Be Excellent To Each Other

Hello everyone.

I've spoken to Grim... who is against advertising generally, (as am I), but he has granted me permission to run a poll to see what you guys think.

Basically, it goes like this:

I work for a company who sell things online and we're looking for advertising from different sources. I thought of this place because a bit of advertising revenue could basically cover Grim...'s generosity.

HOWEVER, before you all start yelling no, I'd like to make it clear that the advertising we are looking for isn't big flashing banner ads or anything like that. We're looking for a small bit of text and a link to our site at the very bottom of the forum - or wherever you all think would be least intrusive. The ad would be the same size as the "You are using the 'Ted' forum. Ted is powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group" text at the bottom ideally, and would perhaps sit under that. That would be it.

Personally, I don't like advertising - it's annoying and it flashes in your face and gets in the way. BUT, this won't be like that - it'll just be a bit of text and a link at the bottom, and most importantly it would give BETEO some money.

I'd like to add, this has in no way been okayed by Grim... - he has left it up to a vote. If people don't want this, it won't happen!

What do you all think?

Doesn't bother me. In fact, let me cover PTS full of your links and thus make me rich, ta.

But really, advertising = fine as long as it doesn't obscure the forum. Rich or no, Grim... should have a bit towards running costs, and if there's some left over he can buy some starbars for us all.

Opposed to advertising as a rule (ironic considering I produce fucking holiday brochures for a fucking "living", hypocrite that I am) but have no qualms with something unintrusive that will help pay for the forum.

If it's small and unobtrusive I wouldn't moan too much. I certainly wouldn't begrudge Grim... getting a few pennies back, but I may start to grumble about it being a slippery slope.

I have gone for "no", but as always (well, mostly), I will go with you fine people. Excellently, Jonarob has suggested that this one little link will cover the cost 'the server' - I'm not sure if he just means one of them, or the three I'm currently running.

Let's hope for the latter

I'd like to add that I wouldn't have any hand in it being a "slippery slope". I don't think anyone would approve of "regular" advertising on here, and I don't think it would ever be allowed to happen. This would be it - a small bit of text to cover the costs.

Mmm, if it goes beyond this it's a different matter. Perhaps there are alternative ways of paying for the forum, say charge everyone a fee to start topics, perhaps two pou(sniiiiiiip! - Ed)

Grim..., time to speak up. How much does it cost you in real terms to keep this place running on a yearly basis? I'm quite happy to sub you 1/20th of this cash if 19 others would also be willing (unless it's ONE MEELION DOLLARS, and then we can have the ads).

Could it lead to the site being more "visible" by companies, thus leading to being blocked by NetNannies?

Just a question, I know not how these things work.

I have no objection to ads though.

So long as it's unobtrusive - Gmail I think gets it right - I don't mind.
A tip jar would be preferable, of course.

A slippery slope covered in money sliding down the slope into Grim...'s pocket?

I'm fine with this. Grim... really should be getting something back from this, in a fair world.

Not at all. It would be Grim... inserting a link into the forum's footer and that would be it. It's every bit as intrusive as me having my site in my signature, only it's across the site.

A difficult question to answer. My servers cost £70 a month, but they'd cost that anyway.
This place is well and truly covered by the Birthday presents a couple of people have got me

I could live with it if it funds the forum. I might even consider turning the ad blocker off for this site

Grim... isn't in this game for profit, so I can't see how it would become a slippery slope.

edit: I'd also like to clarify. This won't be your typical advertising setup with flashiness and what not. Grim... would insert some HTML into the footer and my company would give him some money. Simple as that.

I don't have a huge understanding of how this works, but I think it would. Don't we have an SEO expert on the forum?

Cool, just thought I would ask. So would Grim... get money for just having the link, or would it require us to click on it twice a day?

Edit: Oh, just seen Grim...s post.

I'll be clicking on it regularly, from various IP addresses

Well how about if 20 of us all sub you a tenner each per year? That's fuck-all to most of us and gives you £200 towards the costs. How much would this advertising generate over a year?

