Please get rid of graphical google ads

May 19, 2004 1:10 PM

Matt, unless you're making more money off of them, please consider dropping the graphic google ads. I just saw a big Dr. Phil in this thread
posted by Grod to Feature Requests at 1:10 PM (34 comments total)

While I noticed it a lot faster than I notice the text ads, it is the second graphic I've seen and in each case my reaction was one of surprise "this is a text-only site" and annoyance. I am one of those few who does click on text ads, I will never click a banner ad, even if it is contextual. It's to intrusive. On the other hand, if Metafilter is profiting from them, I can certainly learn to live with 'em.
posted by Grod at 1:15 PM on May 19, 2004

I propose using "I just saw a big Dr. Phil" as a euphemism for having a bowel movement.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 1:38 PM on May 19, 2004

I haven't seen one yet, so I can't comment on how assy they look yet. If they look totally crappy and I'm not making anything more, I'll drop them for sure.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 2:01 PM on May 19, 2004

well, here is a screen shot reduced by 25%.
posted by Grod at 2:51 PM on May 19, 2004

Yikes.

The banner type ads are a big mistake on Google's part IMHO. I've clicked on several on the text ads here since they seemed interesting. But I've been conditioned over the years to loath image ads. The possibility of me clicking on something like that Dr Phil ad is zero.

text ads = subtle and tempting
image ads = HEY OVER HERE BUY ME BUY ME BUY ME
posted by y6y6y6 at 2:52 PM on May 19, 2004

And, for the hell of it, a larger screen shot which shows you exactly what I saw when I clicked the thread.

ON PREVIEW ditto y6y6y6
posted by Grod at 2:56 PM on May 19, 2004

Or Adblock / Firefox Extension
posted by rudyfink at 3:03 PM on May 19, 2004

assy.
posted by eddydamascene at 3:04 PM on May 19, 2004

I just came to MeTa to ask for the same thing but noticed this thread was already there. So consider this a "me too".

I just saw something big, blue, and anthropomorphic on AskMeFi. Some kind of movie advert I think, though apparantly I've managed to block out the content pretty well already.
posted by fvw at 3:15 PM on May 19, 2004

I've never seen a graphical ad on here, and I'm not clever enough for extensions. Is this new? What gives?
posted by loquax at 3:50 PM on May 19, 2004

What gives is that the ads on MeFi are from Google. Until recently Google only served text ads, but now advertisers can use images. So now we have image ads here. Matt can, however, choose to not have image ads here on MeFi if he so desires.
posted by punishinglemur at 3:58 PM on May 19, 2004

Google's help page for the new image ads says that their technology will try and predict whether a text ad or image ad would make you (the site owner) more money and will display them only if it thinks you'd make more that way.

So it's not all images ads, it's sometimes image ads or no image ads.

Personally, as someone who makes great extra income from Google textads, I trust them to be able to figure out whether I'd be making more money or not.

So while I think they're a mistake for Google, I'd vote for keeping them at least a month to see how much more money they bring in. If the cost of keeping MeFi up and running is a cheesy and now and then, so be it.
posted by y6y6y6 at 4:08 PM on May 19, 2004

I don't like the graphical ads much, but there are ways to block them yourself if you so desire. Then again, Grod, I hardly noticed the ad, being surrounded by those, ummm, vibrant colours of your browser anyway.
posted by dg at 4:11 PM on May 19, 2004

I'm sorry you didn't like the colors. I got sick of shades of grey a few weeks ago. I tend to edit the userchrome.css file a couple times a month. Unfortunately, an extension messed up everything recently and when I re-installed a lot of the elements that make my browser more harmonious were knocked out. (things like rounded sides on the address bar), anyway, in fixing that I deleted the version with those colors, so you can rest easy in the knowledge that, when you ever invade my home and take over my computer, you won't be blinded by the GUI.
posted by Grod at 4:29 PM on May 19, 2004

