'd like it if I boasted about making you do it for free in your place of work.


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    #12
    Tiriel
    Registered Users Posts: 6,182 ✭✭✭Tiriel


    The most annoying thing about ads, that I have found, is when using the site on my phone. I accidentally click the stupid ad and then it opens in a new window - my phone is slow. This all takes *ages*. :o


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    #13
    Fr_Dougal
    Registered Users Posts: 9,167 ✭✭✭Fr_Dougal


    Unknown Soldier wrote: »
    I use Ad block.

    Should I be worried?

    I'd be worried. I'd be worried that at some stage, when you really need boards.ie, that it's not there because people like you have cut off its revenue stream so that they can't afford to pay staff.

    They're not even forcing these ads on posters, it only affects non-regular posters.


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    #14
    redfacedbear
    Registered Users Posts: 891 ✭✭✭redfacedbear


    As an erratic poster, I can't say I'll object too much. The motivation behind the move is understandable, and I personally don't have an objection with you trying to make a living :pac:

    It could well lead to a number of nonsense posts though.


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    #15
    Myrddin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 33,733 ✭✭✭✭Myrddin


    Dav wrote: »
    there are 2 significant ways to contribute to this site - posting and viewing ads. If you do more of one, maybe you should do less of the other? It's something of an experiment, but it's too good an idea to pass on we think.

    It's a very nice idea actually. My only concern with it would be that the newly generated posts were not 'I'm just posting to get rid of an ad' versus good a good contributory post. I mean if someone posts 'yes I agree with that point' in a thread, just to remove the ad...does something like that actually benefit boards over say having the ad there in the first place? Maybe it's seen as getting newer users foot in the door so to speak which will lead to further postings etc?


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    #16
    Dav
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,840 ✭✭✭Dav


    These are our concerns too Myrddin, so we're trying it out with this to see what, if any impact it has.

    We're going to be rolling this update out on Monday; it was ready to go this morning, but common sense and experience says never deploy non-critical software updates on a Friday :). The fact that it coincides with the new CEO's arrival is entirely coincidental (no really, it was only after we put the plan together that I realised that everyone's just going to blame the new guy for this :)).


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    #17
    strobe
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,872 ✭✭✭strobe


    Seeing advertisements..? On the internet? That's adorable.


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    #18
    Hrududu
    Registered Users Posts: 1,711 ✭✭✭Hrududu


    GreeBo wrote: »
    Is there a danger that the ads drive away the people who are already possibly moving away (by not posting)?

    Also, will it increase people posting rubbish just to avoid ads, similar to getting to 50 to post links etc?

    However if it makes money for free I'm all for it.
    (It wont impact me either way!)
    I'm an infrequent poster. I wouldn't want to start randomly posting rubbish just to get rid of the ads so I could see something like this just meaning I visit the site less often. Sorry.


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    #19
    Sparks
    Registered Users Posts: 40,038 ✭✭✭✭Sparks


    Dav wrote: »
    And to the usual cries of "Just use AdBlock" I say that if you white-listed us, we wouldn't need to do this. We do our best to make our ads as unintrusive as possible - so I don't suggest you stop using it entirely, there are so many sites that abuse people with ads. However, there are 10 people who's wages are very much dependant on those ads, I don't know what you do for a living, but I don't imagine you'd like it if I boasted about making you do it for free in your place of work.

    Um. Hypothetically if you were both a subscriber *and* had forgotten to whitelist boards.ie, would one cancel out the other? :o


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    #20
    MugMugs
    Registered Users Posts: 17,875 ✭✭✭✭MugMugs


    Sparks wrote: »
    Um. Hypothetically if you were both a subscriber *and* had forgotten to whitelist boards.ie, would one cancel out the other? :o

    If you sub you don't get ads anyway so white listing makes you a silly sausage!


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    #21
    Unknown Soldier
    Registered Users Posts: 2,124 ✭✭✭Unknown Soldier


    TheZohan wrote: »
    I'd be worried. I'd be worried that at some stage, when you really need boards.ie, that it's not there because people like you have cut off its revenue stream so that they can't afford to pay staff.

    They're not even forcing these ads on posters, it only affects non-regular posters.


    Boards.ie would have done OK on its original business model. Possibly have fell over more often but...

    I personally donated to the site back in the very, very early days, when "marketing/ads" were allegedly "evil", Bill hicks and what not.

    I'll happily continue using ad block. I'd like to see boards.ie continue as a loved and valued site by it's users and a failed business enterprise.

    The site will be here for a long time to come.