I'm not totally against the idea, but I would like us to explore other avenues first, before making decisions like this.

I'm the SEO expert on the forum - that's my job!

Also, this won't be based on clicks at all. We're not looking for clicks at all. And this would definitely not make us more visible to anyone. It would, however, make the site I work for more visible, which is the point!

Oh, alright then

It could be worse, we could be being charged for a forum that hardly ever updates. *slick grin*

The minimal amount of cash generated from unobtrusive ads would merely be a nod towards Grim in deference of the fact this is all on his server. I can't imagine it'd be profit-making in the least. It's not like he's an unemployed scrouger trying to squeeze out every penny from us hapless nerds.

Just thinking from the advertisers point of view, how much money would it actually generate? I'm thinking this in a "would it be worth it" kind of way.

This forum, although busy, isn't the busiest on the net and is generally populated by the same people day in, day out.

Once they've all clicked the ad once, maybe twice to check it out.. how much more money would it generate.

Back on topic though, I have no objections to this ad as long as it stays exactly how it was described.

That's very kind, and obviously if you want to send money feel free, but it's honestly not necessary.

No objection from me, however I'm not sure what value the company would get from it that would justify them handing Grim... any cash that would make it worthwhile - given that this is a forum of largely tech-savvy folks would would either be running adblockers or who would just never bother clicking the link. I only notice the footer once in a blue moon.

EDIT - I haven't voted, because 'should' doesn't really work as an option for me

We could and I'd be fine with that however it seems as though we could just get Jonarob's company to pay for it with no apparent detriment to the forum. I'm struggling to see what principle is at stake here.

As I said, it's not about clicks, which is why the ad can be completely unobtrusive and out of the way. It's hard to explain, but it's beneficial to the site I work for in a different way. The ad would literally be a link and some text, in small font, at the bottom, which can be completely ignored. It doesn't need clicks. Full stop.

Call me Mr Suspicious then, but how, exactly, would this help them?

That doesn't matter at all! I should've explained this in the original post really, but you can adblock it all you like! We're not after the clicks, just the links!

Presumably it's to get them up the search engine rankings then, yes?

If I explained exactly why, it could compromise the whole thing and the ads would become worthless. If you're interested in how this will work, send me a blank PM and I'll try to explain it the best I can. But honestly, there's nothing suspicious and it wouldn't change your forum experience one little bit.

So basically this is something that Jonny wants as a benefit for his company masquerading as financial 'help' for you. That's fine as long as we're clear what it is...

Essentially.

People link to this site. Google sees this site as good. This site links to jonarob's employer. Google thinks jonarob's employer is good. Google's rankings for jonarob's employer increases.

Whenever I have a new site I'd like google to index or prioritise more, I pop a link on PTS for a couple of weeks.

Ah. Quantum advertising. Say no more.

Well it's not really like that. We advertise in a lot of places, and it wouldn't be a big deal at all if you guys said no, and it wouldn't be beneficial or otherwise for me personally, I just thought I could help this place out whilst getting another advertising avenue for my company.

So if I offer to give Grim... some cash he'll do the same for my mum's art website?

-edit- Please don't see my comments as being arsey, I'm really not trying to be.

I'll do your mum for free.

That's what you were asking about, right?

This is it. Which is why it can be completely unobtrusive. You don't need to PM me anymore

I've just realised I'm still linking to your games/comic site - do you still do much with it?

I knocked games on the head quite some time ago, but I'm still turning around comics fairly regularly. You're quite welcome to leave or remove the link at your preference

You do comics? Link me do, man.

So that's why you changed your name then.

However the poll turns out, if this is going to upset people, I'd rather keep things how it is. I don't want to be responsible for people leaving or anything like that, this was just an idea. (Not that there are any signs that people are going to be upset about this, I'm just saying).

An Advertising Paradox could be caused, with an effect like a commercial black hole, dragging all forms of endorsement into it, until the worlds financial systems collapse!

I'm not going to vote 'cos I'm not sure..

Well I wasn't going to, but now you mention it...

*FLOUNCES*