An Update On Ads

[AB Editor]

Dear AnswerBank Community,

Firstly, thank you again for the Donations made since Friday's little 'zero ad experiment' began. It's clear that the experience on The AnswerBank for our members is much better without intrusive Ads, but the community is, generally, happy to accept some limited advertising.

Over the next few days, we will be experimenting with different Ad structures and layouts.

We're working towards a balance between the best experience for Users and a level of advertising that when balanced with Donations is the most economical. Apologies for any inconvenience this may cause, but please know we're working towards being in a position to improve the platform.

I'll update this thread with news around any changes that might impact you or the experience on The AnswerBank. Feel free to share your feedback here as well.

M.

[Arksided]

Hi Ed, has the ‘select choices’ disappeared or is it just the App on my iPhone? I have an ad blocker but is disabled to use AB.

[Arksided]

RE. Cookies*

[rowanwitch]

thanks Ed,
Sounds like a sensible approach, hopefully you can find the sweet spot that keeps the majority happy.

[AB Editor]

Just an update. We've worked with our Developers to test out a new way of running Ads.

New Visitors to the site (which makes up the largest percentage of traffic) will continue to see Ads.

All Members will no longer see Ads provided they are signed in to their account.

We've done this on the assumption that most Donations and support are likely to come from Members, and therefore we want the experience on The AnswerBank to be as good as possible for you.

Visitors to the site will see Ads, but we can encourage more people to sign up as members of The AnswerBank by using the lack of Ads as a benefit of signing up.

We're hoping that this will be a successful Trial and should have minimal impact on our Ad Revenue, whilst working towards our goal of improving The AnswerBank for our regular patrons.

Let us know what you think.

[nicebloke1]

A good idea for starters.

[pastafreak]

I did see a few ads first thing this morning, but they were small and non-intrusive. Oh, and no bouncing. I was ok with that...no ads is even better! I hope it works.
I'm still considering donating, but I need to look at post April 1 finances.

[The Builder]

We all want the site to keep running of course, but it's a commercial enterprise. I don't think it should be a question of ads or no ads, but rather the nature of the coding.
I think it was Tora who mentioned the "processor-hungry" graphics that are the worst. I guess they set a placeholder, then the processor has to "catch up" with displaying the content.
Hence the really annoying "bouncing".

The static sidebar ads to the left and right of the text body are no problem at all. I even clicked on one recently and bought myself a rather nice shirt ;o)))

The worst offender was the graphic-hungry banner along the bottom of the screen. Not only does it cover the text, but it tends to fire off if you go anywhere near it. Drives me crazy trying to figure out where the noise is coming from.

If the ads are make-or-break for the site, then I'm fine with that.
Ads have to involve a certain amount of intrusion. That's how they work to get noticed, but, with good coding a happy medium is definitely possible.

[gness]

Ed @ 12.58. That sounds a really good solution. :-)

[Lie-in King]

A cunning plan indeed :-)

[Bazile]

ED - do the companies who are paying for ads know of you plan ?

I would have thought that they want all users of the site to see their ads

[youngmafbog]

TCL, whilst I am sure your intentions are good you have broken one of the golden rules: that of encouraging people to pay into a bank account based on an open forum.

NEVER should anyone pay into any account posted on a forum like this or any other. You have no idea really where your money is going.

[THECORBYLOON]

Do we know where the money is going when choosing to donate via Donorbox?

[Canary42]

The Donate money goes towards providing all the improvements we asked for. Haven't you been noticing their implementations ?

https://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/AB-Editors-Blog/Question1799744.html

[THECORBYLOON]

I meant the account, not the changes.

My point was is it any more of a risk than using Donorbox.

[Ellipsis]

Yes, it is, for a number of reasons. For example, if a hacker got into the AnswerBank then, rather than defacing the website, they could (quietly, surreptitiously) change the account details in the post, and forever more the loyal members could pay the hacker rather than AnswerBank, who may not even knew they had been sent the details.

Still, if that happened, that hacker could just add a new post with the details, e.g. as AB Editor. It would not need to change an existing post. This is one reason why you should not "pay into a bank account based on an open forum", or for that matter any open website.

[ynnafymmi]

Who is complaining about these so called"intrusive"ads.In what way were they"intrusive".I bought a couple of nice tops off one of the advertisers on this site.

[naomi24]

Have those who think paying into a bank account is a bad idea shared their concerns with editor who posted the information in the first place? If not I really think you should.

[roadman]

maybe if the ed put the bank info on the donor box and not the thread would that help or if it was on both that might help the hacker cant hack both surely but who knows not me that is who lol