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    #22
    Al Capwned
    Registered Users Posts: 5,721 ✭✭✭Al Capwned


    Unknown Soldier wrote: »
    Boards.ie would have done OK on its original business model. Possibly have fell over more often but...

    I personally donated to the site back in the very, very early days, when "marketing/ads" were allegedly "evil", Bill hicks and what not.

    I'll happily continue using ad block. I'd like to see boards.ie continue as a loved and valued site by it's users and a failed business enterprise.

    The site will be here for a long time to come.

    Why in the name of God would you want to see Boards continue as a failed enterprise? But You say you would like to see it continue as a loved and valued site.

    Why can't it be loved and valued, as well as being a successful business - it's not as if the two are mutually exclusive. And good luck to the people that set up the thing, and are making a few bob from it. It's great to hear success stories - there are enough failed businesses in the country without this being another one.

    You've been a member for a couple of years. You've obviously gotten some enjoyment and pleasure from the site... Baffling.


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    #23
    Unknown Soldier
    Registered Users Posts: 2,124 ✭✭✭Unknown Soldier


    Al Capwned wrote: »
    Why in the name of God would you want to see Boards continue as a failed enterprise? But You say you would like to see it continue as a loved and valued site.

    Why can't it be loved and valued, as well as being a successful business - it's not as if the two are mutually exclusive. And good luck to the people that set up the thing, and are making a few bob from it. It's great to hear success stories - there are enough failed businesses in the country without this being another one.

    You've been a member for a couple of years. You've obviously gotten some enjoyment and pleasure from the site... Baffling.

    I may have been drunk.


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    #24
    Starokan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 746 ✭✭✭Starokan


    Is this not somewhat counter productive in that its encouraging users to limit the ads they view which is the very thing generating the revenue that employs the people, drives the site etc. Surely any advertiser looking to get hits for their ad would think wtf?

    Top quality content would seem to me to be the way to generate more posts/posters. I'm not sure if its approved but I saw a forum suggestion for an AMA style forum, surely something like that which allows users to read/post interact with well known people from fields like politics / sports /business / TV / Food / Motor etc ... would encourage more lurking users to post and potentially more users to join thus engendering more user numbers and more ads.


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    #25
    Rucking_Fetard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,260 ✭✭✭Rucking_Fetard


    Starokan wrote: »
    I'm not sure if its approved but I saw a forum suggestion for an AMA style forum, surely something like that which allows users to read/post interact with well known people from fields like politics / sports /business / TV / Food / Motor etc ... would encourage more lurking users to post and potentially more users to join thus engendering more user numbers and more ads.
    Nearly 2 years now and no answer on it.


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    #26
    Brendan Flowers
    Registered Users Posts: 1,372 ✭✭✭Brendan Flowers


    I'm kind of repeating what Dav has already said but I hate those people with the smug "I use ad blockers" attitude. You do realise people who run websites dont put ads up for the fun of it. Usually if you are lucky they will cover hosting and some other expenses.

    So why do people feel the need to deny website owner a few cents by blocking ads? Are they really that distracting? As long as ads are tailored to the user and dont contain adult material I cant see what the issue is. If it was me I'd probably have this ad feature as standard for all visitors.

    And what harm is it for people to click on the odd ad ever now and again. Help sites out rather than being d!cks about it and expect everything for free.


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    #27
    Rucking_Fetard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,260 ✭✭✭Rucking_Fetard


    Does Boards ads all/mostly have to be video ones? They kick my Fan into a higher gear and im using an intel i5 with dedicated card?? Are they badly written flash yokes or what?

    And theirs no way id click on an ad, especially when their's ones offering a singaporean wife knocking round in the mix every few pages. Pure dodgy. Not worth the hassle.

    ^^thats what makes me block them every now and then anyway, till i forget and let them back on.


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    #28
    ElBarco
    Registered Users Posts: 414 ✭✭ElBarco


    Well done, the ads annoyed me enough to post for the first time in I don't know how long. The ad did seem to be knocking the site out of alignment for me but I've posted and they now seem to be gone.

    See you in 30 days...


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    #29
    Suryavarman
    Registered Users Posts: 2,583 ✭✭✭Suryavarman


    The final few characters on each line have disappeared since this change has come into effect.


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    #30
    El Weirdo
    Registered Users Posts: 11,646 ✭✭✭✭El Weirdo


    Suryavarman wrote: »
    The final few characters on each line have disappeared since this change has come into effect.
    All fine he


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    #31
    kippy
    Registered Users Posts: 18,429 ✭✭✭✭kippy


    I'm an addict so no problems here once it means the product is as good as it always is.


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