slosurfer

I started this to voice my opinion and to let others voice theirs concerning the new google ads at the top of every page.


My view: I hate it! It was bad enough having them at the bottom of the page, advertising whatever, but at least there they were out of the way and not blaring you in the face. I really don't want to see an ad for a lawnmower dealer just because somebody has their lawnmower listed in their sig and they made a post on that page (this is just an example). If that has to be, it should be at the bottom of the page, where they started.

If any ads go at the top of the page, it should go to vendors. Not whatever is up there now. Honestly, if I was a vendor on this site, I would be pissed that there are two google ads now and nothing for the vendors.

Anyways, it will be interesting to hear what others think. Please share your thoughts. It's amazing how the selling of yotatech went from "nothing will change" to sneaking in little changes here and there.

traben27

I agree completely with you on the change that's occurred. It doesn't just bug me because it's the most random ads you can think of, but also because of the statement that "nothing will change". I'm pretty sure this isn't the first one to occur and I'm betting there will be more.

drguitarum2005

I noticed the new ads today and i really don't like them. This isn't how YT used to be, and all of a sudden we're having all sorts of changes after we were told nothing would change. ads like that just dont scream professionalism to me.

guess ill just default to my trusty google ad blocker so i cant see them anyway

CJM

I cant see anything, but i have firefox and all kinds of blocks installed.

olharleyman

I agree they suck and I guess thats what we get when we don't get a chance to voice our opinon before the admin decides to sell it out just like METALLICA said they would never go main stream.

You know it's just gonna get worse from here we got sold out not a hold out

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

I never even noticed...and don't really care. The new owners purchased YT to make money I'm sure and the Google ads recoup on their investment.

Now if vendors were required to pay to advertise and there were still the Google ads, then I'd have a problem with it.

The only thing that never changes is change.

slosurfer

I understand that it was bought to make money, which is why I have always thought that it was B.S. that it was stated that nothing would change. I'm all for changing it up, but squeezing in random advertising is more than a little annoying. Next will be certain words linked to advertising and I'll have to watch where my cursor moves so I don't hover over one.

I think what is so annoying is that it is so noticeable. It's pretty hard to miss since it starts as a big white rectangle when each page loads.

I wasn't sure if vendors paid yet on here or not. I agree with you on that one since vendors don't pay.

slosurfer

Bump for others thoughts, yea or nay. Also, would like to hear from the staff on this one.

isaac338

as someone who considers that to be the most aggravating form of advertisement (even worse than those crappy idiotic tv ads, or braindead radio ads), when that happens i'll be off to pirate.

they do that on thumpertalk and i haven't been there in years; used to visit every day. i can't stand it.

Cebby

Fixed it for you.

Advertising is a necessary evil of any site that has outgrown "hobby" status. It's a business hence the sale to Internet Brands. For them to make the most of their investment, I'm sure this isn't the last advertising related initiative you'll see.

The degree to how invasive these advertising programs are on the general forum user is where they can make a difference.

For example, that banner is the largest horizontal size (728 x 90) you can do through Google. If they put it above the navigation bar, reduced the size to a less obnoxious size of 462 x 60 they'd get nearly equal production from it without pissing off the members. The image rotator up there should be changed to accommodate this. Inflexibility to change something that benign only hurts the forum members' experience.

Going to an "Adwords" type of program like some have suggested, while unpopular, brings in more revenue than banner ads that must be clicked. Maybe they can shut all this stuff off for the contributing members since there was always a promise to keep YT ad free. This sort of membergroup filtering IS possible.

gilby4runner

It is taking some getting used to. I just have to scroll down in order to see the postings. I will add that i would hate to see the popup links on YT. (linked Words) Man those really suck!

Marc P

I agree with you Chris.....but I am not on this board as much as I was back in the day, so I dont really care.

Tofer

i dont like the one on top..... the sponsored links "post" at the bottom of the thread and the banner on the bottom of the page are ok with me. i have google adwords on my forum (www.pacific-crawlers.com) and it is nice to have a couple bucks a day come in that goes to server upkeep and clothing/stickers swag. (bonus points and a big thank you plus a free sticker to anyone who wants to sit and click on the ads on my site )...... i'm gettting OT, but my point is that i can understand the value of ads, but i dont like the placement of the top one.... put ventor ads in the Sponsored Links section, keep adwords at the bottom and call it a day....


and PLEASE whatever you do, DO NOT put the underlined words with the lil popup window Bull or install it and then say that if we contribute it will go away....

Corey

iTrader: (1)

This thread is back, and we do appreciate the valuable comments in here by a few members.

This thread was pulled (and no, was not I, but I am sure I was the heated talk of much drama talk, perhaps slosurfer can start a poll as to who pulled it) as it contained a reply by a member throwing out personal attacks here, something that reminds of a schoolyard bully fight.

We do not allow personal attacks of that nature here, and personal vendetta style attacks will be removed from any thread on this forum.
Personal attacks are best left for in person face to face, and not played out as drama on a public forum.

Keep the thread clear of personal attacks and this thread will stay.

stormin94

I still like the German one. And hey, be grateful all the ads aren't just about how to enlarge your junk, or how to get cheap Viagra. But I don't like how it sometimes appears in the middle of a thread, though.

Corey

iTrader: (1)

I never saw the German one.

I mainly see Toyota ads, and some of them are directed at me locally such as Bob Bridge Toyota which is by my work, and I also see ads for strap22's dealership he works at.

And I have put in a concern for the underlined text stuff that pops up videos and ads.
While I am not a fan of that text, that does not stop me from surfing IH8MUD on a daily basis.
I spend almost as much time there as I do here.

slosurfer

Thanks for bringing it back. Not too sure if you are helping in keeping the personal out of it though.

traben27

hijack.

Where's my free sticker?! I clicked that a few times the other day when we were talking on um...ya know that other website....

back on topic.

yotasavg

i hate all that advertising at the top. move it back to the bottom if it's gotta be here. but i will say that one of the reasons that i like YT over many other sites is because there wasn't much ad pollution on the site. it's getting worse and if it ever gets to the point where we have the words in a post that are links to whatever, i and probably other, will be seriously disappointed

kctopher

Funny. Well, if "not I" wasn't evasive enough. I pulled the thread. I don't have much tolerance for drama, rumors and personal attacks. And because of my schedule it's sometimes easier to pull something and "clean it up later".

Just keep it constructive.