Skimlinks on Talk

[AmyGMumsnet]

Hi folks,

Some of you might have spotted a few more links in discussions across the site - this is because we're testing out a programme called Skimlinks, which auto-converts some of your brand mentions into links.

This makes it easier for you to have a look at products that other MNers happen to mention on the boards, and, if you decide to make a purchase from one of these links, Mumsnet benefits from a small commission.

Thanks all - let us know if you experience any issues that you think might be related.

MNHQ

I hate this feature. I may flounce.

@JustineMumsnet - how long is a few weeks to see how things go? What is the review process? Is it going to taken onboard what users think of this sneaky, inaccurate advertising scam, or just whether it's making MN money?

What is the review criteria?

just devalues the MN forum for me.

This ^^

It's like you're putting words in our mouths. It's like you're dubbing us, putting adverts in our actual words.

It's intrusive and crosses the line IMO.

[quote AliceInUnderpants]@JustineMumsnet - how long is a few weeks to see how things go? What is the review process? Is it going to taken onboard what users think of this sneaky, inaccurate advertising scam, or just whether it's making MN money?

What is the review criteria?[/quote]

Hi Alice - a few weeks is well, a few weeks - at the moment we're tinkering with the settings to try to make it work better and stop linking to random words like Doctor Who. There are three settings, Maximum, Optimum and Minimum. We were at Optimum originally (and blue links) but since monday have reduced it to Minimum to try to cut out the rogue words it's picking up and linking to and changed the links to magenta.
We'll review the performance of the new setting after the weekend, assess the revenue and of course your feedback and take then a view.

Thanks for all the input.

Hi folks,

We've had another tinker with the back-end and most nouns should no longer auto-link. @Waltons, we're adding your name to the exclusion list now, although it might take a little while to update.

I think it is better now that the links are a different colour to user added links so it doesn't look like the poster has added them.

It is better, but, as domeone has slready pointed out, it defeats the whole object as no one will click on them.
Fwiw, I never make purchases from 'click-throughs' anyway. Maybe it's mean-minded, but I usually navigate away ftom wherever I've seen the link and go straight to the retailer.

Personally the link colour makes little difference, as I bet most people who use the site wouldn't realise that skim links are one colour and proper links a different colour. It's the misalignment of links that is my issue, which MN seems to be trying to address in specific cases, e.g. Waltons, but others are bound to crop up, and that doesn't do anything about the incongruity of writing something like mobile phone and having it turn into a link to a specific company.

Oh sorry, just seen Amy's post that nouns no longer link. Yay!

So when talking about certain super markets or products, we should now write As da, Tes Co or Bo Den, then they won't turn into links?

THey will probably input the variations at some point so they still link

Unless we write them backwards
But you're right, that will be cottoned on to as well...

Gah. Just came here as I though Mumsnet had been hacked. Hate this, so tacky.

@Waltons, we're adding your name to the exclusion list now, although it might take a little while to update.

I luffs you, AmyMN. Take and from Waltons.

(Just testing - I'll be patient if I'm still a shed for a few days more.)

Bold fail ^^

Yep, still there: get your sheds while you can folks - Tech might get around to me next week.

I'd never heard of them before. Certainly won't buy from them now. Oh, the Power Of Advertising!

Sorry MN but you make 2million in profit a year from your companies house figures from essentially a message board where other people do all the content. You just have to moderate it (that you do well imo) and keep it secure and running, not so well and many security experts called your software a leaking sieve after the hacks.

This takes the , getting hundreds of thousands from kraft to sell our data and product placement is fair enough, this isnt. There was a topic about rape that contained a link to a computer game!

money for old rope
Old rope donated for free by us busy mumnetters
Who can blame them for milking us for every last drop!

there was a topic about rape that contained a link to a computer game

@JustineMumsnet surely this kind of thing is unacceptable? Not to mention a PR risk?

I understand you've excluded sensitive topics, but we talk about sensitive issues all over MN.

I also understand you're in a difficult place, balancing the (often very vocal!) needs of your board users against the need to make money to keep the whole thing going.

But this really doesn't sit right.

Is this purely an affiliate thing? (i.e. MN only get paid if someone buys something from the site)

If so, I wonder if MN have actually made any money from this? Doesn't sound like such a great opportunity for MN anyway.

Waltons do you need a new shed? Waltons should send you one for free for increasing their site traffic

herewecome I can't hear 'the greater good' without thinking about Hot Fuzz but now I'm afraid what Hot Fuzz might slimlink to.

SHUT IT!!!!

I've just read an old link about skimlinks, from 2012.
Have these things been tried many times in the past or is this just the second time?