Advertisement question

[Dark Mind]

I believe we're working on a new system for the user levels already :naughty:.

[Tormod]

This thread has been dead for a while but let's try to revive it.

 

Due to the long-awaited move to a new dedicated server PLUS a VPS server (due to the technical configuration of our hypography.com portal and the split between an app server and a db server) our hosting expenses has now gone up to about $150/month.

 

I am considering putting the popups back in the forums, but ONLY for non-logged-in people. That would mean that they would only be seen by guests, and they would only get 1 popup per 12 hours or so (ie, one per visit in general). If they sign up and click on the "Remember login" option (or whatever it says) they will not see the popup again unless they log out or have to log in from a different computer.

 

Anyone severely opposed to this? This could probably raise another $50/month for us and would cover our new expenses.

[Jay-qu]

Yeah that would be fine - most people have pop-up blockers anyway.. do you still get paid if the ad's dont load?

[GAHD]

It might make the unregestered followers a little angry, but if all they need to do is register I'd say go for it.

 

maby we'll get lucky and have more join-up :Glasses:

[Tormod]

Yeah that would be fine - most people have pop-up blockers anyway.. do you still get paid if the ad's dont load?

 

No. But you'd be amazed at the amount of people who don't have popup blockers. :Glasses:

[C1ay]

Sites like /. charge for ad-free service. I see nothing wrong with presenting pop-ups to guests.

[Buffy]

No. But you'd be amazed at the amount of people who don't have popup blockers. :confused:

Ha, we prolly spend 20% of our tech support time figuring how to turn people's blockers *off* because our software requires them! (really: we have good reasons for them!)

 

Poppy,

Buffy

[Tormod]

Ha, we prolly spend 20% of our tech support time figuring how to turn people's blockers *off* because our software requires them! (really: we have good reasons for them!)

 

Poppy,

Buffy

 

Yeah - like in Safari if you turn off popups you also turn off popup login windows. :confused:

[Tormod]

Reviving this thread!

 

We are going to try out a new advertisement solution from Kontera. It will select between 4-6 words on every page (within the main content) and turn them into links with a *double* underline. When you hover over these links, a tiny yellow popup will be displayed with an advertisement for a website. If you click on it, Hypography makes money.

 

This solution can already be seen at http://www.hypography.com/ and is promising. It is much less intrusive than other kinds of advertising, and the adverts are in fact (mostly) highly relevant for our segment (science, health, education, technology).

 

I hope nobody is taking offense at this. We will try it our for a few weeks and see how it works in the forums. We really need any income we can make to fund our servers and software costs.

 

Remember, our science forums are free, and ads are a necessary evil if we want to keep it that way!

 

Feel free to comment, of course. :hihi: