8:15 PM
Hey, folks, I need some opinions here. I'm throwing ideas around for ways to make things go a little smoother fiscally around these parts, and I'm giving some serious consideration to adding Google keyword ads to the sidebar of the site, just below that nav box. I've kept that area open for a reason kind of like this for a long time, but I've been refraining from bringing in the ads forever because, well, you know. They're ads. But Inkblots as of yet generates little to no income, can never pay its contributors, and is something of a drag on my time and hosting bills. What do you think? Will all our artistic integrity suddenly go 'poof' if a few ads start appearing on the left side of the screen?
Please comment below. Need some thoughts here, people.
Hey where did you get that idea?
Hey, Geoff, if you remember correctly, the ORIGINAL Inkblots magazine ran advertisements - and I never felt that they stifled creativity.
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Yeah, but we stuck 'em all at the back. These would be on every page...
And, yeah, hon, you were the catalyst for this. Doesn't mean it's not an idea worth stealing! ;)
I think it's ok. After all, you deserve something other than praise and support for your work. It's okay to want to try to make some money off the site.... And a google keywork ads to the sidebar is fairly discrete. Perhaps more Amazon.com links too… Don’t stress out about it—think of it as paying you back for the hundreds of hours you’ve put into this site, ok?
I say give it a try. I think most people have trained their eyes to ignore those ads anyway. You can always pull the ads down later if you don't like them.
The type of ads you're talking about are relatively unobtrusive, and we see them so frequently that they're not all that irritating.
I say give it a try. Like David said, you can always change your mind. Well, other than the time needed to redesign pages to either accommodate or remove the ad space.
While my inner Bill Hicks has produced many an anti-advertising rant, there's nothing wrong with taking these people's money to make your work on the site a little more lucrative. And the google keyword ads don't even register in my brain anyway so no problem there.
Besides, my inner Bill Hicks is currently spending all its time flinging poison darts at the Republican beast elephant, trying to bring it to its knees...
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Link to porn, dammit! You'll see traffic double, at least.
Seriously, dude, ads are cool. Then again, I am kind of a media whore so I wouldn't just listen to me.
*cough* {porn portal} *cough*