Blog home page ads - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: onewatt
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2012, 04:49:27 pm
content: I like the layout of the blog and the forum webpages. I also like the electronics ads because they relate to products that interest me. However, I'm an avid ad blocker. So in my ad blocker I listed eevblog.com in the "Do not block website list."However there are a group of ads that my ad blocker will block at all cost, even if it's on your eevblog.com webpage... that's doubleclick and anything google ad. I mention this because I turned off my ad blocker and there was an ad that I wanted to click on, but normally my ad blocker would have blocked that ad from even appearing. I think you're missing out on ad-click money because the source domain is doubleclick or something else that is notorious. Your ads are about electronics, I would never want to see an ad about toothpaste.I viewed an ad link to this Tektronix Digital multimeter video, and this is the link:http://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/aclk?sa=L&ai=BVnwObmEMT-2QBI6ksQfqxq2vB5Of1vEBm_P7qiPAjbcBkP2XARABGAEglsCxBTgAUJPB3cr-_____wFYu82M-yJgyfa3h9yjlBGyAQ93d3cuZWV2YmxvZy5jb226AQozMDB4MjUwX2FzyAEB2gEXaHR0cDovL3d3dy5lZXZibG9nLmNvbS_IApvCsxGoAwHIAxfoA7ID6APqBegD1Af1AwIAAMT1AwAAABCgBho&num=1&sig=AOD64_168O4yIthZ2oYJNPX6rCJCvtGJgA&ctype=21&video_id=i6Umz2-1kbo&client=ca-pub-0894473037274043&adurl=https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3Di6Umz2-1kbo%26feature%3Dyoutu.be%26WT.srch%3D1%26WT.mc_id%3Dppc,ggl,us_youtube_dmm_brand_en,s&nm=2I'm thinking that many eevblog visitors are using ad blockers and never even see the ad; so you're missing out on click through revenue.I'm disappointed that I don't see the ads, and I'm disapointed that you miss out on ad revenue.If the ad URL could be directed to eevblog.com and then redirected to doubleclick, then my ad locker might not block the ad. I really have no idea... I'm just guessing.Is there a fix for this?

author: Short Circuit
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2012, 05:42:43 pm
content: Don't you think removing the adblocker might be an easier fix...?As site-maintainer, for ad-revenue purposes I'd rather block the ad-block visitors instead

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 10, 2012, 06:29:22 pm
content: Quote from: Short Circuit on January 10, 2012, 05:42:43 pmThat's not going to happen for a fairly significant number of browser users. Advertisers blew it with way too intrusive ads. Why would I let Google et al. use my computer to annoy and track me? Disabling ad blocking is a favor. So is letting visitors access your site, but what's the point of a website without visitors?Quote from: Short Circuit on January 10, 2012, 05:42:43 pmI think I've once seen a website that did this. Doesn't appear to be catching on. Probably because most users just stop visiting the site instead of being bullied into viewing ads. A site like eevblog.com and Dave's Youtube channel need more visitors, not less. The incremental costs of extra users is infinitesimal small, Youtube doesn't charge per view and I believe bandwidth for eevblog.com is also flat fee. If he gets 10,000 extra subscribers, and even if 80% use an ad blocker, that's still 2,000 eyeballs generating ad views and clicks every time Dave posts a video. Probably 95% of the costs is fixed regardless of the number of users, recording, editing and uploading videos is the same amount of work regardless of the number of viewers.

author: onewatt
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2012, 10:29:38 pm
content: If it wasn't for my ad blocker, I would never access the internet the way I do now. The only ads that I see on Daves blog page are the ones on the right-side column of the blog page. I don't particularly care for blinking ads or ads that constantly rotate ads because it distracts me from what I'm reading or watching - it's annoying. Also, I block all Youtube video ads that Youtube displays for videos produced by Youtube partners. I have friends come over who access websites and are confused because I get no ads at all, no onload popups, no onunload popups, no onbeforeunload... etc, etc, nothing is blinking, or sparkling, or flashing, no big banners, I really get no ads at all - and the webpage is reorganized to fill in the ad spaces, so I don't even know the ad is there.I like Dave's ads because we have the same interests, and I often click on those ads that I do see because I find that I'm introduced to products that I would like to know about.But I'm very happy with my ad blocker, and I could never turn it off. When ever I do... I'm always unpleasantly surprised.

