3 replies to this topic

[niner]

The people who develop AdBlockPlus, a wonderful browser add-on tool for blocking ads and other annoyances, are developing the concept of "acceptable ads". Such ads would, at the user's discretion, not be blocked in order to provide the revenue that small sites need to survive. The definition of "acceptable" ads is essentially those that are not annoying. No animations. No sounds. I thought about this today while being annoyed by the garish flashing ad for HTA98 High purity Cycloastragenol. It looks like something out of the 1990's. I think that it would improve the user experience here if we adopted a policy of no animations or sounds in any ads we run on our site, or at least on the forum.

Do others think this would be a good idea? Any other suggestions to improve the user experience?

[caliban]

If this is about the new ad setup in the sidebar, anything that happens in there this month is an experiment, complaints of any hue are premature.

As to other ads, if there is a way of blocking sound just appearing in google ads, we'd certainly use that, but on the other hand I'm not aware that we ever had a sound ad.
Ad revenue is stable while sponsor revenue has decreased, so in pursuit of the mission we may need to look into more ads not fewer.
Best way of minimising ad exposure is to join as a Member and not join leadership.

[niner]

If this is about the new ad setup in the sidebar, anything that happens in there this month is an experiment, complaints of any hue are premature.

As to other ads, if there is a way of blocking sound just appearing in google ads, we'd certainly use that, but on the other hand I'm not aware that we ever had a sound ad.
Ad revenue is stable while sponsor revenue has decreased, so in pursuit of the mission we may need to look into more ads not fewer.

Not about the sidebar. This concern was triggered by the flashing ad for HTA 98. I'm not at all proposing a technological fix, I'm proposing a site policy wherein we request that advertisers submit non-animated ads. That would be very simple. It would be unlikely to affect revenue, and in fact, might increase revenue, since fewer people would be driven away from the site by annoying ads, and fewer people would use ad blockers. The ads would get more eyeballs and more clicks.

Best way of minimising ad exposure is to join as a Member and not join leadership.

An even better way of minimising ad exposure is AdBlock Plus. I recommend it for all sites with animated ads.

Edited by niner, 18 February 2012 - 10:20 PM.

[caliban]

Well, we have a policy already where we review sponsor ads for suitability. That slot is up for review, so maybe send a plea to Shepard to consider aesthetics in the process.