Internal Forum Ads

[anthony]

I will be playing around with internal forum aspects over the coming week or two in the form of advertisements. Example... forum store products, donations, etc. The only way to get things out and about is to promote them through the site, which I will be playing around with over this time. Ad sizes, designs, placements, who views them, etc.

 

[ISupportHer]

I think that is a great idea. No one likes a bunch of pop-ups or lots of ads but I think some ads for the store and donations would be a great thing, actually.

 

[anni]

I think it's a very good idea. I actually ( and genuinely ) keep forgetting there even is a store! The reminder would be a helpful nudge to tool on over there once in awhile.

 

[anthony]

I have now finalised a first and last post advertisement that is now shown to all viewers of this forum.

 

[Mina]

I think it's an excellent idea in general to promote the shop and donation portions of the site, but I'm finding the ads distracting enough that I'm having a very tough time focusing on the post itself and reading it, much less processing any content therein...it's enough to make me shy away from trying. Just my opinion, though.

 

[anthony]

People get used to these things... especially when the choices are the forum closing vs. forum remaining open. The options pretty much are:

• Internal advertising for community donations and public merchandise sales, or
• Implement Google Adsense ads throughout the entire forum (this would garnish more than monthly costs)
• Allow third party advertising from companies (this would make money)

An email from WebMD was recently ignored for partnership and migration of information into the WebMD network for everything PTSD, just as an example of what capitalisation is rejected in an attempt to keep the community as clean and internally focused as possible. I always stated I would not sell out to third party advertising, and I will keep my word on that. Saying that, the forum must raise money some way, and promote those methods, in order to remain open.

As the server loads continue to grow each year, so does the server costs. The next upgrade cost is an additional US$100 per month, minimum, which will be around the 250k post mark I estimate, maybe more, maybe less. The next upgrade I would then hope takes the forum through to the 500k post range, then the cost increases again, and so the cycle continues.

 

[Nicolette]

I would like to add that the shortfall between donations or profits from proceeds of merchandise and the cost of running the forum is worn by Anthony and myself. I have watched the forum costs increase for both server upgrades, software upgrades, enhancements and so on. It would be nice if the forum covered its running costs from donations from those who can contributing a little or from purchases of PTSD forum merchandise.

 

[anni]

I've seen sites with incredibly annoying blinking banners, scrolling, intrusive sign-up blurbs and audio anouncements badgering you to buy/contribute/give them your first born child. I'd have to say this is as unintrusive as ads could get, while still jogging my ever-vacant PTSD memory banks.

I haven't browsed the shop yet, but mean to so I can get a look at the clock. I'm so anxious about not being late(must be completely in control of myself ) that I'm a full 30 minutes early for every single thing. The idea of a PTSD theme clock is hysterical to me, although I'm not sure my husband will quite see the humour. He gets to sit around and wait, too.

 

[anthony]

Now, let me give some feedback on just how much these two ads achieve. In the last 12 hours of them being live, people who obviously didn't know the store existed, now know and have purchased. This allows me to now do more with the store, spend more time on creating unique ideas for clothing, etc... and get them implemented, as people are actually going to find the store when it is stuck in front of them. A little button at the top saying "Shop" isn't advertising.

 

[Marlene]

Anthony,

It's a good idea as it's not over-bearing or obnoxious. Although the puppy was a little cheesy and made me laugh.

Lisa

 

[Nicolette]

Although the puppy was a little cheesy and made me laugh.

Well Lisa, it was a toss up with the sad puppy or a photo of Anthony looking sad...the puppy won! lol!

 

[Marlene]

Well Lisa, it was a toss up with the sad puppy or a photo of Anthony looking sad...the puppy won! lol!

You might have had me with a picture of Anthony looking all sad and pitiful. LOL