New dbl underlined ad words are real pain

[RhinoBull]

I totally understand why you need them but I also think that you won't gain much of new members either (if you manage to do that you may have troubles keeping them loyal).
All you can see on the entire page are those dbl underlined... And they are everywhere - it's difficult to read threads, single posts and even posted code.
Extremly annoying (to say the least) ads are popping up practically everywhere you move your mouse.
There must be better way...

... enough said ...

[MartinLiss]

For what it's worth, I agree wholeheartedly.

[Nightwalker83]

I also agree with RhinoBul! Weren't they single line at one stage?

[brad jones]

The double underlined words are similar to what we were doing with a single underline, only we are using a different system to serve the ads at this point. There are actually a number of rules we set up (and that I've been quick to hit our ad people with so that they make sure they don't abouse this). This includes a limiited number of words that can be highlighted on a page (so on a displayed thread). I believe the max was no more than 8, although it might be one or two less than this. There was also a rule at one point that no word could be selected to be ad linked more than twice. That can also help reduce the number of words being tagged.

If you see more than 8 words double underlined on a single page, let me know either in a thread here, by emailing the webmaster@ address, or emailing me direct.

Brad!

[techgnome]

For what it's worth:
1) The phrase "entire page" in RB's posting was ad worded... ???
2) I like the double underline as it makes it clear it's an ad and not a link the poster supplied.
3) The only time I have an issue with it is on the New Post search results.. .alot of the prefixes (especially the VB ones) get the ad treatment... resulting in a page full of links, making it a little harder to pick out some of the threads.
4) #3 is my only complaint... so far, I haven't noticed any performance degradation like we got before, I also haven't noticed any of the oddities that others have reported.

-tg

[MartinLiss]

I also prefer the double underline.

[akhileshbc]

I think, you should mention that in the top of the page, about the ad style.
I mean, you have to notify it to the user that those double underlined words are just Ad links. Otherwise, they may think that it's a part of the solution that other members had posted to his query/thread.

This is just a suggestion.
Most of the users might be able to distinguish them, but may be the newbies and those who are from other countries (with English as not the second language), will be having a problem with those Ad links... !
...

[gep13]

I have to agree with tg and Marty, the double underline are definitely are improvement, and I also think I prefer the look of the new popups, compared to the last ones. Ideally, we would have none, but I realize that there is a need for them.

The one thing that I would say is that is there any way to limit the highlighted keywords to be within forum posts? When you see them on the main page, within the description of the forum, it is a little off putting.

Gary

[techgnome]

This is almost too much... I think some one isn't getting their money's worth ...
1) Really? "Search Results" is getting ad worded?
2) A lot of the ads that I accidentally mouse over (like in the case of Search Results in the image) will result in the same thing: "{insert ad word(s) here}. Find Amazing Info and Services here!" ... come to think of it... I'm not even sure I even seen a read ad yet... just the same junk one.

I realize that VBF isn't in control of the ads, but I'd like to think there was SOME kind of rational behind some of these odd associations. On the other hand, money in is money in...

-tg

[brad jones]

techgnome -

Joe and I are making comments internally. Thanks for posting your feedback here as we are reflecting it to the right people.

Brad!

[Lord Orwell]

Constructive feedback: Can it be changed so that if we DO click on one, it opens a new tab instead of navigating away from the page i'm reading?
Can we have the adwords links NOT be the same color as a regular link?

Negative experience: It's using adobe flash, and the second one i actually clicked on locked up my entire browser forcing a browser restart. I am using flash 10.1 and firefox 3.6.6 on this system. It was a right-click. I was looking for an "open in new tab" option on the ad itself.

[LaVolpe]

Another annoying side effect. If you happen to roll over double lined links and popup activates, it can prevent accessing links behind/under it.

Look at this screenshot. Cannot click the "VB Forums" or "Visual Basic" links under/behind the popup. At least the popup does close when you move your mouse off of it for a couple seconds.


P.S. I do agree that double underlines are less confusing with non-ad links.

[techgnome]

I had the menu in my user control panel hijacked... I noticed as I was moving to a new page, and when I tried to go back, it wouldn't do it again... but a few of the items in the menu on the left, where the menu is, sported the double underline.

-tg

[brad jones]

you can always click the little close X in the corner of the dialog.....

Brad!

[brad jones]

.... or .....
to learn more about the Kontera ads, click the ?..... And read the entire pages.

Brad!
(I'll deny this post, but you'll want to give me a positive rating if you follow my advice....)

[Pradeep1210]

I have no complaints, but just a query:

When does VBForums gain money from these advertisement links?
Just by just putting ads on the page,
or when someone mouse-overs over them and advertisement really appears in popup box,
or when someone clicks inside the popup box and the advertisement website page opens.

[Pradeep1210]

I wonder how Brad's signature is appearing in some posts in this thread and missing in others?
Can we conditionally turn on/off our signatures for some posts? Or maybe the rules are different for admins

[brad jones]

I wonder how Brad's signature is appearing in some posts in this thread and missing in others?
Can we conditionally turn on/off our signatures for some posts? Or maybe the rules are different for admins

There is a checkbox below the entry box when posting an article (in advanced mode). That checkbox lets you turn on or off your signature for a post. I tend to turn mine off if I've already had it posted in a thread a time or two...

You can also check to disable smilies, etc.

Brad!

[Pradeep1210]

There is a checkbox below the entry box when posting an article (in advanced mode). That checkbox lets you turn on or off your signature for a post. I tend to turn mine off if I've already had it posted in a thread a time or two...

You can also check to disable smilies, etc.

Brad!

Great

I had never paid attention to this feature, though I have posted more than 5000 posts till now.

