Author Topic: Foreground pop-up ad (Read 1734 times)

magooch · « **on:** July 18, 2010, 06:14:39 AM »

I know this website has to make money, but after we've acknowledged the pop-up (the new foreground versions), there ought to be a way of getting them out of the way. Can this be done?

Hairtrigger · « **Reply #1 on:** July 18, 2010, 06:31:12 AM »

By clicking the close button on the right.

Yes..... it is all about $$$

magooch · « **Reply #2 on:** July 18, 2010, 06:39:42 AM »

The problem is that if there is a close box, it is off the screen and the add cannot be moved, nor scrolled. The right click menu does not provide a close selection either.

WylieKy · « **Reply #3 on:** July 18, 2010, 07:19:51 AM »

There is a little "x" in a box in the upper right hand corner of the add that you can use to close it out.

victorcharlie · « **Reply #4 on:** July 18, 2010, 08:19:09 AM »

Mozilla Firefox with the no script plugin.

Matt · « **Reply #5 on:** July 18, 2010, 09:32:54 AM »

Folks, I know they are a pain but we are getting about four times what the other banners of theirs pay when they are displayed. We display 3.1 million pages a month... that adds a lot of dollars to our monthly income for GBO which more than triples it and in a time when we need it really bad. If it does not pan out and pay us what we are expecting and have been told we will make, then they will go away but until then lets see what happens. For those who hate ads there are many ways around them to include becoming a GBO Subscriber which removes ALL ads from GBO for you. We have to pay the bills somehow so unless some of you are willing to start footing the bills why not just hit the close button after it comes up and continue on surfing the site. Now if you are running 800x600 like GB yes it is a REAL PITA but based on our analytics software that is only a handful of people, less than 1% of the members.

Matt

southernutah · « **Reply #6 on:** July 18, 2010, 09:52:43 AM »

doesn't bother me I'm just glad to be here. If ya don't like it --O-well

Swampman · « **Reply #7 on:** July 18, 2010, 09:57:31 AM »

It makes my screen jump all over the place but I can live with it.

Graybeard · « **Reply #8 on:** July 18, 2010, 12:50:37 PM »

If like me you use screen resolution of 800x600 then yes the close button is off the screen to the right so ya can't close it. We will work on that and see if it's possible to better center it. Any higher numbers for screen resolution above 800x600 it should be centered and the close button should show.

It appears to me that any given member should not see the ad more than perhaps 4 or 5 times per day. I saw it about that yesterday and then it never came back up. Today I've seen it a total of four times and don't expect to see it again.

That is both a good and a bad thing of course. It's good in that you shouldn't see it very much but bad in that we're not likely to get the revenue we were kinda sorta promised.

Now for workarounds for those of us who can't close it I suggest you try this. Since you shouldn't see it more than 4-5 times daily just refresh the screen and it will go away and you'll still be where you were to read. You can of course as has already been suggested become a GBO Subscriber and see no ads at all. Yeah I know that means the site isn't free. Sorry but the facts of life are ya can't have your cake and eat it too.

The cost to run this site is a bunch and it all comes from my check book so I must have income to cover what I spend and for the time and effort we put in we expect a modest profit as well. In the first several years of site existence I footed the bills from my own funds and didn't even begin to approach breaking even on it until 3-4 years or so ago. I truly wish it were possible to run the site with no outside revenue but I'm retired and on a limited income and in debt such that not having the site make money is just not a reality. If I were rich you'd have to see no ads and I'd even have some annual get together at no cost to the folks who came. I'm NOT tho so this is the facts of life. Most if not all the other sites such as this one deal with this same company and get a large share of their revenue from them. This is the newest revenue producer they have introduced and it's new to them just like us and is still being tweaked to what will be the final product. We are one of the first to take advantage of it but rest assured since these ads pay at a rate of about four times what the other banners of theirs pay a whole lot more sites will be jumping on board to dispaly them as well.

If you are seeing them more than say 4 or 5 times daily I'd like to hear about it as I'm not. If ya can't put up with seeing them that few times a day then man yer picky. Truly they are obnoxious on my screen as it takes up almost a full quarter of my screen at 800x600 resolution but I see it so few times per day I can live with that. If you use a higher resolution then you can close them as soon as you wish or click them as you wish.

Spirithawk · « **Reply #9 on:** July 18, 2010, 02:02:40 PM »

Ya gotta do what ya gotta do Mr. Graybeard sir. Way I look at it we're all just guests here and you don't stay a welcome guest in someones home if you keep complaining about how it's decorated. I've got way too many serious problems to be worrying about a sometimes seen pop-up.

squirrellluck · « **Reply #10 on:** July 18, 2010, 06:04:21 PM »

No biggie I'm just glad it wasn't my computer doing it

teamnelson · « **Reply #11 on:** July 18, 2010, 09:11:39 PM »

Probably about 90%+ of my time here on GBO is done on a mobile device (iTouch) and the ads show up as a gray bar with no content smack in the middle of the screen. Have to scroll right to find the x. No biggie, but if the code for your ad pop-up has mobile script, you might consider turning it on.

