Ad's and Revenue

[Bert Kemp]

Reading the recent thread "Members and Contributors"; I turned on my ad's for the forum, hoping to generate money for SMC. I even click on them. My question is does this help SMC. I see targeted ad's from websites I visit, that have nothing to do with any of the forums here at SMC. I visit a website looking for a new frying pan then later I come here and I see ad's for frying pans. How does this help SMC? Do they get any direct revenue from the site I visit?

non related question why do I see funny stuff in my post like 39%@ that I didn't write????

[Matt Day]

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?259465-Posts-being-deleted-amp-formatting

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?260331-Code-for-symbols-on-my-posts

The annoying symbols are becoming really more prevalent. As I posted in the thread above, I thought stickies should be posted about it.

[Dennis Peacock]

Bert,
I don't know why you're getting weird characters in your post. I cleaned the text up a bit so your post would be more clear when reading. :)

[James Waldron]

Bert,
I don't know why you're getting weird characters in your post. I cleaned the text up a bit so your post would be more clear when reading. :)


WHO YOU CALLIN' A WEIRD CHARACTER???

Actually, I suspect the weird characters are related to typing in HTML code and posting in text. At least the strange things look like HTML character codes. Perhaps the new software will be more graceful.

[Lee Schierer]

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?259465-Posts-being-deleted-amp-formatting

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?260331-Code-for-symbols-on-my-posts

The annoying symbols are becoming really more prevalent. As I posted in the thread above, I thought stickies should be posted about it.

If you are logging in to SMC as HTTPS switch to http and also switch to the standard editor. The current vbulletin software doesn't play well with the advanced editor.

[Bert Kemp]

OK got the weird characters fixed I think so how bout my original question about ad's and do they help SMC?

[Brian Henderson]

Mostly, since almost all ads online are run by Google, Google pays sites for hosting AdSense ads and then the ads are tailored for each individual viewer, based on their browsing history and whatever Google can get from tracking people. Individual companies rarely place specific ads on specific platforms. They're paying Google, not website owners. The only thing Google cares about is ad impressions.

[Mark Bolton]

The ad blocker thing has always amused me. Im on here, YouTube, and tons of other sites all day that pepper you with ads. I don't even see them. For whatever reason I just dont even notice or look at them other than the short clips you have to watch before skipping on you tube.

I've got far more things to worry about than being bothered by ads on free sites.

[Simon MacGowen]

<p>

The ad blocker thing has always amused me. Im on here, YouTube, and tons of other sites all day that pepper you with ads. I don't even see them. For whatever reason I just dont even notice or look at them other than the short clips you have to watch before skipping on you tube. I've got far more things to worry about than being bothered by ads on free sites. Like you, I don't pay attention to any pop up or background or &quot;preview&quot; ads (on youtube) and I have been wondering how many viewers or readers are like us. From the people I mentioned about this at work or in gatherings, almost none are different from me. Of course , there must be enough people who buy after or through vewing those ads; otherwise who would pay Google for the ads. Does Google or those who place the ads realize that such unsolicited ads actually annoy and even turn away some potential customers? By default, I just tune out no matter what pops up; if I want something, I go direct to the vendor's site and shop.

Such behavoir of mine does not change even when I deal with merchants such as banks that I already have had a vendor-customer relationship. Endless credit card or morgtage loan or line of credit offers are skipped every time I log in my account. I begin to understand why some people do not own a computer or even cellphone. Can we call the senseless ad-bombarding a torture?

Simon

[Keith Outten]

Google banner ads here used to provide a source for funds when someone clicked on a banner. Since ad blocking has become so popular we rarely receive a check from Google and when we do its very small.

The banner ads that we host directly for our sponsors are tracked by each sponsor when they feel the need. My signature below is a complete list of the companies who are sponsors here. There is also a SPONSORS link on the blue menu bar near the top of every page. Sponsors here pay a fixed fee per quarter or annually, we don't require them to pay or click throughs.

[Mark Bolton]

I often feel bad that I dont take the time to return to the creek and see if I can buy and item(s) through a banner. I also feel this way about my local public broadcasting who gets a chunk of all my amazon smile purchases. Its a lot to remember to do when your placing orders though I will try to remember.

Im like many of the others who responded in the other thread and was a contributor for a time and then got away from the site and now have been back. Reading that other thread motivated me to get over and setup a 10/mo recurring contribution. As with public broadcasting I dont normally care for getting something for nothing though it would be a leap for me to click on banner ads as I dont think Ive ever done it perhaps other than by accident lol.

[Pat Barry]

If it was common knowledge that a purchase from LV through a link to their site from the SMC website would benefit SMC I can't imagine that everyone here wouldn't use that link to buy the LV products. Probably the same for all other tool vendors. If thats the case then I apologize for doing a direct google to LV website and buying that way in the past but I promise not to in the future. If that actually helps SMC then I feel that would be much more important than chaning the OS. That might make this whole site more or less self funding.

[Frederick Skelly]

Man, I didnt realize LV was a Sponsor here. Thanks Rob!

I'll start using the link from SMC to get there.
Fred