author: benemorius
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2012, 10:56:01 pm
content: Quote from: alm on January 10, 2012, 06:29:22 pmQuoted for truth. I'm not an ad blocker by definition, but I'm left with no choice on my netbook. I have to block either ads or flash in order to be able to use the internet as I am accustomed to using it. The pitiful excuse it has for a processor just can't handle more than a few tabs otherwise, so atrocious is the clock cycle demand of even just a couple of minimized flash ads. Honestly even my main desktop struggles measurably and I have to kill the flash process every week or so when it becomes perceptable. And it's all because of the army of ads. Ad blocking is a necessary evil brought on by (among other prominent things) the evil that is adobe flash.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 11, 2012, 12:25:15 am
content: Quote from: alm on January 10, 2012, 06:29:22 pmYes, my costs and time are fixed regardless of how many people I get watching or visiting.I'm never going to block people for using ad-blockers, that's their choice, and I don't mind at all if they do that.Being a content producer mostly reliant upon ad revenue, I simply have to wear the fact that xx% of people will use an ad-blocker.The fixed (non-Google) ads on the website (and forum) aren't based on click-throughs as such, they pay a straight fee per month to get eyeballs. But of course their continued participation can be dependent upon getting a consistent click-through rate.As for the google ads, if you have enough viewers, the click-through rates (CTR) is quite consistent and very predictable month-to-month. So if you know the average CTR, which is very similar for most sites, it's easy to estimate how much any Youtube partner gets based on their views. Although those pre-roll ads do muddy the waters a lot.The majority of my revenue comes from the direct ads though, not Google or Youtube. That's why I'm able to make a full time living from it when other Youtube partners with 100 times the subscriber base to me still can't crack it.Dave.

author: onewatt
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 11, 2012, 04:54:45 am
content: Hi Dave, I think you're doing everything right. I like the direct ads that you have chosen to put on your blog site. I'm an ad hater, but like I said, I like your ads because they are electronics related. I wouldn't even mid a whole page full of direct ads if you had chosen them and approved them as appropriate for the blog. That way I could click on different products and learn about new things coming to market or learn about stuff I never new about like the PIC and Arduino microcomputers.Maybe you could employ something similar to slide shows that I can control by clicking next; each slide could be another direct ad that you have chosen and approved of. That way you can fit more ads on a page without taking up too much space.I like your list of "other blogs", especially Jeri Ellsworth.Though I'm still waiting to see a kangaroo that hops along. We don't have kangaroos in Florida, USA.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 11, 2012, 04:59:01 am
content: Quote from: onewatt on January 11, 2012, 04:54:45 amThey hop across our roads here, a real pest:Dave.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 12, 2012, 12:52:50 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on January 11, 2012, 04:59:01 amBut do you have them in your backyard like I do. Better there than on the highway.