But having once been a program director for about a thousand branded sites, this is a far better option for revenue than subscription folks. If it helps revenue, I will click on at least one ad a day

Thanks GB, Matt et al for all you do!

magooch · « **Reply #12 on:** July 19, 2010, 04:09:19 AM »

I just figured out how to defeat the pop-up ad without changing the resolution. At the bottom of my screen is a sizing device. The default is 100%; I click it to 50% and then there is a little x-box. Click it and the pop-up is gone; then I click back to 100%. The old three click fix.

Savage .250 · « **Reply #13 on:** July 19, 2010, 04:11:46 AM »

Good thing I read all the comments.

Conan The Librarian · « **Reply #14 on:** July 19, 2010, 05:59:29 AM »

The site needs to advertise. This stuff ain't free. It takes a lot of time and equipment to make something like this happen. Hopefully there's a decent profit too. I think the ads are tastefully done, unlike some of the ads that dominate sites like Weather.com where you have to get rid of a whole screen full of stuff or popup windows, etc. Popups are annoying, but if it's a good source of revenue and it doesn't scare away the users, then it should be used as an advertising tool.

jdinil · « **Reply #15 on:** July 19, 2010, 12:47:47 PM »

Four or five times a day? I have seen it pop up at least a dozen times in the last 30 minutes!

Graybeard · « **Reply #16 on:** July 19, 2010, 02:22:19 PM »

Yes what you are now seeing is new this afternoon to me. I didn't see it this morning. Here is a longer comment I've made in several places regarding it. Bottom line is it will not be allowed to continue like it is now. Either Matt will fix it tonight or I'll have the folks running it fix it tomorrow.

Quite honestly I dunno what's going on with them. They are NOT supposed to be doing what they are doing on my screen this afternoon. I'll speak to OSH again tomorrow about them. We have an agreement that they won't show up often enough to become a nusiance and they clearly know that if they show too often it has the opposite effect of what they are hoping it will have. To be honest I thought those were gonna show only on the Home page and that on the forums we'd only have the 728x90 banner that floats at the bottom of page which on most screen resolutions is not that obtrusive tho on my 800x600 it is a serious PITA.

Now on the pop up that is now showing this afternoon. How big is it on your screens is it just a kinda small thing or does it dominate the screen? On 800x600 that I run it is dominating the screen and I have already seen it at least a dozen times. No one is supposed to see either type more than about 3-4 times a day.

For sure I'll be discussing it with them tomorrow. Matt maybe able to do something himself. It's new to us and we're still trying to figure it out. It's also brand new to OSH who is a contractor ad seller. They buy space from GBO and hundreds of other outdoor related sites and they resell the space to big advertisers who would never deal with a smaller site like us. They provide the majority of our total income and quite frankly without them we don't make enough money to keep the site running.

Still what I'm seeing this afternoon is NOT acceptable and will be dealt with. That ad is paying us some serious bucks but we cannot allow it to be such a PITA that it runs folks off. We will deal with it. I'm not allowed to discuss the specifics of our compensation but suffice to say that particular ad pays at least five to six times as much per 1000 than any other ad they have on GBO and vastly more than our other advertisers pay us.

Bear with us a day or two. Matt just walked in and said "he thinks" that's one he can alter the frequency of display on and if so he will adjust it to a more reasonable level tonight. It's making us a bunch of bucks but we can't have it showing so often it runs folks off.

teamnelson · « **Reply #17 on:** July 19, 2010, 02:52:59 PM »

All of a sudden a young lady with a drawn bow popped up on my screen recommending I buy a Chevy! The Close X on that one blended in with the GBO background but she left after a few clicks. Mike Waddell hopped up on the next page and showed me his new truck, but the close x on that one was in black so easy to find. I'd say its about 480x320 right now.

WayneS · « **Reply #18 on:** July 19, 2010, 04:00:57 PM »

one PU when I logged on, had to let it run about half way before the close X came up, another PU, when I opened the Contender classifieds site, got the close X after the little chickie gave her speal, same thing when I opened the cast bullet section, opened the Ask Verl site and got only the vocal ,but also got the X
Going tovideo ads are turned off on the forums for now though they are still on the homepage

video ads are turned off on the forums for now though they are still on the homepage
Matt
Thank you, when I came back there weren't any, didn't think they would accept that I had seen them before

again, THANK YOU

Matt · « **Reply #19 on:** July 19, 2010, 04:02:49 PM »

video ads are turned off on the forums for now though they are still on the homepage

Matt

williamlayton · « **Reply #20 on:** July 19, 2010, 04:11:18 PM »

Leave 'em on---make some money. That don't make you a bad person.
I even read 'em on occasion.
Blessings

Hairtrigger · « **Reply #21 on:** July 19, 2010, 05:01:18 PM »

