Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Site stuff

Join our Innovation Panel to try new features early and help make Mumsnet better.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

Top bar advertising

488 replies

TalkinBoutWhat · 23/10/2017 13:17

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.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
21
MyBrilliantDisguise · 31/10/2017 10:43

I've got an adblocker on now. I really didn't mind seeing the ads and occasionally clicked on them, but I can't be doing with stopping in my tracks for five seconds every time I open a thread.

BertieBotts · 31/10/2017 19:07

Well I thought I would give it a go and whitelist since the loading issue was meant to be fixed.

Erm - nope. Lasted about 30 seconds. I don't want the header to follow me down the page, ad or not. And I don't want to have to click it off once a day. What is the point of that?

I don't particularly mind adverts but I don't like intrusive features. MN looks lovely and streamlined without these.

I think the skim links have been gone for a while Visions.

NewPapaGuinea · 31/10/2017 20:37

These intrusive adverts have forced me to do what no other site has done; install an ad blocker. So whilst you claim to be playing catchup with other sites, the way you've done it leaves a lot to be desired.

When 50% of the page is covered by an annoying advert that animates and scrolls content your implementation sucks. At least have the advert proportional to the screen size, not a standard size that alienates consumers on smaller screens.

OlennasWimple · 31/10/2017 20:43

I don't have ad blocker, but I still get an inch wide header every time I load a new post that says ADVERTISEMENT and then turns into an irrelevant advert after about 5 seconds

DrMadelineMaxwell · 31/10/2017 23:32

Why is this still an issue?

Bin an advertiser that makes ridiculous demands of taking up screen space if it's annoying your market consumers - i.e. us.

Get rid of the insight panel advert
Or the reviews bit
Or the blog of the day
Or the jobs panel

Or any bloody thing else that means you can give the cashcows advertisers their demanded 12 5 seconds advert space.

Or, you know, just keep the adverts to the limit of the space at the top of the page like you used to.

FFS. Enough already

DrMadelineMaxwell · 31/10/2017 23:33

Either that or tell us when the contract with these demanding advertisers expires and we'll check back in with mnet when it does and normal service resumes.

Youcanstayundermyumbrella · 01/11/2017 07:36

I've just logged on via my laptop for the first time since the changes. On my phone, with adblocker, I just have a vaguely annoying line across the page that I've now got used to. On here? Unusable. Jumping screen, loading problems, obtrusive advertising that makes, um, subtle use of MN impossible. I've been on leave for the last two weeks, but this new innovation means I won't be using MN much as I cannot face the laptop interface.

FaFoutis · 01/11/2017 07:38

More than half the screen covered now and the remove header does not work on either laptop or pc. This is getting worse.
Looking on the bright side it is getting rid of my MN habit.

lalalonglegs · 01/11/2017 12:04

My mobile screen can be completely covered by the MN topbar which keeps lowering and then (most of the time) gradually jumps up again to the top. Yesterday, I tried to log in on my mobile and every time I got the text box up to input my details, it would close as soon as I tapped a single letter. Today, I tried to comment on a thread and the gap between the screen keyboard and the topbar was only about half a cm wide meaning I could only see - at most - a single line that I was typing. I've only noticed this in the past few - every since the ads at the top of the page became more dominant Sad - but it's driving me insane. YY to whoever suggested an ad-free subscription service - I've been driven to it.

reflexfaith · 01/11/2017 13:08

The sheer brass neck
The blatant hypocrisy
Mumsnet accuses adblock users of free riding, whilst making a big fat profit from free-riding on the network effect and the content provided for free by people on the forum

sundowners · 01/11/2017 16:10

Not sure if this has been mentioned but my main issue is not just the annoying ads but also the fact the MN logo permanently remains fixed, however small you make your window- i.e. at work, don’t really fancy the whole world knowing I’m on the MN forums, so used to shrink window and the logo disappeared, now it insist on remaining fixed, however small I make my window, it simply readjusts and sits there staring out at everyone...impossible to use the site at work now (where I 90% log on).

DrMadelineMaxwell · 01/11/2017 19:41

I have the app but don't like it as there's a limit to how many pages it will load.

I much prefer the laptop site.

Or did.

GladAllOver · 01/11/2017 20:08

Try the Dolphin browser. It has built-in add blocking and a choice of desktop or mobile layouts. If you select mobile it will remove that header bar altogether.

loveyoutothemoon · 01/11/2017 21:32

Totally had enough of this now!

Goldenbug · 02/11/2017 09:05

greenscreen.thegreengallery.com/en-gb

It's an app thingy for Firefox that not only blocks the ads but replaces them with flower based artwork.

Not tried it myself.

Elphame · 02/11/2017 10:10

I have read this thread with great interest.