author: Wartex
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 24, 2012, 10:27:23 pm
content: Suggestion: put a javascript on a front page that detects NoScript/AdBlockPlus and ask people (nicely) to disable it via a popup explaining that your revenue depends on it. The only reason I use adblock here because I don't trust loading off-site scripts, ad companies get hacked and then disseminate trojans via XSS attacks. Other reason is crappy SAELIG ad that promises a free scope which is a straight lieIf you hosted ads I will gladly disable adblock. You also underestimate how many people have Adblock.Suggestion2: pictures of babies/puppies/kittens next to donate buttons create instant aversion amongst internet folk. Ask any sociologist (disclaimer: wifey is Ma. S. Sc.) It's not because they hate the former, it's because commercial "charities" have been hammering pictures of sad children via TV ads for years. Think about this, what appeals more to your public: "help Dave buy  for next review" or "help Dave buy awesome apple puree for his kid". The fact that you will spend money on the kid anyways is irrelevant, it's just people are here because they have common interest, and it's not paying someone's bills.Suggestion3: install a SEO script that turns dynamic pages to static pages like this:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=6544.0tohttps://www.eevblog.com/forum/flattr-for-donations-vt6544.htmlI did this on my forum and traffic tripled in 1 month. Google now indexes 99% of my site. Keywords in URLs is bread and butter of adsense.Suggestion4: Write a script that creates a file sitemap.xml which has a link to every topic on the forum, submit it to google for indexing - much more traffic.Suggestion5: Enable forum template caching, or install a MOD that does it if it doesn't come with the forum. Your hoster will thank you, you save a lot of CPU power when you are not rebuilding HTML for every topic view.Suggestion6: Release MP3/mp4 files on bittorent, and list your site as a HTTP seed. Once more than 1 person has the file, you will only see partial downloads - less traffic.Suggestion7: Install or write a script that checks the checksum of every php file on your server daily and emails you if there are differences. This way if you are hacked you know about it. If your forum is compromised and passwords are captured at login stage (before they are hashed via MD5), hackers will dump the DB and try every single email on PayPal with the corresponding passwords, effectively robbing part of your userbase of their money.Just some suggestions.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 24, 2012, 10:45:55 pm
content: Quote from: Wartex on January 24, 2012, 10:27:23 pmI'm sure Dave is more than happy to receive suggestions and constructive criticism. Seems however, that doing things the way he is doing it now is having no problems attracting (repeat) traffic or valuable advertising revenue.This is not having a go at you personally, and I am sure you are eager to help, but having content likehttp://headsplosive.com/about/on your own site, might deter some from giving consideration to any advice offered.Just a suggestion.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 24, 2012, 10:47:16 pm
content: Quote from: Wartex on January 24, 2012, 10:27:23 pmI hate popups, so I'm not going to force that on others.If people want to block my ads, I have no problem with that, their choice.QuoteYeah, probably, but I like the photo.QuoteWon't this break any existing links people have linked too on their sites or other forums etc?QuoteThanks, will investigate.Dave.

author: joelby
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 24, 2012, 11:57:23 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on January 24, 2012, 10:47:16 pmGenerally you'll allow both URLs to work indefinitely, and redirect the non-SEO ones to the SEO-friendly ones with a 'moved permanently' code. Most example rewrite scripts are set up to do this.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 25, 2012, 12:04:11 am
content: Pretty URL's now enabled.Existing links seem to work fine.Dave.

author: metalphreak
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 25, 2012, 07:37:52 am
content: I usually disable AdBlock in Chrome for worthy websites that don't have obtrusive ads. Not hard to do

author: Wartex
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 26, 2012, 01:01:22 am
content: Quote from: Uncle Vernon on January 24, 2012, 10:45:55 pmThanks for your criticism, but that is clearly NOT a FORUM, and you are taking a cheap shot at me, I know exactly what you are doing. Demanding a high-traffic website from me is like me demanding a printout of Daves career just so I can take a design advice from him. That's a blog I started a couple of months ago and haven't had time to post, Dave is far ahead of me. I run a semi-private forum since 2001. I've been doing SEO and web development for close to a decade now. It's up to him to accept or reject a suggestion, don't need your "look at thyself" bullshit.

author: Wartex
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 26, 2012, 01:04:43 am
content: Dave it doesn't have to be popup, just a DIV on top of the page that is normally hidden unless you detect an adblock. It seriously works. Good ol' shaming.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 26, 2012, 01:21:36 am
content: Quote from: Wartex on January 26, 2012, 01:01:22 amI am pointing out the bleeding obvious not taking any kind of shot! You are big for demanding how someone else's blog is to be run, yet precious at any criticism of your own handiwork!QuoteHow can you? The black helicopter has a tinted windshield.QuoteNo its not!QuoteYour spruiking it in your tagline while simultaneously offering advice on how people should run their sites. If you regard it as unfinished or unrepresentative why would you have the URL displayed at the bottom of your "How to run your site" suggestions?QuoteUndoubtedly, and yet you've posted several times about how he refuses to accept your valuable advice.QuoteThat's nice for you! But have you considered perhaps you are not Robinson Crusoe, and just maybe one of 50 other people offering assistance? Why get twisted out of shape about it?QuoteYou're catching on!QuoteIt's a free service, apply in writing to someone@whocares.org if you desire a full refund.