Page 4 | Native ads on Mumsnet Talk topics

JustineMumsnet · 2016-10-17T10:14:43+00:00

Hi all, I wanted to give you a heads up about some Native Ads we're introducing on Talk (images attached). They will appear on Talk topic home pages and will only appear once per page. We have tested them on users - we tested them in threads and on Talk topics and the feedback was that users weren't so keen on seeing them within a thread but didn't mind them on the topic pages, so that's where we're putting them. Hopefully you won't find them intrusive and they may even be interesting/useful sometimes. Obviously we already have a similar type of thing with our in-house inline ads on Talk theads, so hopefully it won't be too much of a shock/ imposition. Please do let us know your thoughts and as ever, if there are any advertisers/ partners you'd actively like us to seek out then please do let us know.

MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 19/10/2016 20:06

@FrancisCrawford

What about all the other points made on this thread and the overwhelmingly negative reaction, Justine?

I think I've pretty much covered everything but if I've missed anything in particular please do shout.

OP posts:

ChathamDockyard · 19/10/2016 20:28

I've never been redirected to a porn site in any other forum.

I don't think it's ok to run these ads unless you can be certain that posters won't get redirected. It's an unaccectable risk and I'm surprised it's one that's allowed to happen time after time.

I mentioned earlier in this thread that the reason I really dislike these types of ads is that they are designed to be clicked by mistake or to be mistaken for genuine threads. I find this misleading and sneaky. If you have an ad in a side bar a user can choose whether they want to engage or not but with this type of stealth ad you are, to some extent, removing that choice. I accidently clicked on one of the ads when I didn't want to.

If you want to force posters to engage with advertisers at least be honest about it. Some free online games that I play require me to watch a 5 second video before I can play. It's irritating as hell but at least it's clear and honest. What Mumsnet is doing with these ads isn't.

MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 19/10/2016 20:55

@ChathamDockyard

I've never been redirected to a porn site in any other forum.

I don't think it's ok to run these ads unless you can be certain that posters won't get redirected. It's an unaccectable risk and I'm surprised it's one that's allowed to happen time after time.

I mentioned earlier in this thread that the reason I really dislike these types of ads is that they are designed to be clicked by mistake or to be mistaken for genuine threads. I find this misleading and sneaky. If you have an ad in a side bar a user can choose whether they want to engage or not but with this type of stealth ad you are, to some extent, removing that choice. I accidently clicked on one of the ads when I didn't want to.

If you want to force posters to engage with advertisers at least be honest about it. Some free online games that I play require me to watch a 5 second video before I can play. It's irritating as hell but at least it's clear and honest. What Mumsnet is doing with these ads isn't.

I don't think anyone's actually being redirected - it's a pop up - but nonetheless it's not tolerable I agree - as said we'll have another look at this as it's been going on for too long and I thought it was much more isolated incidences than it appears to have been.

Tbh I don't agree that it's unclear that these are ads in the topic list - they have a pic - unlike everything else - they say sponsored by and ad on them. And I genuinely think that if we required MN users to watch a 5 second video before accessing the site I might as well get my coat...

OP posts:

Kidnapped · 19/10/2016 21:25

There's a reason why you don't put tag these ads as Ebay Advert which is fewer characters than Sponsored By Ebay or Promoted By Ebay.

The word advert would tell us exactly what it is.

The words Sponsored By and Promoted By are deliberately chosen in order to try to obfuscate the fact that it is an advert from that company with no Mumsnet involvement whatsoever.

Sponsored By and Promoted By certainly gives a suggestion that the content is actually Mumsnet content and ebay are merely paying to, well, sponsor or promote it.

It is an advert for that company; nothing more.

FrancisCrawford · 19/10/2016 21:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 19/10/2016 21:52

@FrancisCrawford

Hi Justine, The intrusive nature of the ads hasn't been tackled, or the fact that accessing the site via phone means it's really easy to click on them by mistake. Or the resoundingly negative reaction to the ads.

We're pretty used to mentioning "penguin bollards" and the. Finding ads for them popping up. But these "native ads" are bang in the middle of the home page of threads and that makes them much more intrusive and much easier to click on in error.

I agree that having them labelled advert would be a good idea.
But I'm not sure there is a way around the size and placement of the ads when using a phone.

Ok we'll take another look at the usability/ clicking in error issue as this is not the intention I'm sure. Will get back to you on that.

OP posts:

MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 19/10/2016 21:52

I'm signing off for now but we'll keep monitoring the thread. Thanks for all the input.

OP posts:

Kidnapped · 19/10/2016 21:56

I'm not having a go by the way, MNHQ. I know Mumsnet needs to bring in money. And most sites wouldn't even ask our opinion on the matter.

It is just that I genuinely thought that the advert sponsored message in question was a Mumsnet thing, or at the very least a Mumsnet collaboration, rather than a stand-alone third party advertisement.

cozietoesie · 19/10/2016 21:59

Perhaps some background to my question might help. Here's some content for you to look at. I have a memory that ad blocker use is up 41% this year? (Happy to be corrected on that figure of course.)

Native ads are certainly the hot topic in the industry for many reasons - financial ones mainly, I fear. This might be a time to ......define MN's position more clearly? 🙂

ChathamDockyard · 19/10/2016 21:59

Tbh I don't agree that it's unclear that these are ads in the topic list - they have a pic

Fair enough that they look a little different different to normal thread titles but they still have enough in common with normal posts to cause confusion and surely they are deliberately designed and positioned so that they are going to be accidentally on-purpose clicked.

