Advertising

[+klossner]

Hooray for Jeremy's approach to advertising. Letting premium users avoid them is excellent policy. Salon.com found that this boosts their subscriber base.

[kablooey]

Hooray for Jeremy's approach to advertising. Letting premium users avoid them is excellent policy. Salon.com found that this boosts their subscriber base.

 

As a cache owner, I kind of would rather have the ad appear ABOVE the short description, rather than right in the middle of MY text.

[Jeremy]

I can understand that. I made the change. Thanks for the feedback!

[+avgraphics]

Bummer.. I already have to shrink pages to mini-size text to get longer cache pages to fit on one side of paper.. there goes more vertical real estate to waste. Can't the new ads be placed on the left edge in the navigation bar?

 

The decision to pay to become a premium member should be catalyzed by a desire to access better and more features.. placing nuisance objects out there to force it - well - seems kinda lame..

 

Sorry - that's my unabridged take on it. I'm hoping that it evolves into something better.

 

[Jeremy]

The decision to pay to become a premium member should be catalyzed by a desire to access better and more features.. placing nuisance objects out there to force it - well - seems kinda lame..

 

Posting in yellow text is lame since it is unreadable. Unless you did so to illustrate the pushing of text on a page as being annoying. If so, bravo.

 

You'll want to read the thoughtful post on the subject to help you understand the decision making process. Since we offer a ton of great features for free then we have to pay for it somehow - and that means advertising.

 

To illustrate a point - you have 449 finds as of this post and have had no real need to be a Premium Member to experience the great features of the site. And you're one of the top 10% of all active geocachers who use the site.

Edited June 21, 2007 by Jeremy

[+sTeamTraen]

Does everyone get the same ads, or does Google use either existing (cookie/account-based) or site-specific profile information, to decide what to show to which cacher? For example, if I've visited the site 1000 times, there's probably less point trying to sell me a basic Etrex than if I'm a newbie.

[Jeremy]

Does everyone get the same ads, or does Google use either existing (cookie/account-based) or site-specific profile information, to decide what to show to which cacher? For example, if I've visited the site 1000 times, there's probably less point trying to sell me a basic Etrex than if I'm a newbie.

 

Google keeps their algorithm secret - it bases the advertising on the content on the page (and I have no control over that). I expect (and hope) that over time it can figure out the best content to serve so they become more relevant for each user.

[+sTeamTraen]

Ah, a new Google-based game: write your cache listing page to produce the coolest ads

[Jeremy]

We're also trying non cache details pages by adding an ad banner on the left-hand side of the page. It may or may not remain there depending on the success of it.

 

Stuff will change over time once we figure out the right combo.

[+klossner]

How about unifying the ad policy and omitting the old-style ads from the left-hand side for premium members? I find it hard to read the main content when an animated GIF is flashing away at me.

[Jeremy]

How about unifying the ad policy and omitting the old-style ads from the left-hand side for premium members? I find it hard to read the main content when an animated GIF is flashing away at me.

 

We'll certainly consider it as we try different types of advertising display. We do have a restriction on advertising that it should rotate (flash) only 3 times and stop. If that isn't the case I'll need to know what ad it is. I'm not flash happy about unlimited ad rotations.

[kablooey]

I can understand that. I made the change. Thanks for the feedback!

 

No problem, thanks for the quick action. Note that the ads still insert after the "Description written by" (which is currently commented out).

 

I even clicked on one of the ads already (Top 10 GPS), though it went to car-based GPS.

 

Maybe if the description is above a certain length, you could stick another ad insert between the long description and the hint.

[bogleman]

Does everyone get the same ads, or does Google use either existing (cookie/account-based) or site-specific profile information, to decide what to show to which cacher? For example, if I've visited the site 1000 times, there's probably less point trying to sell me a basic Etrex than if I'm a newbie.

 

Google keeps their algorithm secret - it bases the advertising on the content on the page (and I have no control over that). I expect (and hope) that over time it can figure out the best content to serve so they become more relevant for each user.

 

Ah, a new Google-based game: write your cache listing page to produce the coolest ads

Is there any way that this could be abused where a user could have non family friendly links displayed either intentionally or by accident – I am having a hard time understanding how and where they pull the information. Links, text, pictures?

