Ads on the forums... Sky is falling...

[Ryan]

Hey guys, I've never placed ads on any of my forums. The idea of it is just very tacky to me... So, I've never entertained the thought.

However, I am getting ready to start a new shop build and need some dough to pull it off. And one way I can do that is by adding ads to the forums.

Kind of gross, right?

I agree. BUT, I think I've come up with a way to do it where it won't bother any of the loyal readers of the forum at all. In fact, the ads are already active and working, but you can't see them.

Why? I've arranged it so that if you are logged on, the ads will not display at all. However, if you are logged off - they will.

Pretty cool, huh? Well, maybe not cool... But I don't think it's that annoying.

Anyway, I just wanted full disclosure and thought I would fill y'all in. I have no plans to ever display ads to logged-in users. I'm not much for annoying the folks that support the joint.

Thanks,

Ryan

 

[Robert Hall]

Thanks for your hard work.

I'll think of you when we visit Austin in December. I plan on gaining weight at the Salt Lick.

 

[5mall5nail5]

A forum I am on has in-line ads in the text of posts, and it's annoying except that you can click a little icon next to it and disable them. So, its annoying but you get to opt-out as a signed in member. That might be a little better for you yet.

 

[cubicle]

I think the idea to not have them shown if you are logged in is great. Thanks for all of your work on the forum and good luck on your new build.

 

[Ryan]

I think the idea to not have them shown if you are logged in is great. Thanks for all of your work on the forum and good luck on your new build.

Honestly, I don't want folks to have to do anything. If they have shown the interest to register, I don't wanna bother them with ads at all.

 

[nolimits76]

I appreciate the fact you are keeping the ads off the forum. I frequent several different forums. The ones with all the ads annoy me and I rarely go there. Seems other people think the same way. In the end, those forums take a hit to the quality of their content because people don't like ads and don't actively participate as much in those forums as others.

Or so that has been my experience/findings.

Grow smart. Good luck w/ your build.

 

[Falcon67]

Good call - you work hard at this, only right to get paid.

 

[JimVonBaden]

I think the idea to not have them shown if you are logged in is great. Thanks for all of your work on the forum and good luck on your new build.

Great idea, and unobtrusive. It will encourage more participation in the form of logged in members.

Jim

 

[GCncsuHD]

As a relatively new member, I don't think it would be a big deal. I am on several different forums, and that is how most handle it, ads for guests, no ads for signed in members, and usually a caption below the ad "members do not see these ads".


Though to be completely honest, I have ad blockers installed on my browsers so I do not see ads anyway, only when I am on my phone or a work computer.

 

[justanengineer]

I like your style Ryan, seems great to me.

 

[dirttracker18]

Thanks Ryan

 

[NUTTSGT]

It's your site man, you do what you have to do.

 

[PugetDude]

Ryan, it's your site, your investment, and your decision. Nothing in life is free (contrary to what the pointy-headed weasels in DC want us to believe) so let 'er rip...

Anyone who opts out wasn't in, anyway.

 

[PCMusicGuy]

As a member of many forums, I appreciate the gesture of hiding the ads. Thank you very much. Any details on the new shop?

 

[Strouty]

Now I need to log out to see what ads come up in my threads!

 

[Zeke]

Ryan, it's your site, your investment, and your decision. Nothing in life is free (contrary to what the pointy-headed weasels in DC want us to believe) so let 'er rip...

Anyone who opts out wasn't in, anyway.

Agree. And as I understand it, ads don't bring in a ton of money, at least according to a large forum site owner I know personally. He says it pays the bandwidth and that's about it.

With them or without them, I'm good.

 

[Stuey]

Sounds good to me.

I used to love a particular PC forum, but then the owner got a little crazy with the contextual ads, adsense, and popups, and then the final straw were the ads for classes on how to learn how to be a web entrepreneur like him.

No ads for registered members that are signed-in seems like a very fair compromise.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Why? I've arranged it so that if you are logged on, the ads will not display at all. However, if you are logged off - they will.

Pretty cool, huh? Well, maybe not cool... But I don't think it's that annoying.

It is pretty cool - I didn't know you could set up a forum that way.

 

[NHBandit]

Cool but... you have to do a build thread when you start on your garage. I read the one awhile back about the theme you're shooting for and it's a very cool idea. And thanks for all you do here and on the HAMB. It keeps us old retired guys out of the bars.

 

[Hawk]

Sounds great.

 

[G_P]

I just logged out and browsed around the forums and did not see a single ad. I run Firefox with AdBlock+ and I guess that takes care of them.

Running ads for non members is a good idea. It gets you some revenue and encourages more people to register.

 

[MN4x4]

Ryan:

Seems like a prudent and reasonable decision to me. I've noticed the ads when I wasn't logged in and wondered about them. Now I know.

Question for you - I do purchase from many of the advertisers you posted. Do you derive any more benefit if I click on the link to them to order something, or doesn't it matter? If you do I'll come here to order so you get more moola since it's all the same to me.

 

[gahrajmahal]

It's more than reasonable. Thanks for the heads up. Look forward to reading about the new space.

 

[T-Mac]

most forums are set up that way

 

[Garage Coffee Roaster]

Thanks Ryan for the loyalty to us members.

It seems that a lot of forums just become another way to display ads.




Jim

 

[Busted_Knuckles]

So Ryan, do we get a shop build thread on this project ?

I like the fact that you disclose what your up to and why. Not that you owe it to anyone, its really your personal biz..

 

[Nick Danger]

I only discovered GF this year, and it quickly became my favorite place to visit.

I'm glad you're running the forum. If you want to make a little money while doing it, that's okay by me.

 

[wdrumheller]

I'm fine with the ads for the non- logged-in folks.

I spend so much time here and get so much good advice, that I feel like it's amazing that it's free.

Do you have a paypal account we can donate to?

 

[torquepower85]

Thanks Ryan! Great job.

 

[srmofo]

So whats the shop project? Anything interesting?

 

[bentwrench54]

I think that is a great idea! Though to be honest, ads on the forum wouldn't bother me at all.

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Ryan]

Thanks for the support fellas. I appreciate it...

And, of course... the shop build will be featured here. We broke ground this week and I am REALLY excited about it!

 

[Scott H in Wheaton]

Ryan,
I enjoy your forums, do what you need to do to keep the joint running.

On another site many of the members voluntarily hit the owners PayPal with a modest donation about once a year. Oddly enough he didn't ask for it, we just all really appreciated the hard work it takes to run a CLEAN and DECENT forum were the members aren't all bashing each other. So we asked him to set up an easy way for us to say "thanks!"

 

[HOTFR8]

Noticed them on LOGIN in the last few days and even noticed some Aussie Stuff. (Fair Dinkum Sheds). You have to fund that new build some way.

 

[brucer]

Hey you gotta do what ya gotta do...

I stay logged in.

 

[Ryan]

Not gonna lie... I totally thought about just placing ads in the Free parking forum.

 

[Bronson]

 

[scotty t]

i too need some more revenue, i'm remodeling my garage. maybe i can sell ad space on my truck bumper!

 

[turnpikecrusier]

Thanks Ryan for all you do! The adds wont bother me one bit,can't wait to see the build.

 

[JimVonBaden]

Not gonna lie... I totally thought about just placing ads in the Free parking forum.

But you didn't because, as we all know, you love that section!

Jim