Webwork - 5:02 pm on Oct 8, 2006 (gmt 0)

You all have seen them: Directories that are heavy on "featuring" (to put it mildly) Adsense, with YahooSM perhaps soon to follow. Little more than AdSense above the fold, like so many other MFA websites.

On one hand I like the Adsense model: Google handles your advertising as the aggregator, delivery system, billing system, etc. Not bad. They take their cut and all you do is post up some code. They also do a pretty good job of delivering relevant website links. (And, no, let's not turn this into an overview of Adsense, please.)

On the other hand . . . is the overuse of Adsense on many MANY directory websites going to eventually do some harm "to the industry"? Visitor: "Egads! I thought it was a directory!"

However . . . the other day I was visiting a few directory websites where I say only 1 or 2 Adsense boxes, sinle ads or 2 ads, and - to my eyes - it worked rather nicely. Focused ads. Likely the highest paying. Pages that didn't scream THIS IS ADVERTISING! Instead, the pages whispered "We're a helpful resource and there's some advertising to help pay the bills."

Is too much of a good thing a bad thing?

Are you a fan of "Adsense IS my directory!"? I somewhat doubt anyone will step up to sing those praises . . . whilst it's pretty clear the number of adherents are legion. Still . . . come out, come out whereever you are . . . and pray tell: Since "featuring Adsense" has your experience of running a directory changed?

Has the revenue from "featuring" (lots of well place, conspicuous ads) allowed you do do a better job of making the directory part of the directory 'a better thing'? I can see how that might happen.