If you genuinely wanted them not to be confused with normal threads why are there so many similarities. They are in the same position, with the same type face, the same coloured text, the same size type, the same posted by and some have a typical thread style title where it's not obvious that it's an ad. For example Are you ready for fright night? sounds like it might be a genuine thread title. Yes they have a photo and yes they have a 'promoted by' but if you really wanted to make it clear they are not normal posts I think you need to make a few more changes. Your sponsored discussions are clearly titled and far easier to avoid identify.

BIWI · 19/10/2016 22:03

Just because Facebook has been doing it doesn't mean it's a good idea

bookbook · 19/10/2016 22:13

I'm glad to know that it is not spam. I was about to ask on SS about it, when I saw this. I find them rather annoying, and agree that it should clearly state that is an advert , not a MN thing.

ChathamDockyard · 19/10/2016 22:14

😂😂😂You are mocking me Mumsnet

Lol, I just tried clicking on this thread but acciently clicked on the ruddy ASDA ad instead...... grrrrrrr I'd take a screen shot but the ad isn't showing now that I've clicked on it. 😡😡😡😡😄 BTW I'm on an iPad so its not that I have a small screen/fat fingers issue ✋🏻

cozietoesie · 19/10/2016 22:37

That's true, BIWI. But people tend to believe in safety in numbers in this sort of situation - and Facebook is a big player.

JennyHolzersGhost · 19/10/2016 23:16

Hi Justine - am not going to comment on the subject of the thread as I think you're getting plenty of feedback already but I just wanted to say thank you for being so responsive, I haven't seen a Site Stuff thread before with so much engagement from a MN staff member. As someone who complained about that in the past, it's really good to see more engagement from MN on these issues.
So thank you.

Becca19962014 · 19/10/2016 23:27

Justine,

Thankyou for the reply earlier.

I clicked on one of those thinking I was going to be reading a thread which just had sponsored by at the top - I admit I made an assumption and was thinking in terms of when you had AIBU being sponsored by the Angry Birds movie. I didn't expect to be taken to British Gas' website, with loads of its own pop ups asking me to fill in questionnaires and other stuff, I expected a thread.

The image does imply it's different as does the ad choices icon BUT it isn't clear you'll be redirected elsewhere and bombarded with ads for things you don't want or need and depending on the size of your screen and settings the small pic may not be visible. Literally that ad opened several windows on my iPad. I'm on mobile internet and it really uses up my allowance to open multiple windows some of which are playing automated ads.

Me and screenshots just don't get on (I know how to do them they just end up being random characters for some wierd reason) so i cannot attach a screenshot but if it happens to someone else maybe they will.

A bit of a rethink possibly is needed with this. Personally I really struggle with using Facebook so becoming more like that is a real access issue for me (though that might not be what you meant exactly in a pp).

user1474907171 · 20/10/2016 01:52

I am finding them very irritating, they are distracting, they get muddled with the posts and they look messy.
I am being extra careful to avoid clicking on them. Thought it was some kind of hacking attempt at first.

Queenbean · 20/10/2016 03:35

Hi Justine, thanks for taking the time to respond individually. As per the above poster, it is appreciated that you're responding to invidual posters

I guess though that the biggest issue for a lot of users is that we feel like our issues are being ignored and other, more lucrative issues are taking their place. For quite some time now there have been threads about TIO, font, colour, placement, porn, intrusive ads, data ruining videos and various pop-ups. I appreciate that MN is a free site and you can do what you want, but there are soooo many threads about those issues and I am feeling frustrating that the site is slipping out of reach of what it used to be and what feels like an alien site of pop-ups and multiple bugs.

I work day to day with websites and we always use a staging site to roll out changes, test them, fix bugs etc. It feels like you're not doing this and instead messing with bits. I really cannot see how it's taken such a long time to change back TIO as a result. If you don't use a staging site, can you. And if you do, you need to improve testing.

Can you not plough your resources in to just fixing the issues you have on the site? I appreciate you say it's too different teams but can't you see how bad it looks that much of the site is glitchy and instead of fixing it you're just adding stuff that makes the experience even more difficult?

Queenbean · 20/10/2016 03:37

*frustrated and two, apols!

Dontneedausername · 20/10/2016 08:18

These are awful!
You are scrolling and touch one....
It opens an eBay web page...
As you are trying to close it, it opens the eBay app...
You have to get back to safari and it take you back to eBay page on safari...
Then you have to close that and get back to your original mumsnet page.
Then you the advert again 😡😡

It seems a very sneaky placement exactly designed for accidental clicks.

BeyondReasonablyDoubts · 20/10/2016 09:26

Hi Justine

I just want to point out that when you have issues with dexterity, ads snuck in amongst actual content are a PITA, especially as the spacing between each on mn is far from large

They are less of a PITA on Facebook, as they are not in amongst links

Sorry to give another negative point, I know you do have to pay the bills!

butterflymum · 20/10/2016 10:03

Now it's moved on from 'horror/halloween' ads, to one about 'how nuclear power evolved after world war 2' on the Christmas board - still doesn't exactly evoke the pleasant, feel good nature of the various seasonal threads it sits alongside.

BeyondReasonablyDoubts · 20/10/2016 10:11

I thought it was quite appropriate in Aibu though!

Becca19962014 · 20/10/2016 10:13

beyond I have issues with dexterity and have found myself accidentally clicking on them as a result.

Becca19962014 · 20/10/2016 10:55

Justine,

I hoping there is a screen shot attached of an ad over someone else's thread.