Top bar advertising

[TalkinBoutWhat]

MN, PLEASE fix this advertising bar at the top of the computer screen.

It is so large, that I can't actually click on any of the MN links that are at the top of the page. (eg, active, I'm on, etc).

Right now, on Site Stuff, I can't even click 'Site Stuff' to get other threads in this section. It's hidden by the ad, which is NOT scrolling up and away the way I've seen others do. It's just sitting there. The ONLY threads I can get onto are the active ones on the right hand side of the screen, and only the ones lower down the list as the top ones are hidden by the Ad. (Experian and Marks and Spencers, are the two so far....)

You did this before, we all complained, you apologised and said it shouldn't have been loaded on as you were testing something new. I really hope this was a mistake, because it is IMPOSSIBLE to navigate the site.

brasty
ssd Why are you being so rude?

Probably can't help it, poor thing. Sucking up is hard work.

I wonder if you could expand on that a bit please? (Only keep it simple so I can cope!! wink)

Its a good question. You could probably guess most of the direct ways. Off the top of my head (and I can guess but don't know which of these are used here). #1 is to build a brand which itself is saleable or can be used to sell goods and services, often indirectly. Brand depends on the users and their engagement here.

• Market your own services and products based on that brand

• Write books, articles, do personal appearances, provide punters for media

• Create other digital content across media (for promotion, resale or to embed avdertising – audio, video etc)

• Promote products without specific ads eg joint promotions, surveys, product tests, reivews etc

• Sell members data (email/demographic etc, either anonymised or not)

• Sell analytics on members data, writing and behaviours or use it to refine the demographic data. Typically described as 'anonymised'.

• Sell access to the data for third parties to run the analytics and sell on the findings

• Sell paid listings eg job search, for sale etc

• Sell content eg to other publications/sites for reuse

• Corporate sponsorship (common in arts and education)

• User donation (the wikipedia model)

There are many more, most online businesses use a mix.

Then in terms of advertising specifically – there are a myriad of models from lightweight non intrusive to ugly big intrusive ads, pop ups and pop unders and everything in between.

The different models don’t actually indicate cost of implementation or value gained. It simply isn’t true that quieter models cost more to implement or make less money.

Ad models which use a lot of bandwidth and consume a lot of the data allowance on a mobile device are more likely to be poor implementation and rarely bring in the hoped for revenue.

No C8, I'm not saying 'so long as I'm ok' confused, I'm saying , there must be a way to reduce the ads 'taking over'.

Yes there is, but the ways mostly sit with the site not with the consumer.

For instance websites which are not built to common industry standards will often not work with most accessibility software (which relies on those standards). There is nothing the consumer can do to fix the code.

Adverts that consume large amounts of bandwidth and data cannot be fixed on the consumer end (without blocking them).

More seriously lets say we have two sites A and B, each with 10m users. Site A is good design which conforms to industry standards and well tested. It doesn't expect users to reconfigure their machines or spend a fortune viewing.

Site B is a weaker design, not conformant to common standards, pushes the data load management down to the customer and relies on users tweaking their end to view (if they even know how to do it).

Which site do you think will still have the big, engaged user base a few years down the line?

The frustrating thing about much of this is that its actually cheaper to get this right in the first place than to keep bolting on endless fixes and change. The industry standards in this area are well established, well understood and freely available.

Great post above. And adverts that float or like the banner advert above take up too much of the site, are more likely to be clicked on by accident. Companies detect bounce rates i.e. users that click a link and straight away close the link that has opened up. If bounce rates are unacceptably high, that affects what companies will pay for adverts.
The point of adverts is to get people to buy.

'Yes there is, but the ways mostly sit with the site not with the consumer.'
If you go on any other forum its pretty much the same, ads down the side or a banner at the top. It isn't specific to mn . People have to either accept it to a point, or sign up for paid subscription sites.

Myrtle You have already said you can't see what people are complaining about. So no it is not like other sites. The adverts down the side are a non issue. It is the top banner advert that you said you can not see that is the issue.

If you go on any other forum its pretty much the same, ads down the side or a banner at the top. It isn't specific to mn"

a) that isn't my experience, perhaps we frequent different places
b) you cannot tell simply by looking at the layout whether its compliant (and accessible) or heavy on user bandwidth.

You need to look at more than the pictures.

People have to either accept it to a point, or sign up for paid subscription sites

Those are not the only options. And even if you do choose the advertising model then you don't have to make it as bad, non compliant and bandwidth hungry as this one is currently.

And I have never been on a site that has a banner that covers half the page every single time you upload, except on clickbait articles, which I avoid like the plague. Other sites that you have to constantly reload to see new comments, do not do this. Not a single one I have ever come across. It is unique to MN.

Is what we have now the finished product or is it still a work in progress? If it becomes less intrusive I'll stick with it, if it stays as it is then I'll have to install an adblocker, which I would rather not do.

Anyone know?

This is driving me insane - the screen flicks up and down so you end up clicking on the wrong thing. FFS get it sorted or you'll have no bugger to advertise to!!

Thanks very much indeed, C8H10N4O2 - as you say, a few of those had occurred to me but only in a vague kind of way; I'm really not good at this, so the way you've put it makes the whole thing much clearer

People have to either accept it to a point, or sign up for paid subscription sites.
Those are not the only two options.

Or use an adblocker.

I thought that mn said yesterday it would be fixed by today? They said it would only drop down once but mine is still the same. Shite.

Shite indeed.

OK MN. I have now decided to make a note of the advertisers whose ads are on the top line and spoiling my enjoyment of the site and, having done so, HELL WILL FREEZE OVER before I buy or use any of their products. Your call MN advertisers.

I’m loving the adblocker

Congratulations "Visit USA.com" you are first on the list.

Nota I'm coming round to your way on thinking.

In the spirit. Bryan Adams I have seen you loads but fuck off with the advert.

My top bar ad does go away after a little while. But, still, this is what it looks like every time I load a new thread. I can barely see any of the thread I'm trying to read! This surely can't be the system working as designed?

That's very much what mine looks like 53rd, but with just blank white where the whole Heinze ad is with a whirley loading wheel ('cos of the ad blocker i guess).

How can anyone look at that and wonder what's to be pissed off with?!

Well I've finally gone the way of the free-riders. Go me!

Adblocker it is then.

Looking at women in their underwear over and over again is really, really pissing me off.

Thank you Puzzled just checking in to see if any progress has been made but I see not and this really isn't usable.

As a side note, I have found myself snarling 'fuck off John Lewis' a whole lot today - not something I usually think in relation to them.