Possible Ad Change

[Serebii]

Hey guys

So, Serebii has been running with our two banner ads for well over a decade now and while they have been working great, due to adblocks around the net, the banner ads are getting to a point where, down the line, they may not be that feasible to run on the site alone to keep it afloat alone.

Now, last year I joined an ad network to help increase the ad revenue and they have proposed a new ad unit. This ad unit would appear 1-5% of the time to US and UK users and only be when there's a relevant campaign. All contents of the ad would be carefully selected, be video game related and will remove the other two ads when it runs.

Now this ad does look bombastic at first, but after a few seconds or when you scroll it will collapse down and can be completely dismissed by clicking the X on it. When collapsed down, it takes up less vertical space than the current ads running on the site.

Please let me know your thoughts

 

[Playful Latios]

I do like the new direction this is going. I'd much rather see video game ads than for random stuff. The fact that it takes up less vertical space also makes it easier on mobile.

Having said that, have you ever considered having a donation or premium membership set up? Perhaps additional perks like being able to change username more frequently? As someone who visits the forum multiple times a day, I wouldn't mind donating every now and then.

 

[Bguy7]

So I fully understand the need for you to make money off of ads to keep the sight running, but I can't lie, that ad looks extremely intrusive. Sure, it collapses, but that also means it stays there on the top of the screen until you click out of it and that sounds kind of annoying. The fact that it's video game-focused and will only pop up some times makes it much more acceptable, but I don't think I'll be able to help but groan when it does appear.

That all being said, I fully support Serebii.net, and this is certainly not enough to drive me away, as it's really only a mild inconvenience. If you feel this is what you need to do, then do it.

 

[Serebii]

Having said that, have you ever considered having a donation or premium membership set up? Perhaps additional perks like being able to change username more frequently? As someone who visits the forum multiple times a day, I wouldn't mind donating every now and then.

I see no way it could be possible to sustain from that or provide incentives to get people to want to do it. I never would

 

[shoz999]

I like it as long as its games. Will the ad be able to collapse on it's own when time passes? Also is this type of ad only available on the news, the main page or we will see it in other sections like the games, manga, TCG, anime sections?

 

[Serebii]

I like it as long as its games. Will the ad be able to collapse on it's own when time passes? Also is this type of ad only available on the news, the main page or we will see it in other sections like the games, manga, TCG, anime sections?

It'd collapse after 5 seconds or on scroll, whichever comes first. It'd only be used for specific video game campaigns, not just any campaign. It'd be in all sections but like I said, only 1-5% of page impressions in the US and UK would include it

 

[shoz999]

It'd collapse after 5 seconds or on scroll, whichever comes first. It'd only be used for specific video game campaigns, not just any campaign. It'd be in all sections but like I said, only 1-5% of page impressions in the US and UK would include it

Okay but just in case what about if you had the big uncollapsed ads appearing in only the news pages, Serebii's "main" page, and you have the collapsed smaller ads appear in other sections outside of the news page, kind of like how YouTube handles.

 

[Bguy7]

Okay but just in case what about if you had the big uncollapsed ads appearing in only the news pages, Serebii's "main" page, and you have the collapsed smaller ads appear in other sections outside of the news page, kind of like how YouTube handles.

Are you suggesting having the ad be uncollapsible on the main page? Why? That's the most important and most often viewed page. Why subject people to that?

 

[michael147]

The AdBlock exists for a reason - people tend not to like aggressive ads, the ones that run a video or sound. But almost all site owners suffer from it. I always insisted that they are impolite site and ad creators who should be blamed for that, not users. Such site owners place a video/sound/animated ad in the text, annoying user which is offered by an ad provider. People don't like such aggressive behaviour. If only they understood politeness is the key...

Actually, I wish there were better circumstances for serebii.net. Please be careful with the ad choices.

 

[shoz999]

Are you suggesting having the ad be uncollapsible on the main page? Why? That's the most important and most often viewed page. Why subject people to that?

No. I'm suggesting the collapsible big ad starts out on the main page and later turns small after a few seconds whereas their is a small ad that stays small in other sections. While the main page is arguably the most viewed page, most people take off into the other sections anyway. Can you honestly say that the main page is more important than all of the other sections combined, more important than Serebii's function as a database, a guide for Pokemon fans? Heck, if it's possible keep the ads out of the sections, just keep it in the news page.

 

[Pokegirl Fan~]

Is this just for serebii.net or is it for the forums as well?

 

[Serebii]

Is this just for serebii.net or is it for the forums as well?

Potentially both but mostly site

The AdBlock exists for a reason - people tend not to like aggressive ads, the ones that run a video or sound. But almost all site owners suffer from it. I always insisted that they are impolite site and ad creators who should be blamed for that, not users. Such site owners place a video/sound/animated ad in the text, annoying user which is offered by an ad provider. People don't like such aggressive behaviour. If only they understood politeness is the key...

Actually, I wish there were better circumstances for serebii.net. Please be careful with the ad choices.