Just don't click on the ad.... advertisers will not keep paying when they see no results

Matt · « **Reply #22 on:** July 19, 2010, 05:08:34 PM »

Quote from: Hairtrigger on July 19, 2010, 05:01:18 PM

Just don't click on the ad.... advertisers will not keep paying when they see no results

Thats great advise if you want GBO to go under

Matt

teamnelson · « **Reply #23 on:** July 19, 2010, 05:11:09 PM »

yeah, they pay per click, and if they don't sell off that ad but you clicked on it then it helps them shape their ad campaign. Click away on the ones that you like, help them tailor their ads and they'll keep using GBO for a test site even if we don't buy Chevys.

searlock · « **Reply #24 on:** July 19, 2010, 05:15:47 PM »

I came to this site because I bought a new handi that was a piece of crap and needed info. I got the handi fixed and got rid of it but stayed here for the other info I get. I use you sponsers and when I do I let them know I found them at greybeard. Mueller and midsouth come to mind quickly. I will continue to support this site. Searlock

Hairtrigger · « **Reply #25 on:** July 19, 2010, 05:33:46 PM »

Quote from: Matt on July 19, 2010, 05:08:34 PM

Quote from: Hairtrigger on July 19, 2010, 05:01:18 PM
Just don't click on the ad.... advertisers will not keep paying when they see no results

Thats great advise if you want GBO to go under

Matt

None of the other high quality gun forums need them what is different here?
remember when there was ads by google?

williamlayton · « **Reply #26 on:** July 20, 2010, 02:55:27 AM »

Somebody has got too foot the bills Hairtrigger.
I really don't know of a sight that does not cater too sponsors.
I read ads.
Blessings

Conan The Librarian · « **Reply #27 on:** July 20, 2010, 04:11:46 AM »

I never thought of the pay per click thing. I'll just click 'em so they renew their subscription.

jdinil · « **Reply #28 on:** July 20, 2010, 04:57:22 AM »

I'm glad Matt and Graybeard are working on a better solution. I don't mind the ads at all until they become a real nuisance like they were yesterday, In fact, I clicked on and watched the videos of the new John Deere Gator yesterday. I have a couple of Gators around here and might be interested in buying one of this new model. I'm not needing a new pickup quite yet, so I'm not as interested in the Chevy ad. I don't think there is a thing wrong with showing the ads, in moderation. In fact,they can be helpful, like the Gator ad was to me yesterday!

Graybeard · « **Reply #29 on:** July 20, 2010, 07:00:10 AM »

There are two of the new ads. One is what they call a DASHBOARD ad. It is a 728x90 that is supposed to remain fixed at the bottom of the page as you scroll. It is not supposed to take over or do anything but just sit there. Anyone other than an 800x600 resolution user can easily click close and it will go away. If you can't see the close button then you can go to the bottom right just above the START bar and change screen size to say 75% rather than 100% and you can then close it and change back to 100%.

A little pain yes but that ad should not show more than four times per day per member unless you dump your cookie and then return. It might not recognize you as having seen it if you dump cookies on leaving. I used to do that but haven't in a good while. Today I've only seen it twice so far.

The other is what they call a Rovio and is the pop up video. Yeah it was a serious PITA yesterday but that IS NOT how it was supposed to work. Matt has it shut down completely for now. OSH is working to fix a new tag for us that is supposed to allow it to show only once per day per member. It will not be turned back on until they have the fix ready.

We need the revenue and this company is the one where the majority of GBO income is derived from. This new campaign is expected to greatly increase our cash flow but it must be something that is not obnoxious so as to run folks off. We and they recognize that. No one should have to see the video more than once per day when it comes back up and it is very easy and fast to close out should you wish even at 800x600 screen resolution. The dashboard isn't as easy at 800x600 but a screen refresh or doing the size change either makes it go away fairly easily and as I said you shouldn't see it more than 2-4 times daily no matter how much time you spend here.

I hope that once we get them tweaked to perform as they are intended to they will be no more than a minor distraction and not a real PITA. We lost several advertisers last year and have already lost a couple I think this year. The added income is really needed.

Matt is in the process of building a new place to live in here on my property and once he gets moved in here and gets things more stabilized we hope to get the new servers up and running and be able to offer more benefits to our members.

For now I've contracted to run these ads thru December I believe it is. At that time we will see how much money they have brought in and how well everyone has adapted to them and will make a decision if we want to continue them or not. I am contractually obligated to them thru then but they are contractually obligated to make them run as they are supposed to as well. I am confident that once we get them tweaked to run as designed to be run they won't be that much of a bother.

I'm pretty sure we were the first site to take advantage of this new revenue stream which kinda makes us the guina pigs for the new ad campaign. The pay out for it on a per 1000 banners shown basis is just too high for other sites who work with OSH to not also add them. The rate per 1000 displays is on average about 5 to 10 times what they pay for the other banners they display here.