Login Reminder / and Ads

[tfreer85]

Been a member here since 2004. I miss the old days spending hours upon hours here actively reading.

 

Got the email "hey you haven't logged in for a while". Happily reset the password to see what's been going on. Was low-key excited to be back.

 

Immediate disappointment: Most of my screen is ads. Not just static ads, not just ads inline, ads that actively are fighting me using the site.

 

Common bitch? Probably. Way to make money to keep the site alive? Most likely. I get ads are a guarantee these days, but the site is borderline unusable on mobile because of it.

[jhm]

Glad to have you back....sorry about the ads.  You are correct in your assumption that they're necessary for the revenue they bring in.  Member donations have steeply dropped off the last few years; so the forum ads are a necessary evil, but maybe your web browser's inherent capabilities to control/block pop-ups, etc. can help.

Best,

[tfreer85]

Thanks jhm — appreciate the honest response, and totally understand the bind.

 

Obviously, I'm shooting in the dark here.  I don't know the traffic, active users, new users etc. 

 

Firstly: you are correct, ad block exists. I could do something like that for mobile too just like desktop versions. 

 

Out of curiosity, has there ever been any thought toward a paid ad-free tier? Honestly, if it was under $5-10 a month I'd sign up today, I pay $9 a month to Skooler.com, I've used it once, but have never bothered to cancel the membership. Feels like there might be others who'd rather pay a small amount than fight the ads, not a one time donation, but an a subscription and a badge.

 

Are the ads currently through something like AdSense, or do you have any direct vendor relationships? I can't help but notice a Ford Mustang dealership ad on a 280ZX forum and wonder if there's a more Z-relevant way to fill that space.

 

Not trying to armchair quarterback, just genuinely want to see this place thrive.

 

Self Acknowledgment: these things could have been tried during my time away and that is on me. 

[jhm]

4 hours ago, tfreer85 said:

Out of curiosity, has there ever been any thought toward a paid ad-free tier? Honestly, if it was under $5-10 a month I'd sign up today, I pay $9 a month to Skooler.com, I've used it once, but have never bothered to cancel the membership. Feels like there might be others who'd rather pay a small amount than fight the ads, not a one time donation, but an a subscription and a badge.

 

I honestly don't know if we've ever tried anything like that; but it certainly sounds worth considering.  I'm relatively new to the Admin group, so I'm happy to kick it up the chain of command for their consideration.  Thanks for the suggestion!  👍