Unfortunately leaderboard ads like the ones we have just don't cut it. We will follow procedure so it's not audio and not video so you don't have to fret about that.

 

[Spock]

Do it Joe. It's not terribly intrusive and it'll be more lucrative in the long run

 

[michael147]

I am very sorry but I do not feel respect to this site anymore. And it concerns ad placement here.

I think that putting an overlay google ad in the bottom was an unwise decision, something beyond politeness. When you put ads in the header and footer, the importance of content and ads was equal. But now you clearly made sure - ads first, then content. In trying to get revenue would you please not forget that now you are on the same page with those site owners who provoke people to use ad-blocking addons in browsers, ruining your business.

Thank you for all the past.

 

[shoz999]

Question. I don't remember you mentioning anything about an ad at the bottom that follows you where it's scrolled and it seems like a couple people here for now are annoyed. Could you explain the reasoning for this?

 

[Serebii]

Question. I don't remember you mentioning anything about an ad at the bottom that follows you where it's scrolled and it seems like a couple people here for now are annoyed. Could you explain the reasoning for this?

I am very sorry but I do not feel respect to this site anymore. And it concerns ad placement here.

I think that putting an overlay google ad in the bottom was an unwise decision, something beyond politeness. When you put ads in the header and footer, the importance of content and ads was equal. But now you clearly made sure - ads first, then content. In trying to get revenue would you please not forget that now you are on the same page with those site owners who provoke people to use ad-blocking addons in browsers, ruining your business.

Thank you for all the past.

I'm sorry you feel that way.

However, please think about it like this. The content is vastly important, but so is the need to maintain the content and as much as I'd love it to be, it's not free for both my time and the costs behind the servers.

With each passing year, despite hits being up and steady, ad revenue is a thing that continues to drop across the industry and this is largely due to the proliferation of adblockers. Now this causes other websites to put more and more ads, which is what I will never do. I made a vow to only have two ads and for them to be as unintrusive as possible. However, the bottom ad was being detrimental and a way to improve it. That's why we have the sticky (and easily dismissable) bottom ad, and why we're testing the waters with the ad listed above.

Of course this is on a trial basis and can change in the future, but please understand that no matter how much I want to do the site without ads, that's not the world we live in. The site cannot run without them.

 

[shoz999]

I think most people understand sites often look to ads for funding but could you possibly not have the bottom ad follow us around, instead have it stuck to one place? It gets annoying when I have to press the "X" button every time I click to a new page. Or at the very list keep the movable ad in just the database, not the forums. In the database section, I think, key-word think, it's more understandable. Due to the small-lettered sections of the database, you have to scroll up and down to navigate to a certain "focus area" and see where you want to go. I think the bottom ad wouldn't affect this area. Again I think.

In the forums however, the listings of different threads and sections are more visible and larger from top to bottom. Because they are much more clearer to navigate from top to bottom, you can easily see all the sections on-screen. For example, games section at the very bottom and you just click it where it was instead of scrolling any further. You can't however do this with the ad in the way so you either "X" it out or scroll further down forcing the brain to re-adapt to an annoying trend. Another annoyance along with this is also clicking the page numbers at the bottom of the thread. The ad obscures clicking this. I suppose now that I say it, it's a minor annoyance but still an minor annoyance that could be changed.

 

[Serebii]

I think most people understand sites often look to ads for funding but could you possibly not have the bottom ad follow us around, instead have it stuck to one place? It gets annoying when I have to press the "X" button every time I click to a new page. Or at the very list keep the movable ad in just the database, not the forums. In the database section, I think, key-word think, it's more understandable. Due to the small-lettered sections of the database, you have to scroll up and down to navigate to a certain "focus area" and see where you want to go. I think the bottom ad wouldn't affect this area. Again I think.

In the forums however, the listings of different threads and sections are more visible and larger from top to bottom. Because they are much more clearer to navigate from top to bottom, you can easily see all the sections on-screen. For example, games section at the very bottom and you just click it where it was instead of scrolling any further. You can't however do this with the ad in the way so you either "X" it out or scroll further down forcing the brain to re-adapt to an annoying trend. Another annoyance along with this is also clicking the page numbers at the bottom of the thread. The ad obscures clicking this. I suppose now that I say it, it's a minor annoyance but still an minor annoyance that could be changed.

I shall look into altering things for it

 

[shoz999]

I shall look into altering things for it

I merely suggest you fix the design flaw that does not flow or integrate well with this site, at the very least the forums.

 

[Aduro]

I'd be fine with the visual for the banner ad. The placement is fine and not too obtrusive. So long as its not for the kind of microtransaction heavy game that preys on young kids. We don't need ads for Nutaku on Serebii.

Also, I guess it could be a problem if the ad autoplays with sound. That can be really annoying if you're browsing a website while listening to music or a podcast of something. We don't need a RIP headphone users situation.

Just wondering, have you ever looked into Patreon? Or setting up a podcast? Serebii is the #1 site for reliable news, but it would be great to here the experts come up with theories or opinion based stuff too. Even if were only sporadic or monthly.