[gep13]

Brad, did you see Pradeeps other question? I would be interested in this answer as well.

Thanks

Gary

[brad jones]

Brad, did you see Pradeeps other question?

Yes I saw the other question.

There are some questions that from a business perspective, shouldn't be publicly answered as they are proprietary. How a site makes money would be one of those.

There are different systems we are currently using to display the ad links as well as various systmes for making money. There are different payment structures with those. With most QuinStreet programs, we pay for results. We don't make money for underlining words. The revenue requires a further action.

This is a it of a vague answer. If you want a more specific answer, then you'd need to be interested in selling something through out sites, in which case I could connect you to a sales person who would be happy to tell you how we can promote your product(s) and at what costs.

Brad!

[gep13]

Ah ok, fair point.

[Pradeep1210]

I was just asking like if I hover my mouse over one of those ad links and the popup opens should I click inside the popup or not; I mean does clicking there benefits our site or not.

[techgnome]

And that's what Brad was trying to say.... he can't tell us because that's not really any of our bee's wax... and quite really, it really shouldn't matter how the company makes its money... as long as they are keeping the lights on.

Speaking in broad general terms though ... there's several different ways it can be structured... I know in terms of things like banner ads, you can get paid for the number of times an ad is served up (shown to a user)... usually these campaigns are a set $$$ for a guaranteed number of showings.... I might agree to show your ad 100 times over the next 10 days, for say $5. They tend to be low volume, but highly focused - their revenue generation varies. Others will only pay if there is a click through - Google Ads work this way. When some one clicks an ad served up by Google Ads, the site gets $0.03 - those are click thru deals. They rely on high volume and relevancy. If that click thru then results in a sale, sometimes there's an additional kick back to the site, say an additional $0.25 (depending on the value of the sale). With AdWords... it probably gets a little more complicated... I imagine that there's probably some combination of "show X number of ad words, we'll pay you $y.... for an ad that's viewed (because a user moused over it), there's an additional $0.05.... and for a click thru, yet another additional $0.15" ... NOTE / DISCLAIMER - I do not work for VBF, it's affiliates, parent company or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries or any of the advertisers... this is based SOLELY on my previous experience of having to deal with ads and web sites and marketing campaigns. Some of it is conjecture and may not reflect reality, either in part or in whole. I am not a lawyer, nor do I even pretend to play one on TV. Batteries not included. Tax, title and documentation fees not included. Results may vary. MPG based on averages from EPA testing.

-tg

[brad jones]

First (to Pradeep's point) - Yes, the ad links will benefit this site or we won't have them very long.....

Techgnome is describing standard web based, revenue models. There is cost per display, cost per clicks, cost per actions, cost per leads, and a variety of other revenue models that web sites employ. Each have different cost structures. QuinStreet (VBForums parent company) uses all these models and more.

(So I should add.... if you have a product to sell or market, our sales team can help figure out which method is best for you and on which of our sites.)

Brad!

[.paul.]

these ads in the code boxes + the quote boxes still aren't working properly.
here's a screenshot of how it is + how it should be:

[RhinoBull]

According to Brad and Joe's responds in this thread unerlined ad words should no longer appear in the code boxes (I hope the same applies to quotes as well).

[brad jones]

Quotes are not excluded. It is harder to justify removing them from quotes.....

[RhinoBull]

But what about code boxes?

[brad jones]

If Joe can add the changes, then keeping them out of code boxes makes sense.

[RhinoBull]

Thanks Brad (and Joe).

[RhinoBull]

Sorry to bring this up once more but... Can they (the ads) be delayed by 1 extra second, please?
The problem is that it pops up almost instantaneously and then follows the mouse pointer (this part is more annoying than delay itself) so when you are ready to click on desired link you may instead hit the ad instead.
I realize that it could be the "ultimate goal" (and your bosses most certainly like that ) but it gets everybody else annoyed.

I'd appreciate if you can do something about it.

[techgnome]

"follows the mouse pointer" -- ??? Really? That's a new trick! I haven't seen that happen to me yet. *crosses fingers, lights a candle and sacrifices a goat*

-tg

[brad jones]

I've not seen the ads move beyond the relative position to the underlined word. What browser are you using when you see this?

And no, the ultimate goal is not to get you to inadvertently click an ad you aren't interested in.

Brad!

[Pradeep1210]

Where are those ads with double-underline?
I haven't seen them for quite a while now. I only see the ads on the top of the page.

[Pradeep1210]

Where are those ads with double-underline?
I haven't seen them for quite a while now. I only see the ads on the top of the page.

Sorry.. they are on top of page and bottom of page.
But no inline double-underlined words.

[JPnyc]

Now that you mention it, I don't see them either.

[techgnome]

They come and go... I did get one to follow me for a little while, if my mouse happens to be quickly moving when it hits one of the links, it tries to follow my cursor ... not usually very far. I did notice that when I intentionally mouse over a link, there's a slight movement to it, like it's placing itself near the cursor location (instead of basing it off of the link's location) when it appears, so it may be related to that.

-tg

[.paul.]

the double-underline ads are appearing in the code boxes again + they do seem to follow the mouse sometimes

[MartinLiss]

Sorry to bring this up once more but... Can they (the ads) be delayed by 1 extra second, please?
The problem is that it pops up almost instantaneously and then follows the mouse pointer (this part is more annoying than delay itself) so when you are ready to click on desired link you may instead hit the ad instead.
I realize that it could be the "ultimate goal" (and your bosses most certainly like that ) but it gets everybody else annoyed.

I'd appreciate if you can do something about it.

Now that you mention it, I don't see them either.

Now you've done it