[robertlipe]

Is there any way that this could be abused where a user could have non family friendly links displayed either intentionally or by accident

Google is pretty uptight about this. Think about it - when was the last time you saw an AdSense ad for anything that could reasonably be considered naughty? (And I'm not talking about a hamburger ad deeply offending a vegeterian or an ad for a gun or something.) Ads are based on the content of the page. If the page contains tacky stuff, you're more likely to get tacky ads. But if it happens, it's unlikely to be a surprise; it'll because the containing page was already being tacky.

 

Yes, you can "game" the system a little. The reality is that if your page is family friendly, the ads will be family friendly.

I am having a hard time understanding how and where they pull the information. Links, text, pictures?

You seem to understand fine. :-)

[+tozainamboku]

One thing Google can do that might not be in their current algorithm is to display local or regional advertising based on the cache coordinates. Who knows, they might be able to list advertisements for businesses near the cache location. The next LPC in Wal*Mart's parking lot might have an ad for Wal*Mart.

[+Glenn]

How about unifying the ad policy and omitting the old-style ads from the left-hand side for premium members? I find it hard to read the main content when an animated GIF is flashing away at me.

 

Actually, I've found out about a lot of geocaching related items from the geocaching specific ad in the left hand column. I wouldn't like to see those ads go away even for premium members.

[iryshe]

How about unifying the ad policy and omitting the old-style ads from the left-hand side for premium members? I find it hard to read the main content when an animated GIF is flashing away at me.

 

Actually, I've found out about a lot of geocaching related items from the geocaching specific ad in the left hand column. I wouldn't like to see those ads go away even for premium members.

 

I spoke with some folks who use ad serving to maintain the upkeep of their web site. They had a lot of people get annoyed when the option to display ads were auto-removed when they were PMs. I felt that I should leave the ads alone and try the Google stuff separately before making some extreme decisions. I already know what happens when I start removing things from the site!

[iryshe]

One thing Google can do that might not be in their current algorithm is to display local or regional advertising based on the cache coordinates. Who knows, they might be able to list advertisements for businesses near the cache location. The next LPC in Wal*Mart's parking lot might have an ad for Wal*Mart.

 

I have found that the big ad providers really don't work well with lat/lon. I believe you can work more with Yahoo and provide keywords, including zip codes, to help local advertising. We may try that after we give this a go (and allow Google algorithms to show relevant ads instead of log cabin plans and sleep medication).

 

The exception is that they will use your IP address to give you local ads, unrelated to the details of the page. I have noticed quite a few Google recruiting ads for Seattle. Sadly I'm not a Linux kernel programmer.

 

Honestly the idea of a Dick's Burgers ad on a local cache page would be pretty nice - especially if it had a coupon

[+DcCow]

Bummer.. I already have to shrink pages to mini-size text to get longer cache pages to fit on one side of paper.. there goes more vertical real estate to waste. Can't the new ads be placed on the left edge in the navigation bar?

 

The decision to pay to become a premium member should be catalyzed by a desire to access better and more features.. placing nuisance objects out there to force it - well - seems kinda lame..

 

Sorry - that's my unabridged take on it. I'm hoping that it evolves into something better.

 

[/color]

 

Just think of it as your way of supporting the site.

[CoyoteRed]

Maybe now those who are not paying members won't be looked upon as low-down scum-sucking bottom-feeders.

 

My personal opinion of Google Ads is fairly positive. We use them. Even on our modest site there is a small return.

[bogleman]

Is there any way that this could be abused where a user could have non family friendly links displayed either intentionally or by accident

Google is pretty uptight about this. Think about it - when was the last time you saw an AdSense ad for anything that could reasonably be considered naughty? (And I'm not talking about a hamburger ad deeply offending a vegeterian or an ad for a gun or something.) Ads are based on the content of the page. If the page contains tacky stuff, you're more likely to get tacky ads. But if it happens, it's unlikely to be a surprise; it'll because the containing page was already being tacky.

 

Yes, you can "game" the system a little. The reality is that if your page is family friendly, the ads will be family friendly.

I am having a hard time understanding how and where they pull the information. Links, text, pictures?

You seem to understand fine. :-)

Thanks, I thought so. I guess I just needed a little hug to make me feel better

[+Sileny Jizda]

We don't do ad's. We use Firefox with the appropriate extensions. Cheers.

[+maggieszoo]

Actually, I've found out about a lot of geocaching related items from the geocaching specific ad in the left hand column. I wouldn't like to see those ads go away even for premium members.

 

I hate posts that just agree with a previous post, but I really would hate to lose those ads. I go to them quite a bit.

 

Actually, if you got rid of them, I could probably afford a nice GPS.... I'd have money!

