Ad links

[Shadow_Ferret]

Gah! When did those appear?

Or is it just me? Did I get a trojan while I wasn't looking?

 

[Takeereasy]

It's not just you. I noticed that myself and was a bit concerned. Those links aren't my favourite things but the bills gots to get paid.

 

[Shadow_Ferret]

Yes. I'd hate this becoming a pay site, so whatever they need for the money.

I just panicked when I saw one and it flashed and disappeared on mouse-over. I thought someone had put a worm in their post and I was infected.

 

[sploo]

From floating over a link I arrived at the following explanation:

http://itxt.vibrantmedia.com/whatisIntelliTXT.asp?ipid=992

Tells you everything but how to get rid of it

 

[Audioholics]

We are testing out a new ad revenue system.

These links are helping us to keep the site going and they are not as intrusive as adding more advertising in the forms of banners, full page interstitials, and such.

Please understand that we are striving for balance and realize that we're trying to maintain some revenue sources while not introducing some of the more obnoxious "in-line" ads I'm sure you've all seen.

Even if you could disable them we'd ask that you don't - in fact, just the opposite - PLEASE CLICK ON THEM. They don't add spyware or anything negative and are one way that you can help us to provide more cool stuff.

it goes like this: 'click'... cha-ching!

 

[brian32672]

I was assuming this was the case.
So not a problem, I will click on a few here and there.
And be a happy supporter for Audioholics......

 

[gene]

Thanks Brian and all. In fact the best way everyone can help out is to support our advertisers by clicking on our banners. You may find something interesting on their landing pages too

 

[brian32672]

Yes actually one has already helped.
Clicked on one and found another dipole speaker. Not bad specs, but not exactly what I am looking for.

But this does show that they will help, if you are searching for something that you have not heard of yet....

 

[Shadow_Ferret]

Ha! I clicked on "speaker" in the above post and it sent me to something for "Keynote Speakers."

Gene, always glad to help. I was just concerned that it might be something my computer caught.

And yes, it is much less intrusive than popups or other obnoxious forms of advertising.

 

[brian32672]

Ha! I clicked on "speaker" in the above post and it sent me to something for "Keynote Speakers."

When you position the mouse over the link, it should tell you the jist of what link is. Not all speaker are going to be the same. Or other words, and they may or may not have anything to do with audio/video. Advertisers surely are allowed a few key words apiece. So look for something that might interest you.....

 

[ducker]

Ick ick ick... hate hate hate

The links are really annoying. As it is, I doubt I would click a link to go to a website(store) to purchase something from a site I've never heard of. Nearly all the links were to sites I've never herad of. ie. smaller companies looking to get additional web traffic.

Oh wait... I recognized one. Sephora for makeup. My wife's gone to that website a number of times. But I haven't... If I have, I doubt I would be thinking about my makeup needs while browsing a HT forum.

In addition every time I click on a new link/page/etc. It pauses, parses the text, and then updates the page with the http links. I just _love_ this pause I can't scroll or anything while I'm waiting for it to get the data.

I understand you need a revenue stream to support the site and the people that contribute time towards making it what it is. Hopefuly they can either improve on the links so people would actually care about them, or you'll find a differnt vehicle for revenue.

-mike

ps. to date, I think I've clicked on a couple of banner adds because I wanted to find out more information about a particular speak or company. I can't forsee having the urge to find out more about Sephora...

 

[mtrycrafts]

We are testing out a new ad revenue system.

These links are helping us to keep the site going and they are not as intrusive as adding more advertising in the forms of banners, full page interstitials, and such.

Please understand that we are striving for balance and realize that we're trying to maintain some revenue sources while not introducing some of the more obnoxious "in-line" ads I'm sure you've all seen.

Even if you could disable them we'd ask that you don't - in fact, just the opposite - PLEASE CLICK ON THEM. They don't add spyware or anything negative and are one way that you can help us to provide more cool stuff.

it goes like this: 'click'... cha-ching!

It's the least we can do to support this place

 

[sjdgpt]

Yuk.

I understand the revenue stream idea


....... but .......

The number of ad's is excessive, is causing the pages to load slower, and I even saw one for BOSE.

By the way, while I might click on an ad, I NEVER purchase products through a click.

 

[MBauer]

Still concerned about Ads

Gene, Clint, et al, I understand as the forum owners you want to maximize your revenue and I feel very strongly that the value of the site is much greater than the annoyance of the ads. My concern is that someone may think that a poster like me is endorsing those products or services.

 

[Audioholics]

We tend to doubt anyone who uses the Internet would think that hyperlinks to a store put in-line with a forum post would be generated by the poster, plus the ads themselves have a "what's this" link and the links are also different than normal hyperlinks.

There will always be exceptions but so far the benefits outweight the risks.

 

[RJB]

Clint, what criteria do you use...

Clint, what criteria do you use to determine how many links go into a posted message? Most seem to have only 2 or 3 but there are some that seem to have a dozen or more and that CAN start to be annoying after a while...

I have visited a number of the links provided and seen some interesting stuff but I don't want to have those info boxes popping up all over that place as I doodle my cursor around the screen... yea, I know...doodle less & read faster...