Page 2 of 5
Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 5:48 pm
by RogerRust
I'm inclined to agree I only listen to radio 4 to avoid adverts and I get anoyed when they pkug there own output. In particular the Archers which I have with a venom usually reseved for drivers who wear hats.
Oh dear I have a feeling I shouldn't have said that.
Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 5:52 pm
by RogerRust
lets see if it works
Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats Hats
Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 5:54 pm
by RogerRust
no not a single advert for hats!
Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 6:06 pm
by RogerRust
I have turned the screen res up at least the adverts are smaller now!
Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 6:11 pm
by simmitc
I enjoy the messageboard. I don't enjoy adverts and I don't want to see adverts for anything, even Minor related on this board. This is our chat space, not for selling. My thoughts are (a) we should have been asked whether we wanted them (democracy rules) but for me, (b) GET RID OF THE ADVERTS.
Retires in a huff and pulls his hat down over his ears....
Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 6:14 pm
by bigginger
RogerRust wrote: In particular the Archers which I hate with a venom usually reseved for drivers who wear hats.
Oh dear I have a feeling I shouldn't have said that.
Something else we have in common

Just found an answer to it, but don't know if you single monitor people can do it - I've dragged the browser window out until I can move the RHS bar off the screen, and see the rest of the site as normal

Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 6:25 pm
by MarkyB
For people (like me) who dislike the ads I suggest the Firefox browser from Mozilla with the adblock extension installed.
I didn't even realise that google ads were involved because I blocked them ages ago.
Now I've got rid of the pictures on the right hand side of the page.
I'd get rid of the links that have appeared there to but I haven't managed to yet.
If you go this route be careful how you use the * wildcard block. If thats all you put you get a blank page. You have been warned

With a bit of tinkering you can block most ads. Just look for elements with ad or adserver in the name then replace most of what is after the server name etc with a *.
like
http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/*
HTH
Mark
Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 6:39 pm
by Orkney
Anyone know why they are here? A decent hosted and backed up board only costs about sixty quid year ad free.
Did the webmaster/mmoc make them appear or the board software company?
Google Ads etc
Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 8:12 pm
by bpr81a
At the last committee meeting I was asked to investigate advertising on the website as a possible income stream for the club.
I have put these on for the time being to get some idea of the possible income. When i get some idea of their effectiveness, I'll report back to the committee to discuss long term plans.
The ads are produced by Google, and are largely targeted to the content of the page they appear on, but obviously some are less appropriate than others. I can block specific ad suppliers if necessary.
I was also planning to use the right hand side of the screen to trail coming rallies and events automatically from the Whats on calendar. In tyhe meantime, anyone who wants an event trailed only needs to send me the details (text,phots, links etc) and I'll get it on the Home page.
On the subject of hosting costs, I looked into that earlier this year, and the packages such as Orkney mentions didn't allow the amount of traffic we get on the site.
I'll check on the results from the ads regularly and as soon as I get some idea of possible income, I'll take them off pending a committee decision. At that time I'll take the right bar off the message board pages, although I think what I intend to put on it could be useful.
Please bear with me for a few days.
Jon Rocke
Web Editor
Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 8:29 pm
by bpr81a
Re reading the posts, a lot of the criticism seems to be for the right sidebar. I know ads seem to be unpopular generally, but would placing them somewhere else on the page help? perhaps at the foot of the page, or in the left bar?
I may try moving them around a bit over thnext week or so
Jon
Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 9:14 pm
by jonathon
Hi Jon, can you please let me know if the trade advertising in the new advertising slot, effects the T and C's regarding traders advertising their wares on the open forum. I presume that the likes of MGM, Minor Miracles, Ray Newell, etc are paying a fee to promote their businesses on the forum. I'm afraid I struggle to see how this squares with the existing Tand C's.
Can you explain why it has been deemed necessary for the forum to now pay its way or at least contribute to the income of MMOC Ltd.
Personally I do not like advertising of any sort on this forum, but would greatly welcome an expanded notification of up coming events and possibly branch/regional events.
Maybe a 'Suggestions' section could be started, for ways of improving the message board and site in general, rather that the imposition of the committees thoughts. Good communication does not seem to be high on the agenda from those on high.

Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 9:44 pm
by bpr81a
As I'm not on the committee I can't really comment on the meetings. I don't see any need to change the terms and conditions. The Google placed ads are paid for, the Ray Newell book, as I explained elsewhere, is stocked by the club and we would rather like to sell some. You will see lists of all the regalia,books etc on the website soon, and some will be 'featured' in this sort of way. Ray's book just happens to be the latest in.
Any traders are free to join the Google adverts program - I can give you the link if you like.
Jon
Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 9:56 pm
by jonathon
Thanks Jon. I would be grateful for the link, does it include the rules for advertising on the messageboard or do I need to look elsewhere for that. Many thanks
Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 10:10 pm
by bpr81a
Its a Google link - adverts get put wherever Google decides is appropriate. Looks fairly accurate to me so far. I'll find it for you.
Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 10:22 pm
by doobry
Personally I do not like advertising of any sort on this forum,
Wow - is that change of heart including no more posting of your own plugs? or double standards?
Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 10:30 pm
by jonathon
Can you please explain that remark doobry, preferably via PM
Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 10:40 pm
by doobry
I've sent you a list of examples by PM as requested.
Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 12:33 am
by millerman
Jon
Thanks for giving an explanation about ads. I didn't realise that the Committee are, maybe, trying to make the forum self funding.
So that we may all have a greater understanding, what is the cost of hosting the forum?
Many thanks
Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 12:19 pm
by bpr81a
It's not about making the forum self funding specifically. In a general discussion about about finance the point was raised that, as we have such a lot of traffic on the site, perhaps we could generate some income from this.
The adverts carried for the last day or so (now removed as you may have noticed) generated enough earnings to pay for the running of the site. This may have been novelty value but I can't tell from such a short trial. I still don't understand the hostility to adverts - no one has to click on them if they don't want to, and they're not pop-ups, flashing graphics and don't do anything nasty.
For the record, the cost of hosting the site is £50 +vat per month. I have not been able to find any other package which will permit the amount of traffic we generate at that price.
I'll put ads back on the rest of the site for a couple of days to see what that generates, and take it from there.
Jon Rocke
Web Editor
Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 2:05 pm
by Orkney
Jon thats one heck of an expensive price?
Appreciate the traffic must put the BW up but it surely cant justify that sum per month?
Even a heavy traffic board should be doable for £100 PA tops in this day and age.
And lets face it the current hosting isnt exactly reliable especially for that amount of money.
The other consideration is that if enough of the knowledgeable folk here dislike the ads sufficiently and form a splinter group hosting their own site then you lose whats important which is sticky useful content - devalues the thing for what it is and it will ultimately shrivel up.
As i said before if the ads were on the top wasted space (the blue bar) or better still your suggestion of the lower left blank space on the column they wouldnt be affecting the viewing format so many are used to.
If you had a static ad on the top bar just for Minor matters/membership paypal click and payable e.g youd be sure to sell enough per month to cover even the heavy current costs.
Instead of the google cant you consider a deal with one of the spares companies? give them a fixed ad on the forum - for the cost of the hosting - there are enough newbies hit here looking for advice and parts it would be very worth thier while to pay out £x pcm. Better still an affiliate % cut?
Seems to me (and its just my own personal opinion) that theres something of a rift between the committee and its understanding of how important a website presence is, and what in fact it can do for them in this day and age in terms of both increased membership and self promotion.
Theres a whole new generation of owners who day to day rely on the web as first port of call for information. The club need to wake up to, accept and exploit this not only for their own coffers but for the wealth of advice that people take time to share.