I added a Google adsense ad at top of forum

[EL34]

I added google adsense ads to EL34world
Just a 728 x 90 smallish banner at the top of the pages and a couple small rectangles on the library page

I also added a small banner to the top of the forum

I want to create some income from the ads to help pay for the web sites
If people click on any of them, I get a small pittance
But over a years time it may ad up enough to pay for the web site and domain name

The ads content rotates and what shows up in the ad should be related to other sites on the web that you have visited.
They look at your cookies to see where you have been.

So if you shop at Bass Pro shop, you may see other content similar to Bass Pro shop, or bass Pro shop itself.
If you go to match.com or other dating sites, you may see ads related to that sort of thing.

The ads you see have nothing to do with the ads that others may see.

If you clear your cookies in your browser, you can start fresh again and get rid of your browsing history.

I am not allowed to click on the ads, it is against google policy.
Kinda goofy cause I actually want to click on some of the ads that I have seen, but that's Google's policy
And I am not allowed to tell people to click on the ads.
Any sort of monkey business on my part can get me banned from the adsense program.

If you want to click on an ad, it's entirely up to you.

Let me know if any weird content shows up because I can select or de-select categories of ads.

[Gary_S]

I say go for it it can be an expensive business running a website.

I'm a member of a boxing/training forum and the guy that runs the site, which the forum is connected to, has started doing this; running ads on his site. At one point he talked about having to give up certain parts of the site because it was costing too much. Anyway the ads run, but they don't detract from the forum in any way. They pop up at like the top of the page or thereabouts, it's all very discreet.

That banner you talk about is how he has the ads displayed as well.

[Geezer]

Doesn't bother me.......I've got really good at ignoring those ads, but occationally I actually see something that interests me & click.

Heck, if I know you're getting something for it, I may click more often, to transfer some money from "the Man" to you! 

[Zipslack]

If it helps keep these great forums going, I'm all for it. Heck, I may click it every now and then just for the heckuvit.

[EL34]

It's against Google's policy for me to ask people to click the ads or believe it or not, for me to click on the ads
They can remove me from the program and keep any earnings

I have to say that so that I am in the clear that I did not ask anyone to click on the ads.

It's your personal business if you want to click on an ad. 

Having said all that, I just saw that they activated the ads on EL34 world and they look fine
Check out the library page here to see the 3 test sized ads I placed on the page
One at the top, which is the size I would place here on the forum, and two smaller rectangles further down the page

http://www.el34world.com/schematics.htm

be interesting to see what pops up in your ads

So far for me It's Musicians Friend and DX, the chinese site I buy cool stuff from

[EL34]

I added the ad to the top of the forum

I replaced the news section which never had any news.
So now it's being used for something useful  

[SILVERGUN]

Those 2 ads aren't bad at all, and actually are to be expected.
No one should be expected to host a FREE website....it's pop-ups and scrolling BS (that demand your attention) that pisses people off,,, and anything that slows the page from opening.

So far for me It's Musicians Friend and DX, the chinese site I buy cool stuff from

So does that mean YOU have some control over which ads go up,,,,,and if so, that's pretty cool.
Can you get income from companies as an incentive to host thier ad?

I'll make it a point to contribute, and I'm sure others will catch on.
Thank you again for being here for us!

EDIT: 5 minutes later: 1st impressions
OK, the Google + ad is a little annoying (scrolling faces that I just want to punch)...(maybe I have issues?)
Also the 7zip ad is a little annoying because it's basically just a big green DOWNLOAD button with no explanation of what you'd be downloading

I think that's my biggest problem,,,,ad's that don't make sense, or aren't host site appropriate

I'm not familiar with internet marketing, BUT, I wonder if there's a way that YOU can have 100% control and get MORE income from companies YOU choose to post ads from......................hmmmmm

Either way,,,if this is what I have to live with, it won't scare ME away.......just figured you'd like some honest input

[EL34]

I added more info about how the ads work in post #1

So does that mean YOU have some control over which ads go up,,,,,and if so, that's pretty cool.

No, post #1 explains how this works
What you see is not what others will see
It's based on where you have been surfing on the web and your cookies

I can pick and choose categories though.
I can say, don't show any adult dating site ads
Do show electronics company ads

Can you get income from companies as an incentive to host thier ad?

No, I can't choose what comapnies ads are shown
Google does that when companies sign up and pay for advertising.

If a company that sells shoes signs up, then their ads will be shown along with other shoe companies

[SILVERGUN]

It's easy to be overly critical when I sit there and stare at the ad, trying to find something wrong,,,but thinking more about it,,,How much time do we really spend looking at THOSE areas anyway??......PLUS, it can actually be a GREAT way to link back to sites that you would normally shop/browse...

EDIT
The ads that are just 1-2 color text with a description and a link to the website are the LEAST annoying, and actually look like they should be there IMHO

OK, I'll stop being a critc and start being a CLICKER......$$$$$
C'mon guys,,,,let's make EL34 some FREE MONEY!

Thanks again and good luck with it

[John]

Hey, how come I keep seeing ads for Adam&Eve???   

[EL34]

Hey, how come I keep seeing ads for Adam&Eve???

Serious?

[Gary_S]

It looks good and that's the place where we have them on the boxing training website i'm on, across the middle near the top.

To me it's a no brainer really doing this because if you can get some revenue in to offset the money it costs to run the site it's a good thing IMO.

[EL34]

Thanks for the feedback guys

[John]

Hey, how come I keep seeing ads for Adam&Eve???

Serious?

No, just kidding!  I took that from the "it shows you ads based on your web browsing/cookies".

