Google Ads

March 8, 2004 4:56 PM

Are You MetaPolar?
The Google Ads on the Front Page seem to be dominated by psychiatry sites and prescription drugs. Keyword: bipolar.
Is this a fair assessment of the content or membership here?
Are we all here because we're not all there?
posted by wendell to MetaFilter-Related at 4:56 PM (23 comments total)

It's probably my fault. Not only did I post a link to an article about bipolar yesterday, but I dropped the b-word in the thread about Spaulding Grey.

Now I'm feeling paranoid.
posted by konolia at 5:05 PM on March 8, 2004

I'm thinking that Miguel somehow found out where Wendell's library is.
posted by crunchland at 6:17 PM on March 8, 2004

Those are actually an improvement, as I see it -- yesterday I was getting Google ads for the Republican National Committee. (And made a point of clicking on each of them, natch.)
posted by Zonker at 6:29 PM on March 8, 2004

I wonder how that works - do they filter for key words and then slot in ads accordingly? It can't be a context sensitive filter if they are advertising for the Republican National Committee here.
posted by orange swan at 6:59 PM on March 8, 2004

It's all pretty dumb keyword search. I contribute to a friend's blog and one of my hobbies is to insert the word 'tampon' every so often.
posted by Space Coyote at 7:02 PM on March 8, 2004

Straight line alert, Space Coyote. Like the other night when I was sorting coupons into the little coupon-holder and, without thinking, asked the wife "sweetie, where do tampons go?" Now you're in the same situation I was, just waiting for the obvious joke to follow.
posted by yhbc at 7:32 PM on March 8, 2004

If you've seen the commercial, you'd know they patch the hole in the bottom of the boat.
posted by wendell at 8:25 PM on March 8, 2004

I wonder how that works - do they filter for key words and then slot in ads accordingly?

Yes.
posted by anathema at 9:24 PM on March 8, 2004

Tampons?
posted by Feisty at 9:31 PM on March 8, 2004

You don't look that paranoid on the secret webcam konolia...
posted by snarfodox at 5:21 AM on March 9, 2004

It's all pretty dumb keyword search. I contribute to a friend's blog and one of my hobbies is to insert the word 'tampon' every so often.

I'll second that. Manipulating ads by keywords can be fun, although sometimes you have to drop hints for a maddening amount of time before the ads you want pop up.
posted by Shane at 7:48 AM on March 9, 2004

....now where did I put that tinfoil...
posted by konolia at 11:27 AM on March 9, 2004

I thought you all settled this a couple of weeks ago.
posted by briank at 1:11 PM on March 9, 2004

The average MeFite is an XD-38; the bipolar ones are XD-76.
posted by wendell at 2:37 PM on March 9, 2004

So how many times do I have to type Republican National Committee to get Republican National Committee ads to appear? I mean, the ads will eventually cost the Republican National Committee a couple of bucks, right?

Every little bit helps.

Republican National Committee.
posted by LittleMissCranky at 3:28 PM on March 9, 2004

Some of us ARE Republicans.
posted by konolia at 4:04 PM on March 9, 2004

Shh. Don't embarass yourself.
posted by five fresh fish at 4:17 PM on March 9, 2004

Why shouldn't she? Everyone else is doing it.
posted by timeistight at 4:43 PM on March 9, 2004

Don't harsh on Konolia! - She gave me the idea for my jellied-gasoline recipe which I use to control the pesky squirrels in my backyard.
posted by troutfishing at 8:06 PM on March 9, 2004

I did what?

Or are you napalming those squirrels?
posted by konolia at 8:32 PM on March 9, 2004

Perhaps he's using shock and awe.

Or maybe thermobaric warheads. Those can be quite effective against an enemy gone to ground in a hidey-hole.
posted by five fresh fish at 10:18 PM on March 9, 2004

Can I use the term Taliban to desribe the anti-squirrel faction on MeFi?
posted by wendell at 9:39 AM on March 10, 2004

Only if you're Hitler.
posted by five fresh fish at 10:27 AM on March 10, 2004