I don't care for the ads displayed on the bottom of each page

[WASPS ANDD ASPS]

Wow I think this the first time Meth quoted me without banning me after

I got an lg stylo

 

[swendro]

If you'd like more information about these ads, you can find an explanation here: https://niketalk.com/threads/annoying-pop-ups-ad-while-browsing-nt.646912/page-11#post-31703915

We need to make these ads dismissable to give each user the means to remove it if it interferes with their browsing. (If, for example, someone is browsing the site from an old, low res mobile device, it's possible that the unit might cover up a link or button they need to use.) There are so many different possible configurations and use cases these days that it's important to build in an "escape valve" where possible.

If the interface is something that triggers a compulsive behavior for certain people, they deserve an "escape valve," too, and we don't want to encourage anyone to start blocking ads entirely, which would of course be counter-productive and would rob the site of the revenue it needs to continue to operate and improve.


We've already had some discussions about offering a reduced ad or ad free subscription service as an option for those who would like to support the community, but strongly dislike the presence of persistent ads.

Although we've only heard from a small number of people who would be willing to pay for something like that, if nothing else I believe that everyone deserves the option.

We don't control the going rates for online advertising. All we can do is do our best to adapt, like any other publisher out there.

I don't have exact pricing information yet, because it's still just a concept right now, but the subscription fee would need to be commensurate with the estimated revenue loss associated with removal of ads for a power user (as opposed to a casual user, who would be unlikely to purchase the subscription.)

It would probably need to be in the area of $15/year to remove the persistent ads, and maybe $25 for an ad free subscription.

I'd also like to be able to give each subscriber a list of options so they can determine the charity that will benefit from their subscription fee, but I can't guarantee that at this point.


Would a program like that address your concerns?



"MANY" is a relative term. I don't agree that there have been "MANY" relative to the number of active users who participate in our community, but obviously I am aware of the complaints - as I've participated in each of the threads users have created to discuss the ads. You know this, because you've been present in at least one of those threads yourself.

If I didn't care, or if I believed that there hadn't been "any" complaints, I wouldn't be responding to those concerns or working on a solution.

Your claim is self-evidently false, but why let facts get in the way of a good story arc?

This is a problem that every ad supported website is grappling with right now.

We've tried to find a solution that will keep the site viable and improving without ruining the experience. It's tricky for our community in particular because our members were really ahead of the curve in adopting mobile technology. During our time on Huddler, NikeTalk was I believe the first community on that network to receive the majority of its traffic from mobile devices - and we had the highest percentage of visits from mobile devices by a wide margin.

Mobile ad units are notoriously low yield. That's why you're seeing some really obtrusive unit types on other sites right now - full screen ads, ads like those you've described that take up an entire page to scroll through, interstitial video ads, etc.

Of those options, the persistent ad placement was the least intrusive. If we tried to obtain equivalent value by simply adding more and more of the small, traditional mobile ad units to each page, the result would be far, far worse.

People who buy ads want those ads to be seen and, ideally, interacted with. If an ad is easily ignored, it will be priced accordingly.



Yeah, we are working on that and hope to have it available when we relaunch the site in a couple of weeks following a significant software update.

The updated site will include a few interesting new features - including one of our top requests.

I look forward to sharing more information about that soon, including details about how those interested can apply to test and provide feedback on the new site before launch.


I greatly appreciate everyone's patience and continued support.

Thank you for the reply. If there was a subscription program, I think I would subscribe. I’m happy to support NT and $25 seems more than fair. The charity post always lift my spirits and it’s a huge reason I don’t block the ads.

Spoiler

Also, my laptop may not have the highest resolution, I’ll admit.