Advertising on Everything sites - Motorola Q Forum

chris · 01-12-2008, 09:08 AM

All good things come to an end at some point. Starting yesterday, you might have noticed the Everything sites are no longer "ad-free". In case you haven't noticed, for the most part this site never accepted external advertising such as Google ads, etc.

After much thought and deliberation, I've decided to accept advertising on the site. I've done my best to incorporate the ads into the look and design of the site. There are only a few spots available to potential advertisers, so that the site does not become inundated with ads. I certainly do not want to affect the usability of the site. With any new venture, there will be some bumps along the way and I'll do what I can to smooth these over.

For those browsing the site with your Q, the forums will automatically display the Q friendly, ad-free version.

Thanks for your understanding and hopefully this won't affect your experience here at EQ.

-Chris

Joneyee · 01-12-2008, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris

Thanks for your understanding and hopefully this won't affect your experience here at EQ.

-Chris

I have never considered EQ Ad free as there are ads everywhere for products that the site sells.

May I make one request?

Move the horizontal EQ product Ad from the forum thread and make a vertical ad bar to the left, if the ad is that necessary.

piranah · 01-12-2008, 10:19 AM

yea, that sponsored links in the middle of threads is reeeeaaallllyyy distracting

Joneyee · 01-12-2008, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by piranah

yea, that sponsored links in the middle of threads is reeeeaaallllyyy distracting

I would chose annoying over distracting.

And it is impacting my experience at EQ

Der Alta · 01-12-2008, 10:28 AM

On the forum I admin at, we have ads as well. We also have a "premium" user category. For a few $ a month/year/lifetime, you can go ad free. I'd happily shell out $3 a month/ $25 a year to go ad free at EQ.

just a thought.

Geekster · 01-12-2008, 10:31 AM

At least it's not that "flashing in your face" kind of ads. Hate that!

But in the middle is a little distracting. At least move them to the bottom where everyone has to click anyway to get to the page of the thread. Or even a simple little ad saying what is special this week (month) and/or "don't forget to check out our q store for all your software and acces. needs"

Just please, no flashing ads. I do not feel the need to "hit the monkey" for anything.
But I do understand why you want them here. Income is income.

Geekster · 01-12-2008, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Der Alta

On the forum I admin at, we have ads as well. We also have a "premium" user category. For a few $ a month/year/lifetime, you can go ad free. I'd happily shell out $3 a month/ $25 a year to go ad free at EQ.

just a thought.

What a GOOD IDEA!

You are so clever.
Thanks, I would never would have thought of that!

chris · 01-12-2008, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joneyee

I have never considered EQ Ad free as there are ads everywhere for products that the site sells.

May I make one request?

Move the horizontal EQ product Ad from the forum thread and make a vertical ad bar to the left, if the ad is that necessary.

Sorry, ad free in that you don't see external ads. Once implemented, I will not have any say regarding the creative. For example, if someone designs a bright orange banner, there's not much I can do. While we do have our store ads, there has been considerable thought to integrating into the design of the site. At the end of the day, it should be ascetically pleasing and that's not always the case at some forums.

I think I've found a suitable compromise. If you are a registered user, you will not see the ads within the content. They will however be up top below your navigation bar.

Unregistered users will see the "sponsored ad links".

-Chris

Joneyee · 01-12-2008, 10:37 AM

Looks like it has been moved from the middle of the thread to the very top for two full rows of ads before you start reading the thread.

I would classify that as mildly less annoying.

I know this site is "free", and that ads are pretty much an inherent part of any site that is trying to make money. I have taken pride for a long time on the fact that my site has never stooped to ads, and that we are able to run off of my pocket and generous donations.

Nevertheless, it just seems like alot of ads. There were already ads on the site, so this is just a way to put google ad sense in as well.

Chris - I am anti-conformist by nature so take no offense to me, but I am just mouthing my opinion. I just don't see the new google ads as all that necessary, nor are the sensing that well at the moment. Especially when it is telling Q users to get mobile Gmail when we can all program our phones to download that mail.

I am still and will advocate side bard vertical ads that frame the threads on the left/right side. They will be there, but for those of us who never click ads, they wont make us scroll un-necessarily to do what I am here to do.

chris · 01-12-2008, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Just please, no flashing ads. I do not feel the need to "hit the monkey" for anything.
But I do understand why you want them here.

I certainly hope we don't have "hit the monkey" ads, but that will likely depend on who chooses to advertise on the site. I'm working with an external agency who will manage the ad process. I will largely be uninvolved, outside of providing the ad space. My thought was to do a bit of testing and figure out the best mix of usuability w/ the addition of ad space BEFORE we get underway.

I expect that you'll see mostly carrier ads -- Verizon, Sprint along with Microsoft, Palm ads.

-Chris

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