BPL has Ads now ?

Often times (but not always), when we think we know better for others, it would behoove us (and others) to focus more on self and what self does or doesn't do. Since i am saying that as advice for others, there is a slight contradiction, the irony of which is not lost on me ;)

:P

hmmm… nevermind, you said one thing and contradicted yourself : )

How else would I hear about the brain dead simple system to cut my grocery bill by 90%?

Well, as another lowly forum-only member, I do see the ads. They've increased in number and gotten progressively more "loud" (moving, flashy, etc) over the past few days.

A few days ago there was just one non-moving ad at the top of the page. Next day, there was also one on the right side of the page below reader reviews. Then moving ads started appearing. Now there are two ads on the right side in addition to the one at the top of the page and they all have moving, flashy ads on them.

I really didn't mind the single ad, or the couple of moving ones, but it is getting a bit over the top IMO. I have no idea if they can regulate the content of the ads or whether they move, flash, etc. If this is necessary to keep BPL afloat, then I'm all for it, but geez, all things in moderation right? :)

Fight the system: https://adblockplus.org/en/firefox

I was just asking if this was something new… I don't care if this site has ads, more power to the ones that started this great site, they deserve it! To the ones that bicker about what they think others should post, and judge what people spend time talking about online- grow up.

Don't forget that this forum is the Chaff alternative. Ads have been before, Just not like now.

I didn't need it for BPL but plug-in changes the whole experience at a few other sites I visit.

I haven't watched an advertisement on youtube in years. It's glorious!

There's ads on YouTube?

> Fight the system: https://adblockplus.org/en/firefox

Well, yes, but AdBlock also kills the main pic on the BPL home page!
Unless there is a way to fix that?
Please do tell if there is!

Cheers

If a couple google ads is what is separating this site from success and death, then I dare say it's dead Jim.

Maybe Ryan should name a price and let someone with more time and money take a swing at it.

CTRL + SHIFT + V will open a pane at the bottom of the browser window with blockable items. You can manually select any item to make it hidden or not. :)

"If a couple google ads is what is separating this site from success and death, then I dare say it's dead Jim. "
About half the sites on the internet survive on Google Ads.

"Well, yes, but AdBlock also kills the main pic on the BPL home page!"

So what. I just go straight to new posts since last visit. The home page is nothing but an ad. If you get the newsletter it is redundant.

Plus one click and you can pause the ad blocker software if you think you might be missing something.

what? There's a main pic on the home page? : )

"About half the sites on the internet survive on Google Ads."

How many of those sites charge their users (content creators)? This site is an anomaly.

Without ads at BPL, would perhaps never learn of innovative bear defense devices, like Nat'l Geographic Chameleon Vision Goggles that let you "see predators coming up behind you with the mirrors on either side of the mask" —

That should wither be a headlamp, or a bra

Here is an excerpt from today's letter sent to all members.

— We've started serving third party ads through an independent advertising network to help further subsidize the costs of serving forums to the public. At this time, ads will be hidden for Lifetime Members. We are not, and do not plan to, accept advertising directly from manufacturers. This conflict of interest remains an insidious part of the outdoor industry (and consumer products as a whole), in spite of claims towards editorial integrity. I'd simply like to avoid it. We plan to test this ad network for a period of 90 days, and reevaluate at the end of that time whether the maintenance, loss of editorial space, and the humorous present of occasionally strange and goofy ads is worth the additional revenue that the ads bring in. Early results from this week do suggest that this has the potential to have a VERY positive long term impact on the financial health, and revenue diversification, of BPL, and could allow us to (1) become debt-free sooner and/or (2) reinvest the proceeds into website development initiatives.

I have a question.

Don't you have to click on an ad for the site to receive money? Or does BPL get money for just having them up?

It's complicated, but the short answer is that people actually have to click them.

Also, you can't just click them repeatedly to "hook up" BPL. Google has fancy software that detects abnormal clicks (like 10 clicks from one individual, or tons of clicks from a specific geographical area). If there are suspicious clicks, Google deducts that from a sites revenue and returns it to the advertiser. If it happens a lot that Google can terminate the ad agreement with a site without warning.

Also, if you click an ad and then close that window immediately then it doesn't pay much. It's complicated, but each ad that is displayed has a potential click value (based on competition between advertisers mostly) and then if the person who clicks it stays on that site for a while then the advertiser is charged the full amount (ie. $0.30) but if it's a short visit then the advertiser might pay half that. Then Google takes a big piece (32%) and passes the rest to the website.

I didn't get the letter….just one that said they have upgraded the customer support system. Followed by renewing my subscription.

We don't get the letters, just the announcements.

Like this one, which made me laugh today:

"We understand that there are some of you that may have urgent issues that have not yet been addressed, for which you submitted tickets into our old customer support system, which was taken offline in September."

Notice they did not specify September of which year. Well played RJ. Well played.

(PS: The depth and diversity of DandyDans interests alone make my annual subscription price worthwhile. :))

So if a person wants to help, BPL would get the most revenue if they open an ad in a new tab and leave it up for a while. Right?