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James R. Davis
 Administrator
17328 Posts
[Mentor]
Houston, TX
USA
Honda
GoldWing 1500
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 Posted - 11/30/2013 : 12:54 PM
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About two years ago I quit asking for donations to keep this site afloat and began relying entirely on users here occasionally clicking on ads that I tried to place as unobstructively as possible.
At the time, users would click on ads enough times per month that the entire cost of maintaining the site was covered - some months a little more than needed, others not quite.
Since I began this reliance on ad revenue, that revenue has steadily decreased until it now provides approximately half the cost of providing the site - and that ad revenue is taxed to me personally.
Since the placement of the ads has not changed, I have been trying to determine why the decline has been occurring.
For sure, one of the reasons is that we have had a very modest reduction in site traffic for the last couple of years. So I began tracking the user platforms that were used to access the site. If, for example, the user base had changed radically from desktop computers to tablets or mobile phones as their platforms, then I would have to consider rewriting the entire (several hundred) program base to make the site more user friendly on smaller (sometimes very small) screens. It could also explain why so few ads were being clicked on by those users.
It turns out that 88% of our users access this site using desktops, 7% using tablets, and 5% using high-end mobile devices. That is not enough to warrant rewriting all the code, nor does it explain the drop in ad clicks.
Thought you would like to know some of what goes on behind the scenes here.
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Axiom2000
Moderator
1761 Posts
[Mentor]
Georgetown, Delaware
USA
BMW
F 800 GT
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Posted - 11/30/2013 : 1:02 PM
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| Well I for one just don't click very often anymore, I shall fix that. How about it folks, I say we have a clicking party each and every time we log on,seems like an EZ way to insure the site stays up and running without a burden on Jim. |
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Tburd
Senior Member
475 Posts
Waukesha, WI
USA
Suzuki
Boulevard S50
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Posted - 11/30/2013 : 4:30 PM
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| Good idea, I need to click on the ads more often too. Additionally, I'll be sending in my annual donation, and while not much, it will probably amount to more than my ad clicking does. LOL. |
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rayg50
Moderator
2083 Posts
[Mentor]
NYC, NY
USA
Honda
Shadow Spirit 750DC
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Posted - 11/30/2013 : 5:16 PM
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What I have found is that the ads presented relate to whatever recent search I have done or sites I have visited. Right now the ads are for Six Sigma training from Villanova. Before that when I was searching for battery heated gloves the ads reflected heated gear.
When the ads were more random I found myself clicking on the ones that would catch my eye. Now that they seem sensitive to whatever I have been seeking they are oddly enough less attractive. They offer to take me to where I have already been. The targeted ad is useful to me only if I have not completed whatever transaction I intended to make.
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bachman1961
Advanced Member
2268 Posts
[Mentor]
colorado springs, co
USA
Honda
CB750 NightHawk
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Posted - 12/01/2013 : 6:47 AM
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Interesting timing. I noted an ad months ago and copied the info down for later use. Then a few days prior to this thread, I thought to notify James (pm) how handy these ads are in that I was directed to a local shop I knew existed years ago and forgot about.  I'll certainly let the repair guy know how it was I made the connection.
I find many ads to be local to my area (also handy) and I can do a better job of clicking on them now. When this first started up, I did a better job of supporting it that way. Now at least (as Ray points out) the ads track our search history or supposed interest. This makes the clicking more useful!  |
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Horse
Senior Member
258 Posts
Newbury, Berkshire
United Kingdom
BMW
R850RT
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Posted - 12/01/2013 : 2:02 PM
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Well I for one won't be clicking willy-nilly on random ads.
Unfortunately, my aim seems to be out when I try to click on some of the forum buttons ;) |
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scottrnelson
Advanced Member
6915 Posts
[Mentor]
Meridian, ID
USA
Honda
XR650L, 1090 Adv R
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Posted - 12/01/2013 : 7:19 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by rayg50
What I have found is that the ads presented relate to whatever recent search I have done or sites I have visited.
Yes, a while back I did some research on dual sport tires, so those ads tend show up for me, but I can't learn much more about those at this point.
I'll also try to pay better attention and click on the ones that are relevant to me. |
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bricksrheavy
Standard Member
132 Posts
Europe
Croatia
Yamaha
FZ6
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Posted - 12/02/2013 : 2:21 AM
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Oh dear... I always thought sites make money just by placing an ad on their page, I didn't know that clicking on one pays so I had ad-blocking software both on my phone & PC set up. Well, after reading this I decide to disable it on this site and I get an ad for weight loss (I weigh 163lb) and for snoring (I don't snore)
If clicking on an ad is a way to support this site I'm more than glad to do it 'cause it's well worth it. |
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Magnawing
Senior Member
281 Posts
The Woodlands, TX
USA
Honda
VF750C
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Posted - 12/02/2013 : 3:02 AM
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| I just clicked....but, I would visit the site more often (and be more prone to ad clicking) if the forum were available in a mobile-friendly platform such as Tapatalk or the motorcycle.com forum app. The only PC platform that I use regularly is my work laptop and for some reason my employer expects me to be doing work most of the time that I'm on the computer. |
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SteveS
Advanced Member
1208 Posts
[Mentor]
Toronto, Ontario
Canada
Harley-Davidson
2018 Tri-Gliide
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Posted - 12/02/2013 : 10:45 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by rayg50
What I have found is that the ads presented relate to whatever recent search I have done or sites I have visited. Right now the ads are for Six Sigma training from Villanova. Before that when I was searching for battery heated gloves the ads reflected heated gear.
