What's with the Google Ads?

DavidB · 10-05-06, 09:59

By now most of you will have noticed the Google Ads. If you didn't... please do!

Let me explain the purpose of the Google Ads and get your feedback.

First of foremost, the Autopia.org site is increasingly expensive to run:

-- Later this year we need to upgrade (again) to a larger/faster server.

-- The Moderators are given benefits for their effort.

-- Software maintenance and upgrade costs.

While we have several advertisers (thank you!) who cover some of these costs, the financial benefit the community offers is received by dozens of product makers and sellers. Many of these organizations advertise with Google. The Google Ad Sense program allows us to share in the advertising revenue (each time you click one of these ads, Autopia.org gets paid).

Finally, later this month we will introduce an Autopia.org Sweepstakes (contest) that gives the winner(s) a gift certificate to go shopping. The Moderators and I are still working on the rules and gift. Autopia.org Sweepstakes will be funded 100% by the Google Ads.

Your thoughts and feedback are welcome.

db

D3mon · 10-05-06, 10:10

Be careful about 'soliciting' clicks in this way. Google are very hot on this and people have been ejected from the Adsense system for far less. A thorough read of the and terms and conditions is advisable.

DavidB · 10-05-06, 10:12

Good point. I'm simply letting folks know why we added Google.

Joshua312 · 10-05-06, 10:35

I don't find them *too* annoying...but hey if it helps out Autopia I'm sure we can all live with the ads. I would be more than willing to pay a $2-5 membership a year for autopia...With all the users we have here look at how much money alone that would make. Guests could still be able to browse, etc...but members *who want to be included* could pay the $2 or $5 a year and would be automatically entered into a contest to win something once a month or something. Just a thought....

DavidB · 10-05-06, 10:39

Josh,

We discussed that previously, and most members said "no way" to membership fees. My general thinking is that the organizations who benefit should help support. Advertisers want us to find them and Google makes it possible for us to share in the revenue. It's a win-win-win.

db

Danase · 10-05-06, 11:12

Being a fellow forum and e-store owner I don't have a problem with them at all. I know the cost can get heavty.

Pats300zx · 10-05-06, 11:33

I think the new Google ads are a great addition and will be a benefit to the forum. I just noticed the Google ad on the home page and its the perfect size. Its not too overbearing and fits in great. Its a win/win situation for Autopia and its members will certainly reap the benefits...

Surfer · 10-05-06, 02:07

Adsense, kinda iffy on, seemed good in the beginning but now I talked to too many people who wasted a ton of money. They seem to change the rules and how the system works friggen daily. And then out of nowhere they can (and will suspend your account), happened toa few friends. I thought about doing it for mine and my partners business (Real Estate Finance and Investments) but not sure. You could end up a witha ton of clicks and a nice big ol' bill to pay. Plus like said above if they decide your "soliciting" the clicks for yourself, like akick back I guess you could say, bam, there goes your account (even if you really weren't).

Check some of the online marketing forums as there is some good info on Adsense and how to get around certain things.

02ZTSfocus · 10-05-06, 03:27

I don't mind the ad's at all, I'm just glad that they aren't positioned in between posts like some other forums do. If they help pay for this awesome site then they are fine by me.

If you did setup a system where users could pay a certain amount to remove the ads I would be more than willing to pay. Of course there should probably some other perks to paying members, but you get the idea.

DavidB · 10-05-06, 03:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Surfer

Adsense, kinda iffy on, seemed good in the beginning but now I talked to too many people who wasted a ton of money. They seem to change the rules and how the system works friggen daily. And then out of nowhere they can (and will suspend your account), happened toa few friends. I thought about doing it for mine and my partners business (Real Estate Finance and Investments) but not sure. You could end up a witha ton of clicks and a nice big ol' bill to pay. Plus like said above if they decide your "soliciting" the clicks for yourself, like akick back I guess you could say, bam, there goes your account (even if you really weren't).

Check some of the online marketing forums as there is some good info on Adsense and how to get around certain things.

My business (The Perfect Shine, LLC) is a Google AdWords advertiser. My AdWords go into many different communities like Autopia. For the most part, the Good AdWords program works well for me.

More than 60% of the car forum communities I looked at (I have a database of 650 car community forums) use the Google AdSense program to generate advertising income. It's very popular.

We (Autopia.org) have a Google AdSense representative out of New York. I have been on the phone with him several times over the past few weeks. I don't believe we are doing anything that is outside the Google AdSense program rules. We are not soliciting members to click on ads to generate income for the site. We are believing that Google AdWords advertisers who are in car care and car accessory related businesses want to reach our members and our members want to know about related products and services. This creates a win-win-win situation.

Surfer · 10-05-06, 04:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidB

My business (The Perfect Shine, LLC) is a Google AdWords advertiser. My AdWords go into many different communities like Autopia. For the most part, the Good AdWords program works well for me.

More than 60% of the car forum communities I looked at (I have a database of 650 car community forums) use the Google AdSense program to generate advertising income. It's very popular.

We (Autopia.org) have a Google AdSense representative out of New York. I have been on the phone with him several times over the past few weeks. I don't believe we are doing anything that is outside the Google AdSense program rules. We are not soliciting members to click on ads to generate income for the site. We are believing that Google AdWords advertisers who are in car care and car accessory related businesses want to reach our members and our members want to know about related products and services. This creates a win-win-win situation.

Yea, something like this business it would pry work decently for. In my actuall business, not many have had luck with it. Same with Pay-Per-Click.

DavidB · 10-16-06, 10:19

After a two week test I decided to remove Google Ads. I kept seeing the same 10 ads and the revenue was laughable.