I'm just curious. Do any of you every click on the banners on OKC Talk? There are some nice businesses being advertised. Personally, I like to click and see what they are about, but I wanted to know if others click on the banners.

Nope.

Why not?

Occasionally. I suggest everyone do it at least every now and then. It helps Todd pay for the site by clicking on them.

Occasionally. I suggest everyone do it at least every now and then. It helps Todd pay for the site by clicking on them.
Same here. :iagree:

Once in a while an interesting one comes up; the average is actually slightly higher here than on some other boards I've used.

I'm never interested in the products, I just click to help out the site.

Everyone should do the same! :D

Most of the banner ads are to sites owned by the same company as OKCTalk anyway. So with most, simply clicking on the link doesn't help. Some do though. But Billboardok, Lotterypost and some of the others are all owned by Todd anyway. At least they are all hosted at URLjet (Todd's company).

Excellent point writerranger!

If we are talking scrictly about banners (the 468x60 banner ads at the top of the forum) then yes those are either sites owned by URLJet, clients of URLJet or local advertisers.

If we are talking about ALL banners on the site MOST of them are actually Yahoo ads.

Thanks to those interested in viewing the Yahoo ads. It has allowed us to bring in some revenue, so we haven't had to hold a fundraiser since July 2005. We still depend a lot on Premium Memberships though. Plus we have cut costs.

Thanks to those interested in viewing the Yahoo ads. It has allowed us to bring in some revenue, so we haven't had to hold a fundraiser since July 2005. We still depend a lot on Premium Memberships though. Plus we have cut costs.

I don't pay much atention to the ads at the top of the page. Actually, I dislike having ads thrown in my face so much that I just pretty well block that stuff out mentally and really try to ignor it as if it wern't there. A necessary evil for the forum to continue, I guess. Thanks for keeping the costs down and the generous amount of time all of the moderators spend on the forum. Special thanks to Todd for keeping it going.

But, enough "atta-boys" and back to griping about the ads; what I dislike more are the logo ads that you and others include in your posts. I guess you guys think it is a good idea, and raising a little money to pay the bills is good, but IMO, Patrick, the logos just junk up the posts, take up valuable space on the screen and in general detract from experience of using the forum. I would rather pay a few bucks a year and have the forum more ad free, but probably that is not likely to happen.

OMG, I think I am veering off topic . . . yes I am and I think it's too late . . . . . I really, really, really don't like roadside billboards and other oversized outdoor advertising. It's just an invasion of my visual space. I consider the banner screen ads and logos almost to be the same thing,just on a much smaller scale. Just like I can't drive down the highway with my eyes closed and am more or less forced to see the billboard ads, I am kinda-sorta forced to look at the ads on this forum. Just my .02. I won't stay away from OKCTalk because of the ads, but I could get along just fine with fewer of them, and I almost never click on any banner ad, anywhere, anytime. OK, I think I averted disaster and tied the little billboard rant in to the other stuff there so I didn't actually, totally get off topic. Man, that was close.

I agree with you OTG. We've limited ads to as few as we can. Just a banner at the top and Yahoo ads at the side.

Enlighten me. What are the logo ads you're referring to?

If you're referring to Dr. Pepper and all that, those are simply our personal avatars. I just put up Dr. Pepper because that's my favorite soft drink. :)

I guess it is just the avatar. Todd has a Mountain Dew and yours is Dr. Pepper, someone else has Atari. To me it just looks like another ad, but to each his own. My misinterpretation. Oops.

I guess it is just the avatar. Todd has a Mountain Dew and yours is Dr. Pepper, someone else has Atari. To me it just looks like another ad, but to each his own. My misinterpretation. Oops.
Yikes ODG! I am promoting our Mayor, who by the way is running for Congress..oops off subject.

Yikes ODG! I am promoting our Mayor, who by the way is running for Congress..oops off subject.
I guess I am just advertising OKCTalk.

Ummm...Keith, if they are already here why advertise?

I've always thought the allowed avatar size was a little big. Most forums have a smaller avatar limit. I can easily change the allowable size.

As for the ads the code does exists to remove it for specific usergroups. For example, the ads could be removed for Premium Members while still viewable for everyone else. I think that might be a good solution.

Here we go:bright_id Just NIX the adds and have a fundraiser.

I've always thought the allowed avatar size was a little big. Most forums have a smaller avatar limit. I can easily change the allowable size.

As for the ads the code does exists to remove it for specific usergroups. For example, the ads could be removed for Premium Members while still viewable for everyone else. I think that might be a good solution.

I like both those ideas Todd.

I'm never interested in the products, I just click to help out the site.
:D

But, just clicking on the add won't help the site, will it? Those businesses that have banners on this site, and I know there are some that are not owned by Todd or associated with him or Yahoo, advertise on this site and advertise in general so that they can increase not only awareness of their business, but to increase revenue. Isn't the entire point of advertising to get sales?

So why does anyone click on a banner? If the banner is colorful and interesting will that make you more likely to click on it? Do you click on it because you see a product that you might actually be interested in?

I guess my question is, What would make you click on a banner on this site or any other site for that matter?

If businesses were actually getting more sales from placing a banner on this site, then Todd wouldn't have to have a fundraiser. He could actually make money.

Newspapers entire revenue and lifeblood is advertising. That's the only way they make money. Same with TV. Advertisers pay huge amounts of money so you will see their commerical or print ad and hopefully buy their products.

So, everyone, click on an ad and buy something and then come back and tell us about it!!!!!