the title is a bit extreme, but i have two questions for loyal readers of this site.
first, advertisements
i went ahead and signed up for the adsense program on google. adsense is how the contextual ads on the side of google searches are generated, or the ads in gmail, or the ads on all websites that have "ads by goooooogle" on them somewhere. adsense uses a per-click model, so every time someone clicks on one of those ads, i would theoretically get paid. the amount i get paid is tied directly to my "pagerank", which is what google uses to basically decide how important my website is. my website is a 4 out of 10 on the importance meter, by the way.
so i signed up, but i'm very, very hesitant to place the ads on elscorcho. i put a few on the front page, but i took them down right away because i thought they were a little too heavy on the page. i am considering placing them between posts and the comments section (like plenty of other sites do). or maybe over on the sidebar below the random photo.
the benefit is that i get paid, and i can use this money to pay bills and explore getting a new server for elscorcho. this of course would speed up elscorcho considerably and allow me to do more with the site and the server in general.
the downside is fucking advertising on my website. kinda lame.
chad gave it an initial "this isn't the most awful idea ever" when i floated it to him the other day via email, but i'm not convinced. convince me, one way or the other?
i think this post really should stand on its own, so i'll bring up the other issue a little later.
being a bad person
0941-april14-2005
comments
re: this is two for "pro"
from: z (2005-04-14 10:18:24)
i respect why it makes you uncomfortable. but i think its an important step in getting the site to where you want it. i say do it. on a trial basis. and obviously minimizing the impact as much as you can.
re: noted
from: z (2005-04-14 10:29:22)
in your portrayal chad seemed tentative in his support.
i'm also wondering when you referenced "loyal readers," if you meant anybody other than the three of us.
re: comment
from: geoff (2005-04-14 11:03:46)
there was a time, not too long ago, when elscorcho did feature an advertisement.
and it was glorious.
so this is not uncharted territory. now, however, instead of eternal life you are going to be selling out for a few cents a month.
is that
the new price
of your soul?
re: comment
from: niv (2005-04-14 11:09:02)
i never got the eternal life rings after having the 80 clicks
i feel like thats relevant in some way
re: comment
from: geoff (2005-04-14 11:18:15)
maybe if you actually believed in the rings, you wouldn't need them
re: comment
from: niv (2005-04-14 11:18:52)
honestly
i don't think that makes any sense
what are we talking about again?
re: my support
from: chad (2005-04-14 11:21:45)
my support was more than tentative. my argument was that these ads in no way disrupt me, and the amazingness of google ads is that from time to time they bring up things that you actually are interested in. besides, it hurts no one and potentially helps niv, so...whatever...
i say go for it
and geoff, about that whole selling out thing...
shut up
re: comment
from: er (2005-04-14 15:22:57)
I'll click if you promise to do something cool with the money and not just pay bills.
:)
re: i support adverts
i mean, come on...it's a non-profit situation this elscorcho...it's not like you're going to buy platinum teeth with the revenue...you're putting back into everyone's favorite work diversion...although if you did buy platinum teeth, take pics of it and post them, you would be adding to the non-profit entertainment aspect of your site, and would thereby be justified.