Comments | no_lj_ads: More ads on the front page biz.

foxfirefey in no_lj_ads

More ads on the front page biz.

Jan 27, 2007 02:55

Not many people noticed the ads on news on the post around when they were introduced, but a quite a few have been noticing the new front page ads on the latest news post.

brad posts about being against ads on the front page, as well. But, as we all know, there are some issues you just can't win.

ad implementation, staff talking

Comments 43

melinika January 27 2007, 16:22:15 UTC

Maybe that's where the original reference to "no ads on the front page" came from - from Brad? Since it seemed obvious such a thing was outside the scope of "opt-in" and, well, looks bad whether you use the service or not.

foxfirefey January 27 2007, 22:07:29 UTC

I dunno. I seem to remember a comment from a staff member (but not remembering who it would've been) on either the original lj_biz or news in response to someone asking whether or not there would be ads on the front page where they, as a paid user, logged in. Other people seem to have these memories too.

BUT, I have been over both those posts very diligently lately, and have not been able to find it. That means that:

1. My memory is false. It comes from a support member, perhaps, bless their hearts, we found one of those, or I just thought someone said that. And then the other people got that idea from me and believed it was true, too.

2. It existed, but wasn't true, and has since been screened. Since I know comments do get screened sometimes on official comms, this isn't as totally conspiracy theory as I might otherwise think.

It wouldn't really bug me all that much except I really don't like to have been saying something untrue for so long without even realizing it and stopping.

beckyzoole January 27 2007, 21:45:44 UTC

6A is starting to get things right. I just hope it's not too late.

They really are degrading the LJ brand by splashing ads on the front page. Sad.

foxfirefey January 27 2007, 21:47:27 UTC

It's a good way to make some money, certainly. But it's not such a good way to treat your paid users. (Or your Basic users, really, but those accounts are used to this kind of treatment by now, and it's not like they make money otherwise, right?)

ex_uniquewo January 27 2007, 21:55:51 UTC

"(Or your Basic users, really, but those accounts are used to this kind of treatment by now, and it's not like they make money otherwise, right?)"

Not sure what you meant exactly but I'm pretty sure some basic users buy gifts and stuff even if they don't have a paid account. And how many basic users have been paid users at some point?

foxfirefey January 27 2007, 22:08:50 UTC

Well, some of the Basic users. But what's worth more--some of the Basic users buying gifts with a really low profit margin (I imagine credit card fees take up most of that $1) or all Basic users seeing ads when they stumble on the right pages, like news? I'm sure they know how much money Basic users make when buying stuff, how many Basic users were once paid, and how much money Basic users make when looking for ads. (Their ad server keeps track of the account level, if I'm not mistaken.)

Thread 5