Forum Moderators: phranque
I am simply reporting my experience.
Many people consider their browser settings to be their business. You may feel they are wrong - but that does not change the facts.
If it gives you a buzz to insult the messenger, - buzz away ;)
Whenever I see an ad that slips through I'm just like "haha I guess it doesn't block that kind".
There's no way for me to know if a website is deliberately using methods to get around adblocking... now is there?
Q is right in my book.
And I don't block ads (though have been severely tempted to 127.0.0.1 some CJ domains in my /etc/hosts from time to time) but I do block pop-ups.
If you try and coerce me, I will resist, just like the wind vs sun Aesop tale... This is common behaviour IMHO, at least for those of us who resist being walked over for someone else's gain.
Rgds
Damon
[edited by: DamonHD at 4:47 pm (utc) on Sep. 2, 2007]
Maybe so ... but this thread is really focusing on the folk who CHOOSE to use adblocking; they seem to be the ones inducing panic around here.
As you are using adblocking against your will, your view is unlikely to fully represent the views of those who choose to block. Surely?
Let's face it, if all these folk are not really upset by seeing ads slip through ... why would they go to the bother of setting up adblocking in the first place?
And if no-one feels that strongly, why are so many folk so determined to override their wishes?
There seems to be a logic breakdown here ... maybe even a Homer Simpson Moment ;)
There's no way to know what their adblocking software can and cannot block, and there's no way to know if a website is taking deliberate measures to get around that.
Take Norton Antivirus' software packages, the default setting is to turn the ads off. The user didn't even consciously make the decision to block the ads, the user bought the package to prevent adware and spyware and viruses that might infect their computer. Who buys Norton Antivirus with the sole purpose of blocking online ads?
Norton Antivirus develops tools for what they think the consumers want, and so ad networks and website owners develop ways around it. It's a continous cycle that's going to keep happening into the future.
After all, no one does something for free, when they can make some money on the side with it.
I don't know that anyone will have to do things for free unless they want to. In your case if your earnings are not where you would like them I would look at other things besides just ad blocking software, it could be the content could be improved or it could be that you aren't getting enough traffic, perhaps the site is too narrowly niched to get enough traffic.
Now having said all that if you decide that it really is the ad blocking software that is the true problem, then you can always switch to a monthly subscription model. If the content is as good as you say you will make money this way. You might even be able to do a hybrid where where the "good stuff" is by subscription only and the "not so good stuff" is free, but has ads served up.
The fact is ad blockers are becoming more wide spread every year. I don't think it is a trend that is going to go away. Trying to find ways to "force feed" ads to people is only going to make them try even harder to find solutions to block them. I doubt that this trend will eliminate the Internet as we know it, but it may change the way business models are used. After all TV and radio haven't gone away despite tons of people getting up and getting pop during TV commercials and others changing radio stations once a commercial block comes on.
Take Norton Antivirus' software packages
Personally, I do not want the pay-per-click ads blocked as I often will find something I am looking for by clicking a sponsored ad at Google, Yahoo, or MSN. So for me, the ones from those three companies are acceptable and useful, as long as they load quickly -- which their's always do.
...............................
If you try and coerce me, I will resist, just like the wind vs sun Aesop tale... This is common behaviour IMHO, at least for those of us who resist being walked over for someone else's gain.
On the other side of the coin, freeloading visitors are willing to walk all over the website owner in order to gain his content. Can you blame the webmaster for resisting?
No, unless you put up a subscription model that locks out users that don't pay, you can't have it both ways, eg apparently free-to-access to SE bots and users but not actually free.
Decide what you want that works within the HTTP/HTML model, but don't complain about being unable to enforce some "third way" that just doesn't fit the technical or security model.
Rgds
Damon
No, unless you put up a subscription model that locks out users that don't pay
If I was creating a model where I make money off subscriptions and ad revenue, why wouldn't I want to lock out users that don't pay? I would give good stuff to subscribers who paid and not so good stuff to the people that will never pay, but I would serve that up with ads outside the protected area. Why wouldn't I be able to do both of those on the same site?
