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MNHQ

In Text ads - please don't shout at us...

200 replies

JustineMumsnet · 18/10/2007 10:18

Morning Mumsnetters,

We are planning today (12pm is eta) to introduce a new type of advertising format, which will mean that you will notice the odd double underlined green link on some posts on some threads, which if you click on will result in a boxed ad appearing.

As you know we fund MN through advertising but we are very conscious of not spoiling "the Mumsnetting experience" with over-intrusive and annoying ad formats. For that reason we don't allow pop-ups and pop-unders and have strict rules on expandable ads.

We are hopeful that you can live with this format, once you've got used to it at least, and that the links don't make you cross with us (or at least any crosser than our existing advertising banners do). As said, though, this is very much a trial, so please do let us know what you think and we promise to go back to the drawing board if you all absolutely hate them.

Many thanks,
M Towers

OP posts:
iCodtheBlogCod · 18/10/2007 13:16

yes and any other anoyign topic

the Mad mccann one can be fee only

arf

iCodtheBlogCod · 18/10/2007 13:16

s millions pounds at elast

ADragonIs4LifeNotJustHalloween · 18/10/2007 13:16

Noooo, stick the ads on annoying topics only. That's what I suggested

MNHQ
JustineMumsnet · 18/10/2007 13:20

Yes we will be introducing some kind of charge I think for buying and selling - will be tech's next big project after talk... the problem is the real pros will probably pay it and the odd mumsnetter who wants to have a clear out may be put off... but we'll hopefully come up with a fair (or fairish) solution.

OP posts:
Carmenere · 18/10/2007 13:21

I have a GREAT idea. How about a wine club through Virgin or Laithwaites or Oddbins or someone?
We are mostly lushes who quaffe far too much wine so why don't you capitalise on this. We could have a wine club and do one cheap wine a week(and maybe one medium priced one a mnth) and have a thread about it??
the company could sponsor it and you could get a commission from sales.
What do you think?

MamaG · 18/10/2007 13:23

Can't you just charge a fiver to subscribe for the year? Tis nothing, I pay for cat anyway

MNHQ
JustineMumsnet · 18/10/2007 13:24

I like it - we did think about it once before but worth pursuing again - cheers

OP posts:
Carmenere · 18/10/2007 13:27

I could run it in tandem with the cookbook and we could have a reccomended, tried and tested wines in the back of the cookbook(I see sponsorship, opportunities)

ThreadyKrueger · 18/10/2007 13:29

Can't you squeeze in another of those glossy moving ads on the right? They aren't intrusive. I completely ignore them. Must dash now as I have to pop into Barclays to fix up my house insurance on my way to see Ratatouille.

MamaG · 18/10/2007 13:30

OR we could have a hunbox
like a swear boxc, but when anybody says hun, they get zapped fora quid

lemonaid · 18/10/2007 13:33

I do like the fact that Mumsnet actually cares about what its users think on issues like this. It's not something you'd get on many sites, and gives me a lovely warm glowing feeling .

oliveoil · 18/10/2007 13:36

get Boots on here, most of my wages goes to the feckers quality purveyors of rubbish creams that work

I would click on there tons

and they have 3 for 2 on Christmas toys etc...

ban Buying and Selling unless they pay

DoctorFrankenSquonk · 18/10/2007 13:43

mamaG - what if I were to type... for eg: THUNDER because I was telling you what the weather was doing... would it charge me?

These are issues we need to know before we can allow a stealth hun tax to go ahead.

And what if I just happened, in the course of a normal, pleasant conversation to mention that imo Genghis Khan was worse that Atilla the Hun? would I be fined then?

eh?

eh?

RTKangaMummy · 18/10/2007 13:43

lemon I totally agree

lemonaid · 18/10/2007 13:44
oliveoil · 18/10/2007 13:49

oh is it already on there?

hahahahahaha

WaynettaVonBlood · 18/10/2007 13:49

Justine - how about if everyone was 'allowed' to have say 3 free "For Sale" posts, and after that they needed to pay? that way someone who wanted a once in a blue moon sale post could do so, but those that post frequently would have to pay?

BTW - LOVE the idea of a wine club...just think of all the "I'm only drinking to help MN" threads....

FioFio · 18/10/2007 13:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Kewcumber · 18/10/2007 13:51

Justine - there's a lot more money to be made on data collection than I think you are currently making via current competition-type data collection. Email me if you want to talk to some data collection people rather than just relying on banner ads.

Budababe · 18/10/2007 14:00

Just had a great idea! You could charge cod for every time someone clicks on her blog!! You'd make - oh - at least 50p!

WaynettaVonBlood · 18/10/2007 14:02

Cod? A Blog (or should that be a bolg?)

MNHQ
JustineMumsnet · 18/10/2007 14:02

Thanks Kewcumber - do you mean opt in passing on of data on an ad hoc basis? Our database is strictly off limits for passing on and we wouldn't ever want to change that...

OP posts:
RubberDuck · 18/10/2007 14:28

I'm sorry, I know you said don't shout at you... but just found a persil ad and those underline ads ARE really really intrusive and horrible. I've stopped reading some blogs that use the same ads because they are so annoying.

Please remove

Kewcumber · 18/10/2007 14:28

no, I mean instead of competitions (or as well as or just expanded from) you could have data collection with prizes or free offers attached with permission to pass on data to named company. For example, we (in work) are running a free offer, for anyone who is prepared to fill in their phone number, of a free one year policy ofr dental accident cover with a major insurance company. Sure they want to sell you a more expensive policy but if you don't take it, you do genuinely get free £1000 cover. Or tick box opt in for some catalogue companies. You can choose the "softer" option of campaigns not asking for phone numbers (which are obviously the most difficult to collect and therefore pay more) if you feel asking for phone numbers is too agressive for this site. Obviously would cut down revenue opportunity but would still proabably add something. If you can;t generate enough volume, you could probably do your deals through a broker (eg us!) when it would be added to a bigger pot.

All entirely permission-based on the part of an MN'er, no passing on of data without express consent of the individual and naming the company concerned (ie not selling on to a generic list) - we are in the Direct marketing association and stick firmly to the rules. Honest.

Has turned into a bit of a sales pitch hasn't it? I'm not in sales, honest!

RubberDuck · 18/10/2007 14:30

(catches up on the thread and realises the decision has already been made to remove them... yay!)