Testing a new links widget on Chat

[KateMumsnet]

Hello all

The eagle-eyed amongst you will have noticed that we've begun testing out a widget at the bottom of some Talk threads which displays links to things you might want to read on third party sites.

If MNers click through to read we get a small commission, which helps to pay the bills. You've probably seen similar widgets on sites like the Telegraph, BBC Food, and the Guardian - the content is a mixture of articles and sponsored content, and the widget works on the basis that the popular content with the most clicks will get served more often, while links that no-one's interested in will gradually disappear.

If you don't like the look of something and don't want to see it again, you can click the ‘X’ at the top left hand side of the link to dismiss it - it won't appear for you again either on Mumsnet or on other sites which use the widget, which we think is quite useful.

We're going to be keeping a close eye on things during the test - but please do let us know if you spot anything untoward by mailing [email protected].

Cheers all

MNHQ

I don't like it. It's very tacky, I thought mumsnet was better than that too.

Not a fan.
Plus, if it's like the ones in papers, sooner or later you will get one that is howlingly inappropriate/mentions life insurance or funerals on a thread where someone is in danger of death/ is 'sexy' on a thread where DV and sex are being tackled.

No fantastic funding suggestions, sorry. But this is really not the answer.

MNs been running for a long time. Why do you need more funding from ads? What's changed?

I found it particularly tasteless just now on a thread where the OP was talking about her son who had died and at the bottom when I went to respond there was "other things on the web right now" or some such.
Tacky is the right word for it.

I said this on a other thread , but was told to put it on this main thread.

MNHQ seems to be trying various ways to monetize the site, but seemed to have missed some obvious ones.

• Have a subscription option, I bet even a small amount would be more than you get form relying on people clicking ads

• The bits of the site where you recommend stuff, and the shitty marketing emails - stick affiliate links in those by all means - they would actually be useful there.

Totally grim. I hate it on other sites but seems particularly awful here where we are often discussing just how pointless/misleading/generally crap those same stories are. Hate it.