I am trying to decide whether to keep the single ad I have on my blog – the one over to your left there from BlogHer.
I am a big fan of BlogHer as a business and a social network, and I have been very happy to be included in their ad network. But I am getting some complaints from readers who say that the ad is doing funky things visually, and blocking folks’ ability to actually read what I’ve written.
So I am trying to decide whether to keep it.
My questions for you, blogreader, are these:
-Does the BlogHer ad on my site ever prevent you from viewing my content?
-Has there ever been a product featured in the ad that bothered/offended you in any way?
-Are you more or less likely to want to read a parenting/family life blog that features an ad? Or does that have no bearing on your readership?
-Are you more or less likely to want to read a parenting/family life blog that features compensated product reviews from the blogger? Or does that have no bearing at all on your readership?
If you feel so inclined, let me know your thoughts below.
-KAG
11 Responses to “Should the ad stay or go?”
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That ad has never blocked my view of your posts. I don’t ever even look at it, on your blog or anyone else’s that I read.
Visually, I’ve not had any trouble with the ad, and I’ve enjoyed some articles the ad has referenced.
I don’t really pay attention to it. I think there has been a couple of times that it goes across your text but I just click on the “x” and it goes away.
Visually it doesn’t bother me but I suspect that it’s the reason your blog takes so loooooooooong to load on my blackberry. If I didn’t like you, I’d stop coming! I pull up your site and walk away so it can load. It takes longer than any other site I visit, including my gossip site!
1) It’s never caused a viewing problem.
2) I never look at it, so I can’t answer your next 2 questions.
3) As long as the compensated reviews are clearly identified, so I can skip them, I don’t care.
I’ve never had a problem viewing the Blogher ad or your posts. Looks as it should. Nothing offensive about it. I don’t click the ads.
On the other hand Babble has been running Similac banners and side ads for formula on your Babble blog. I find that annoying.
But that is another whole issue.
the ad doesn’t bother me but compensated/paid reviews get annoying. nobody ever writes a really critical review so 90% of the blogs that post reviews end up feeling like reviews of this sort: “I used this item several times and I think it’s pretty darn neat, here are all of its features and benefits, if you want to win one post a comment on this post” blah blah blah.
I trust more reviews/recommendations from folks of stuff that they found themselves and use for themselves over a period of time, not stuff that they just tried for the sake of trying because they got it for free or whatever. just my opinion.
nope, it does not bug me.
1. Nope, it’s never blocked my view of the blog or prevented me from seeing anything. (I do use Firefox and have a bit of a suspicion that most people that might have a problem like you are talking about might use Internet Explorer…which nobody should be using anymore these days anyway.)
2. Nope, nothing’s ever bothered me but due to the work I do, I’m kind of immune to advertising anyhow so I don’t notice much as a general rule. Every once in a while something will catch my eye and register but not usually. Whatever has – no, no offense.
3. I’m not a parent so I don’t read your blog or any other parenting/family life blog for those reasons anyway, I just read because they’re interesting or a good writer (or, in your case, in Knoxville).
4. Wouldn’t have any bearing even if I was a parent – like I said, I’m immune to most advertising anyway and hardly notice it when it’s there.
I’ve never had a technical problem, whether using my mac or pc, using firefox or IE.
The ads haven’t bothered me at all.
No problem loading content.
I’m in BlogHerAds too.
Today I had one for baby bottles which I didn’t know about.
You can opt out of ads that you don’t like.
I did opt out of a vaccine ad once.
When I signed up I asked to never put ads for formula on my blog.