I don't mind the ads at all, I've been reading my news online for so long I don't even see 'em anymore.

[EL34]

I was gonna say that if you are seeing that sort of ad, you have been a naughty boy.

Or a good boy if you were buying your girlfriend a present. 

[PRR]

> how come I keep seeing ads for Adam&Eve???

I see you were kidding. But you WILL see some "WTF??" ads.

Google tries to pick ads which relate to site content. Robots are dumb; also the content of _this_ site is not something robots grasp easily. So Google may be making a bad guess or a totally random choice.

Google's ad choices *may* improve as its understanding of forum content improves. On another site, I did see it converge toward tube-suppliers and such (but also totally bizzare choices taken from a word of random forum banter).

OTOH, Google *does* know many of the other sites your computer has been on, either through Google Search or by tracking ads on other sites. Maybe you or someone using your computer has been on sites "like" Adam & Eve? (Maybe it can't tell people in the Bible from people who sell scanty clothing?)


> I added the ad to the top of the forum

I don't see it.

True DIY geeks will know where to stick this:

127.0.0.1       googleads.g.doubleclick.net
127.0.0.1       pagead2.googlesyndication.com

If you don't know where to stick that, don't even think about it.

FWIW: I did this years ago when Google's ads (or was it DoubleClick?) were sometimes SOOO slow it held-up page loading.

I _DO_ click on ads when they interest me. In Google sometimes there's the dry link and also (above or beside) the hi-light "sponsored" links. I sometimes choose to click the sponsored link. (However by now most any "real" advertiser is probably paying Google for *any* click.)

[EL34]

They are also paying for page views and where you place the ad pays more or less

Left side and top are best paying

There are several ad sizes and some pay better than others.
Some sizes just have a better track record. Must be how the human eye is drawn to certain shapes

PRR, see what you are missing
Roku HD players start at $49.99

Actually, I have one and they are awesome
Streaming content from 100's of sources on your TV

[sluckey]

Thanks for the reminder PRR.

[Gary_S]

Hey, how come I keep seeing ads for Adam&Eve???  

  I just got one and it was a Chinese dating service LOL!  

[EL34]

Oooo, love you long time...... 

[Gary_S]

  LOL! That's what i thought!

[SILVERGUN]

Today I got an add from Amplified Parts,,,which looks like it's a different way to say Antique Electronics supply,,,who I would consider to be a direct competitor of yours...

Do you have any control over ads like that?

[EL34]

No, they are just in a some sort of general category like electronics

[Gary_S]

Some of these ads are quite funny 

[EL34]

This morning I got an add that says I can chat to Ukraine women

 

[Gary_S]

This morning I got an add that says I can chat to Ukraine women

 

The chinese ladies in the ad on my screen mentions that they've "never been married!"   

[PRR]

> be interesting to see what pops up in your ads


mmmmmm......

> PRR, see what you are missing

For other reasons, I did turn-on Google's ad server.

I think I'm being watched. See attached image.

My avatar is leering at these eager women.

How do they think I'm a not-young man? (It's true; but I don't browse that way, and a woman also uses this browser.) 

> If you go to match.com or other dating sites

Never ever.

Yes, I know that the clicks in the top-right of these ads give me some control to "mute" specific ads.

Not at all offended. Just thought it was a striking juxtaposition.

[Ed_Chambley]

> be interesting to see what pops up in your ads


mmmmmm......

> PRR, see what you are missing

For other reasons, I did turn-on Google's ad server.

I think I'm being watched. See attached image.

My avatar is leering at these eager women.

How do they think I'm a not-young man? (It's true; but I don't browse that way, and a woman also uses this browser.) 

> If you go to match.com or other dating sites

Never ever.

Yes, I know that the clicks in the top-right of these ads give me some control to "mute" specific ads.

Not at all offended. Just thought it was a striking juxtaposition.

I never get anything that cool.  All that pops up on my computer is either amp/guitar stuff or home decorations.  Not nearly as interesting.  Yes, I really did say women are more interesting than amps.

I'll bet you are a striking individual.  Sort of a Renaissance man I would say.

[PRR]

I also am amused by this text-ad I see a lot:

AMP Research Made in USA
www.ElectricStep.com
Automatic Deployable Running Board.
Official In Stock Shipping Center

"AMP" not like in "amplifier"..... they sell running boards and steps for tall trucks. Don't know why they are called "AMP". They may be wasting their advertising micro-cents by being confused with "amplifier" sites. (OTOH, I do have a tall truck; OTOOH their steps cost more than my truck is worth.)

One comment on your/Google's implementation: clicking on the ad takes you OUT of the forum. (WinXP, IE8) Seems to me you should want the ads to open in a New Tab, so your customers don't get away from you. (Some ads I can right-click for a new tab, some don't seem to allow that; either way it's unexpected.)

[Ed_Chambley]

I got one.  I do not know how.  Random stuff.

[EL34]

Thanks PRR, I'll see if I can get the ads to open in a new window.

I have not gotten any lady ads in quite a while
If clear your browser cache it may start clean with the first sites you visit

[Tony Bones]

These ads certainly haven't bother me at all; I have barely noticed them... until a few minutes ago. One of them was singing to me. You know, not just some flashing images, but audio as well. That's kind of annoying.

I went looking for a way to donate money, thinking that would stop such craziness, but only found this thread.

Anyway, I DON'T mind the banner ads when they're quiet. I DO mind them when they make noise.

[EL34]

Hard to say what it was?


Your ads are specific to you only because of some sort of tracking they do on your computer
Your browsing history and cookies