[+Lotho]

Im not a premium member and i support the adverts 100%. If people dont get premium membership then Groundspeak has to recover funds in other ways. Anyone who moans about the ads cleary doesnt appreciate how much Groundspeak pays out for us to have a free ride in this great hobby.

[+klossner]

To see what Jeremy's latest announcement on advertising describes, I logged out and looked at one of my own caches. The new in-line banner ad doesn't bother me (it doesn't detract from my cache description) but the old-style ad in the left panel is still there and still distracting: the "Oakcoins_GC_Banner_Animated_Ad" GIF file flips five times.

[+TheAprilFools]

We don't do ad's. We use Firefox with the appropriate extensions. Cheers.

 

Don't you want Jeremy to be able to put food on the plate for his children?

[Neos2]

I went to local cache page without signing in, to see what these ads looked like. Imagine my reaction when I saw the banner and underneath that, the beginning of the cache page....

 

"Are you romantic?"

 

Park at the gravel lot at the end of the road and...

 

[+stepshep]

Will PMs be able to avoid the ads on the forum also? They stretch my 800x600 screen.

[Jeremy]

Will PMs be able to avoid the ads on the forum also? They stretch my 800x600 screen.

 

They can squish entirely down on both IE and Firefox since the ads are independent from the rest of the screen. The reply window, in fact, is wider than the top ad.

[Jeremy]

I'm still not convinced that advertising is worth it. Bear with us as we try different combinations. I'm sure there's a (relatively) happy medium somewhere. But it takes some time to see the effectiveness of some of the placements.

[+Markwell]

Forum ads - blech. Especially for the paying customers.

[+Ambrosia]

Hm...I just noticed the forum ads tonight. It's right up there in the upper right hand corner, where I glance to see my message alert every once in a while. It's irritating me, because it feels in the way there. Although I understand that for advertising, that's the best place.

 

I'm just mentioning this...not complaining really, because I fully support what Groundspeak is trying to do, helping with the finances and all.

[+Cardinal Red]

Hm...I just noticed the forum ads tonight. It's right up there in the upper right hand corner, where I glance to see my message alert every once in a while. It's irritating me, because it feels in the way there. Although I understand that for advertising, that's the best place.

 

I'm just mentioning this...not complaining really, because I fully support what Groundspeak is trying to do, helping with the finances and all.

 

Cartainly I will notice them there every time I come to the Forums. I guess that's the point. A Garmin navigation system and GPS Map downloads are certainly relevant ad content. If this makes it easier for Groundspeak pay the bills I like it. I have not looked to see if I can turn them off or not, but I'm not planning to.

[CoyoteRed]

Huh. When I first saw them, my second thought was I thought that big empty spot finally found a use.

[+Ambrosia]

They really bug me, like they're poking me in the eye. But I have problems with change at first in general. I'm sure I'll get used to them after a while and it will be like they don't exist for me.

[+Shilo]

I had to look for the ones in the forums(in upper right hand corner). Didn't even notice until I read this thread.

I had to log out to see the one on the cache pages. Glad I'm a PM. But it has been mentioned position is being worked with.

[+Stunod]

The ads don't bother me at all...I rarely even pay attention to them (on this site or any other).

 

I'm all for them if it helps Jeremy fuel up the Vespa.

[ParentsofSAM]

I think the ads are fine. I can't see the cache pages ads and have not even looked at them yet. I am glad I read this thread to know that none of the information will be non-family friendly on the cache pages. That would have been bad. I think I shall go look at the ads on my cache pages.

 

The forum ads don't really bother me at all...in fact we ordered bumper stickers from one of the ads.

 

But you know I do wish the ads would open in new tab or window. I don't like that it takes over my forum window when I click them.

Edited June 27, 2007 by ParentsofSAM

[Stephen2]

The ads don't bother me at all...I rarely even pay attention to them (on this site or any other).

 

I'm all for them if it helps Jeremy fuel up the Vespa.

That is how i feel. Our lives our filled with ads. So what is one more that may help cut down our cost of caching? Plus, who knows. You may come across an ad that you might like?

[Stephen2]

But you know I do wish the ads would open in new tab or window. I don't like that it takes over my forum window when I click them.

Try right clicking. I am not sure what browser you are using but that should work. Some browsers will open a new tab instead of a new window.

[+Harriet the Spy]

I just saw a funny ad! In the northwest forum we have a cache rescue and adoption thread. The add google put on there was about needing pregnancy help, and adoption care. I had to do a double take!