When the ads were more random I found myself clicking on the ones that would catch my eye. Now that they seem sensitive to whatever I have been seeking they are oddly enough less attractive. They offer to take me to where I have already been. The targeted ad is useful to me only if I have not completed whatever transaction I intended to make.
I find the same! It irks me that my searches and clicks are being scrutinized for this purpose.
I did click on some ads early on but it seems like it just ads more spam to my inbox.
If there is another call for assistance to "top up" the cost for the site, I will respond as before.
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rkfire
Advanced Member
1713 Posts
Stratford, CT
USA
Suzuki
Bandit
Peer Review:
Blocked
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Posted - 12/02/2013 : 11:18 AM
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I actually find some of the ads handy. If I've searched motorcycle tires, or some power tool etc, those type ads often appear here. Several times it was a source I hadn't thought of.
I don't think it's being any nosier than any other page which might have ads somewhere on the page. Isn't that simply a matter of the browser, cookies, and browsing history etc, and whether one cleans them out routinely?
I don't know, maybe search for something you're interested in buying. Come back here later and see what might be in the banner to comparison shop. |
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James R. Davis
Administrator
17328 Posts
[Mentor]
Houston, TX
USA
Honda
GoldWing 1500
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Posted - 12/03/2013 : 5:55 PM
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The idea that users need to go on a 'clicking party' to help out is not factually sound.
While the first time you click on an ad generates a meaningful payment to the site, the second and additional clicks result in a payment of almost nothing.
And we do not need a huge number of clicks to earn enough to keep the site open. (I will keep it open regardless of how few clicks there are.) If members click on an ad ONCE A WEEK, our bills are paid. That's not a lot of clicking. |
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scottrnelson
Advanced Member
6915 Posts
[Mentor]
Meridian, ID
USA
Honda
XR650L, 1090 Adv R
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Posted - 12/03/2013 : 6:05 PM
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Just a note: I'm in the habit of ignoring ALL ads on all websites. Especially the ones that have zillions of them.
The only change I've made is that on this site I actually look at the two ads at the top now and click on the ones that I'm interested in. But not the ones that aren't relevant to me, like the Toyota ad at the top of this page right now. |
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woonjas
Junior Member
26 Posts
Wormerveer, Noord-Holland
Netherlands
Honda
ST1100
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Posted - 12/04/2013 : 12:58 PM
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I've installed an add-blocker in most of my browsers, but generally do support sites I appreciate by donating (if possible)
@James - thanksk for reminding me |
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AaronC
Standard Member
102 Posts
Windsor, Ontario
Canada
Honda
1984 Magna vf700c
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Posted - 12/08/2013 : 9:47 PM
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20 years of internet use has taught my eyes to not register anything blinking or on the edge/top of a page.
I imagine that the income is generated based on IP address (one click generates income but a second click from the same person is of no interest to the advertiser).
I'll try and click 3 times, once from home, once from work and once whenever I'm at at public wifi hotspot. Something tells me that that will do something. |
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James R. Davis
Administrator
17328 Posts
[Mentor]
Houston, TX
USA
Honda
GoldWing 1500
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Posted - 12/27/2013 : 5:58 PM
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You guys are terrific! Thank you.
I have gotten the costs to keep this site operational down to only a couple of thousand a year and have calculated that ad revenue is sufficient to cover those costs if we average only 7.5 ad clicks a day. For the month of December we have averaged 11 clicks a day and that is certainly generating sufficient income to now make the site self sufficient.
As to what Google pays ... nobody knows, and nobody has the ability to determine their methodology. Some clicks result in a payment of as little as $.03, some generate $.14, yet others, a few, can generate as much as $2.00, sometimes more. I've watched clicks come in and found that Google changed the count of clicks DOWN a few minutes later along with reducing the accumulated ad revenue they claim to owe me. No explanation is ever given. And at the end of each month, that 'adjust' the total 'estimated revenue earned' (reduce it), usually by less than $1.00. In other words, you can't tell what you earned in a month until they pay you.
I suspect that if you click on an ad that clearly you have shown interest in in the past, they pay more than if you click on what amounts to a place holder ad. (One that marginally complies with the site profile I set up with Google - for example, I do not allow ads for gambling or cosmetics or cosmetic surgery ads in our profile).
Anyway, the site is once again self sufficient. Thank you, again. |
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bachman1961
Advanced Member
2268 Posts
[Mentor]
colorado springs, co
USA
Honda
CB750 NightHawk
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Posted - 12/28/2013 : 3:23 AM
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There are plenty of times I peruse the site to see what's new but if I haven't had an email linked to a post in a while I don't come back as often... just don't think of it.
However, it seems like it's worthwile in my case to click around on some of the ads.... especially when it's helpful in the form of revenue. I like to look at automotive stuff and shop around for ideas or compare prices. The targeted ads really help in that sense although I know others feel 'profiled' or spied on. In my case, it enhances an otherwise swiss-cheese memory.
If there is a magic procedure to ramp-up the ads traffic, by all means let us know how we can more efficiently help the process although by the sounds of it, it seems they've created a 'buffer' of sorts. |
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