Forum Ad Blocking Crisis: What YOU can do about it!

[Shawn Gossman]

Shawn Gossman submitted a new Article:

Forum Ad Blocking Crisis: What YOU can do about it!

The forum ad blocking crisis is ongoing. More and more internet users each day are installing add-ons and programs on their computers and browsers that will completely block advertisements on message forums, blogs and other websites. Forum owners are experiencing this crisis because they are starting to lose massive amounts of profit from their forum advertising campaigns. Forum owners will install add-ons that detect ad blocking users and post a message to them asking them to turn off ad blockers and even going as far as blocking users who use ad blockers on the forum. This growing crisis is hitting home for many forum owners all over the world and all over the internet. However, there is a solution that will completely solve this crisis for a forum owner! What is the solution? DITCH ADVERTISING!

Read more about this article here...

 

[davert]

So your solution is what? Fund drives? I didn't see “what YOU can do about it” other than “drop your ads.”

Forgive my tone if I seem challenging - I am really just asking to be sure I understand what I think I understand.

 

[Tecca]

No solutions there, just a rant about how much you dislike advertisements.

 

[mysiteguy]

When someone writes an article passing as an authority, especially putting down people for simply disagreeing with them.... question whether they have ever made any significant income from advertising. If not, take what they say about advertising with a grain of salt.

I have made a great deal of money over the years selling advertising, continue to do well (and have increased year over year for 2016). As has been the case for a long time, ads still have good returns in good niches.

The biggest key these days is diversification of income, and this includes advertising in various forms. And guess what, this has always been key! Its no different than diversification of traffic sources. If you're concerned about ad blockers, back fill with direct advertisers to users who have blockers, using techniques such as DIVs with random class names and ids so they can't be blocked. And don't overdo it with ads, it doesn't take a genius or ad authority to know this... Google has been saying the same thing since day one.

 

[KimmiKat]

One of the issues is ad networks allowing some questionable ads to go through, like those that deliver a virus, usually via Flash.

If the ad banners were kept simple, probably wouldn't be so much blocking going on.

 

[Bill Statler]

One option is to handle ads yourself, instead of farming out the task to Google or whoever. Sell banner ads directly to advertisers, set your own restrictions (e.g., no Flash!), and display them in appropriate places on your forum. If the ad is just an image hosted on your own site, I expect most ad-blockers won't be able to distinguish it from other elements being displayed on your page.

This takes some extra admin work and won't be suitable for every forum, but it brings in a little bit of cash on our forum.

 

[LukeH]

I'm with those above, I have no intention of using ad companies, as I can't control the content of them and as the article says, advertising something you've already looked at and potentially bought, defeats the purpose of advertising.

There's a few affiliate schemes within the niche I'm aiming for, so I intend on using them instead so I can control it better. I don't agree with anything too intrusive, just a footer banner and the index sidebar. Maybe something like TAZ has with a few adds at the bottom instead of just one big banner.

 

[zappaDPJ]

I'm with those above, I have no intention of using ad companies, as I can't control the content of them and as the article says, advertising something you've already looked at and potentially bought, defeats the purpose of advertising.

Retargeting is generally said to be a proven sales strategy. Customers who bounce, i.e. the majority, might well be enticed back by retargeting.

 

[SGT Oddball]

I've read the article twice now and while he says the solution is to ditch advertising, he doesn't say how I pay for my servers etc when I stop my 1.8 million daily Adx impressions? can he elaborate how to replace the revenue stream or is he just a hobbyist admin that because he has a few low traffic forums thinks he understands the business?

 

[mysiteguy]

I've read the article twice now and while he says the solution is to ditch advertising, he doesn't say how I pay for my servers etc when I stop my 1.8 million daily Adx impressions? can he elaborate how to replace the revenue stream or is he just a hobbyist admin that because he has a few low traffic forums thinks he understands the business?

He is not speaking from any significant experience with sites of any significant size (or income). Its a case of the blind leading trying to lead the blind. I'm not sure why it's even in the articles, unless the purpose is to stir up a little controversy to get people talking (which is a tried and proven technique).

 

[smirkley]

For those that actually make a profit, congrats to you. Maybe you SHOULD be considering other alternatives to support your lifestyle.

Most forums do not make a profit. And I agree that if you are in forums exclusively to make a profit, then you are in the wrong business for the wrong reasons.

I use adsense, one per page, and helps to defer costs. But none of my premium members ever see them ever.

 

[PoetJC]

I've just purchased the [rellect] AdBlock Detector [Paid] add-on and hope it will make a difference in what has become my piddly little adsense revenue. I used to make $100+ a month in the poetry niche - but this year has been dismal. I will be running ads of different varieties - testing different types of adverts, including private sponsors, in hopes of building some sort of revenue to help support the work I've been doing, as well as pay for the premium add-ons I've invested in.

As for the article. I've glanced over it. There are some valid points - but mostly it did seem a rant against advertisings. It was like being chastised for daring to make a dollar. I can appreciate the perspective, especially as a hobbiest - but meh... It'd be nice to run a forum without having to dig into your own personal funds for hosting and the like...

J.

 

[smirkley]

Everybody knows google is smart people. And everyone knows google makes billions a year off their ad services. Same with facebook, and any other adserver outfit.

Problem is the webmasters. They are the ones that try to squeeze pennies out of each eyeball movement on their pages. Forums are bad about that. Just because google says 3 adverts per page, doesnt mean you should have 3 per page.

Point is, the eyeballs are sick of it, and that is why adblockers keep getting more popular.

If you blame the adblocker users, you are missing the problem. The problem is you like squeezing the eyeballs for pennies. The eyeballs will go away eventually.

Two things...

1. I have one advert per page. I make as much as three per page. And I do use an adblocker detector, but only to serve a gentle notice.

2. Google is smart people. And they dont like not being able to sell ad serves. They will figure out a way, count on it.

 

[doubt]

2. Google is smart people. And they dont like not being able to sell ad serves. They will figure out a way, count on it.

Blocking the adblockers?
Adblockers will find the way to block the blocking adblockers...

 

[MikeDVB]

Blocking the adblockers?
Adblockers will find the way to block the blocking adblockers...

Cat and mouse game.

 

[The Sandman]

One thing that doesn't seem to help much is talking about it.

 

[MikeDVB]

One thing that doesn't seem to help much is talking about it.

That's not what the therapist said...

 

[Somniloquent]

Sell banner ads directly to advertisers, set your own restrictions (e.g., no Flash!), and display them in appropriate places on your forum.

This is exactly what we do and it works out well for us. We don't make a big profit, but we cover all our operating costs with some left over for emergencies and custom development. We only have one banner and don't allow animation, and all ads have to be related to our niche.

Also, I don't know about every ad blocker, but mine doesn't block the ads, probably because the banners are uploaded to our site.

 

[The Sandman]

That's not what the therapist said...

A little time on the couch never hurts....

 

[Digital Phoenix]

A little time on the couch never hurts....

Depends on whose couch you're on...
And what you're doing on it