I run an internet based business and rely on advertising. We did look at advertising here on mumsnet as the products are pretty relevant to the user base here.

However we decided not to - I find the adverts here annoying if I turn off my adblocker (and I am aware of the irony here). They don't make me want to buy the product - in fact they have the opposite effect. Like hell am I going to buy from them. This thread makes it pretty clear that I'm far from the only one that feels like this so not only are you alienating your only asset ( your content generators, aka as free riders) you are also alienating potential advertisers.

Poosnu · 02/11/2017 10:35

The top bar ads make the desk top site pretty much unusable, I am getting a sore head from all the jumping around and logging off now. This is likely to alienate users.

Fatbergs · 02/11/2017 10:40

I actually think that between the trolls, Daily Mail harvesting and the ads, decent content will diminish anyway...well, apart from the more specialised fora such as health or style and beauty, it is turning into bunfighty nonsense on most of the main boards. I rarely post now and a lot of my friends are the same.

BertieBotts · 02/11/2017 10:59

I'm not really sure, either, why comparisons are being made with newspaper or other article-based sites.

MN isn't a newspaper, it's a discussion forum, which is a particular form of social media. Compare with other forums, or even SM sites if you will, but comparing with newspaper sites is strange. I don't use newspaper sites in the same way so a drop down/wrap around advertisement is less annoying.

Newspaper articles you tend to read in one go and then click away from or share. It's nothing like a discussion forum where you'll tend to want to respond to many things that you read, look back and forth to check previous responses, come back again and again to the same thread to see updates, trawl active boards for new interesting posts, etc.

I know MN has some articles but surely the main draw for most visitors is the forum?

Etymology23 · 02/11/2017 11:23

Agree with glad

Mumsnet makes a pretty chunky yearly profit given the equity invested, and its cash flow positive (at least in 2016) It was able to pay a 3mil dividend last year and pays its directors more than a hundred grand each on top. (Anyone can choose to pull these accounts from companies house.) This makes these comments about keeping the lights on look a little disingenuous!

Capitalism is what it is, but when part of a website's appeal is the community aspect it's important to balance keeping that feel with enhancing profit or there won't be long term growth. You can see that profit after tax is down in 16 vs 15 but revenue is up so it's presumably not lack of users.

Its a very difficult balance to strike with advertising in a content creation website. I will whitelist some sites but not others. If the ads are too annoying I'm not prepared to have them up.

BlackeyedSusan · 03/11/2017 07:14

on the plus side my house is a lot cleaner!

sorry but I have had to stop using mumsnet as much. I no longer look at any ads. (load page look awway for 10 seconds. )

I am beginning to hate john lewis as their advert is prevalent and blocks my screen so often. then I get crap that is irrelevant.

I can use mn when in the library so check into the SN boards then. sometimes I am depserate for support with my two disabled children and these ads that scroll down are making it difficult to access that. (all the jumping around and being able to see only three lines of text on the screen between the ads)

Also there still has not been an answer from MN on the consideration for usability for those with disabilities with this new format.

CrochetBelle · 03/11/2017 08:57

No response because by using ad blockers we are making them less money (let's forget we actually give them the content).
I've never really had much trouble with ads on mobile, but have just installed an ad blocker now out of principle.
It's like making a compaint in a shop and having the manager walk away with their fingers in their ears. Those of us with difficulties and kids with SN have enough trouble getting the right people to listen to our views, having to be completely ignored here too is utterly taking the piss.
We are the consumer and the product, but to Justine we are just pennies in a bank account. I'm going to carry on using the forum when I can, but won't give much thought when MNHQ need something specific from us.

Making lives easier, my arse.

bookbook · 03/11/2017 09:23

I've just come back to this thread to see if there was any more info.
`the ads are still floating down - I haven't used an ad blocker, and probably still won't.
The big issue for me I realise , is the floating ad goes over and past my bookmarked post, so I have to scroll to find it.
So , in truth I am nowhere near as often looking at threads as I was. I quickly dip in, read TIO/TIW maybe post and off - rarely bother with Active at all now. I cannot be bothered to wait for it to load if I just have 5 minutes to spare with a cup of coffee.
I think it is having an affect with others - the few threads I do watch have reduced numbers of posts too .

bigTillyMint · 04/11/2017 17:33

SO I have got rid of adblocker but the bloody top bar keeps floating down and covering more than half of the page. That is surely a MNTech issue as NO ads are showing just an empty top bar.

PLEASE FIX IT ASAP

squoosh · 05/11/2017 00:26

Have just installed AdBlock . I will still get the floating bar but at least I won't be subjected to the ads themselves.

I'd never have installed this software if it hadn't been for this amazingly irritating and obtrusive development. And to think, I even used to click on the odd ad before the new style ad placement...