While you wait for your pony to arrive, you can always block google ads with your hosts file. No more Dr. Phil.
posted by crunchland at 4:50 PM on May 19, 2004

Does Google pay MetaFilter based on views or clicks?
posted by TimeFactor at 5:24 PM on May 19, 2004

a larger screen shot

egad man, your color scheme is making my eyes bleed!
posted by bob sarabia at 5:40 PM on May 19, 2004

*shifts uncomfortably in seat*

I.. I uh, think I gotta go see a big Dr. Phil.
posted by mwhybark at 6:03 PM on May 19, 2004

"Does Google pay MetaFilter based on views or clicks?"

Clicks.

And it's against the rules for Matt to encourage users to click on an ad now and then to bring in extra cash that would go towards server upgrades.
posted by y6y6y6 at 6:26 PM on May 19, 2004

Not that any of us would do such a thing as clicking on ads for any reason other than that we find the content absolutely compelling and cannot help but visit the site being advertised, of course. Nor would we ignore the public service ads that come up from time to time because we know that there is no payment for clicking on them.
posted by dg at 7:19 PM on May 19, 2004

I find these no worse than text adds. They're on the side and out of the way and keeps this a donations only site. I still like the whole "no subscription" platform.
Oh, and I hate Dr. Phil.
posted by jmd82 at 8:46 PM on May 19, 2004

exactly what I saw when I clicked the thread.

JEEEESUS KEEEEEERYST!

you have moz colors set up like that and you're bitching about ad visuals!!?!?!?!?!?!

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

that said, ditto on the ad. totally sux0rz.
posted by quonsar at 10:53 PM on May 19, 2004

If the cost of keeping MeFi up and running is a cheesy and [sic] now and then, so be it.

this from a guy who thought a jog in iceland would be better than a capable server platform.
posted by quonsar at 10:58 PM on May 19, 2004

dammit, i forgot the smiley face on that last post. here's a coule extra.

:-)

:-)
posted by quonsar at 11:00 PM on May 19, 2004

dammit, i forgot a "p" in that last post. heres a coupple extra!
posted by quonsar at 11:02 PM on May 19, 2004

That was only one extra, you owe us. Also, here's a couple of apostrophes, since you appear to be short on them: ' ' ' ' ' (watch out, some are masquerading as single-quotes).
posted by fvw at 11:29 PM on May 19, 2004

Ok, I get it, you guys don't like my color choices. Well, they're gone now, you've shamed me. I was just trying to bring a little color to my otherwise drab, dull, dreary, and other words that start with 'd' life. So sue me.
posted by Grod at 12:12 AM on May 20, 2004

Grod why don't you install a few of these purty firefox themes...?
posted by t r a c y at 12:19 AM on May 20, 2004

...excuse me sir but I guess you would have to count me in the FUCK NO camp.
posted by scarabic at 1:37 AM on May 20, 2004

( egregious self-link ^ )
posted by scarabic at 1:38 AM on May 20, 2004

I propose using "I just saw a big Dr. Phil" as a euphemism for having a bowel movement.

That's not exACTly what I was thinking. But when I read the original Meta post, I thought for sure that "I just saw a big Dr. Phil" was an inside joke I just hadn't heard yet (followed by clicking on the thread so I could find out). I like where you're headed with it. Could it be a replacement for Pepsi Blue?
posted by Witty at 1:52 AM on May 20, 2004

MetaFilter: I Just Saw a Big Dr. Phil

Had to be done.
posted by kindall at 10:59 AM on May 20, 2004

Would it be against the rules for Matt to discourage users from not clicking on the ads now and then to not not bring in extra cash that would go towards server upgrades?

Just asking.
posted by tommasz at 1:01 PM on May 20, 2004

I like the ads. I saw an ad for Christian home health care products on one of the recent Christian evangelical-bullshitfilter posts.

It was a sublime waste of evil money.
posted by troutfishing at 7:21 AM on May 21, 2004