We're rolling out integrated advertising on all pages today, for Open Salon and its members, to help you start profiting off of all your fine work here. You need to join Google's AdSense ad network to launch the ads and start earning money off of them. To do that, sign up here, or follow the "blog ads" option up under the menu listed under the "More" button at the top righthand corner of the page. (You need to be logged in to do this.)
Our philosophy from the get-go has been that Open Salon is a publishing partnership. You're wildly generous with your talents and energy; we try to help you find a smarter, vaster audience than you would if you were off blogging on your lonesome. And while certain other organizations have no plans to ever pay their bloggers, we've always understood that if we profit, you should profit. We'll continue to try other methods to make blogging on Open Salon a more enriching (and profitable) experience -- but this is a big step, and we hope it proves worth your while.
The basics: We're giving you three spaces (the maximum Google allows) shown below in blue; the square gray space is one we've reserved for Open Salon advertising. You can choose to use fewer than three of your ads if you want. They will be text ads, which we think will perform best for you:
And sure, go ahead. Allow yourself to be carried away by stories of a click-generated fortune. Don't quit your day job -- that's a pretty rare scenario. But it is a direct way for you to convert your audience into cash. Some of you already have an AdSense account from another blog; you can use that same account here, too.
Let me try and anticipate some of your questions:
How do I make money off of Adsense?
Google describes the process this way: "Google places relevant CPC (cost-per-click) and CPM (cost per thousand impressions) ads into the same auction and lets them compete against one another. The auction takes place instantaneously and when it's over AdSense will automatically display the text or image ad(s) that will generate the maximum revenue for a page -- and the maximum revenue for you."
Basically, you get ads on your page that are either making money based on the number of clicks on them, or simply from the number of views of them. You won't know, though, which ones will be on your blog.
Can I remove ads from my blog I don't like?
You can remove your own ads, yes. Read more about AdSense's AdSense guidelines (scroll down to "Safeguarding your business standards is our business too"). The ad that Open Salon places on your blog cannot be removed.
Does Open Salon take a percentage of the revenue from my Google AdSense account like other blog networks?No. Members retain 100 percent of the revenue from their AdSense accounts.
I'm a member of Salon Premium. Should I still be seeing ads on Open Salon?
Yes. Salon Premium gives subscribers an ad-free version of Salon. There is no ad-free version of Open Salon.
Do I have to participate?
No. If you don't sing up for AdSense the three positions on your blog that we reserved for you will remain dormant, with no ads.
For other questions, check out our FAQ, and again, the AdSense guidelines. OR: Fire away in the Comments below, and I'll do my best to answer any and all.
Emily Holleman
Mignon Khargie
Scott Rosenberg
Thomas Rogers
Rebecca Traister
Dan-onymous
Salon.com
Comments
I'm going to be rich! :-)
Just kidding. Looking forward to this new feature.
Whaaa? Then how come I see shitloads of ads when I am signed in to Salon?
HOTELS.COM
FIND THE PERFECT HOTEL
FOR YOUR HONEYMOON
OR DESTINATION WEDDING
Because I have never written a poem on travelling on OS... LOL.
All best,
Marcela
Also, I think it would be less annoying if we could have C show up BELOW our friends most recent posts.
Thank you for letting us know what is happening.
And the Air France ad appears to be taking its cues from Freaky Troll and is blinking. That's a nice touch.
I do understand the why. I just don't agree with it. I know my humor is at times aimed at you and OS, just as I know you always have my respect. But I feel advertising should be a personal choice within a blog.
We chose the positions we did to deliver the biggest bang for your buck. But if that placement bugs you, you can always use the other two.
MM: "Can you perhaps center the mandatory ad? I find the left justification unsettling. "
Should be shortly -- there are few browser issues we're resolving.
MrM: "I feel advertising should be a personal choice within a blog."
It is -- up to a point. The three ads you can add are entirely up to you. But Open Salon is a service, we're not a nonprofit; we need to defray our costs, too.
Thanks, M_T.
You are taking a lot of heat already for this. I want to tell you that if it keeps O/S running then I'm for it. Call roto rooter that's the name just flush your troubles down the drain. RotoRooter. Like you said this is a profit undertaking and it needs to self support. Open Salon has a cadre of the, That's AAMCO, best writers in the blogoverse. That it will allow me to claim the title of professional writer is just an added bonus for me. Fly the Friendly Skies of United.
"It is -- up to a point. The three ads you can add are entirely up to you. But Open Salon is a service, we're not a nonprofit; we need to defray our costs, too."
As I stated... I understand business decisions. I love this site. I do my best to bring readers to it. The more readers--- the more they read the advertising outside the blogs. But to placate us with saying we can make money of of Adsense is sad...condescending.
It is not an easy decision for me, I'll explain why-but first let me say that I support OS, the editors and this decision. This has been a very good ride for me for the yeah and a half I've been here so far. If this makes it possible that OS continues, then it's a no brainer for me.
However, my personal choice would have been to pay for Open Salon myself, similar to what I do with Salon.com. I'm not sure that would generate a comparable income, I don't know how to judge that.
Additionally, I usually do something a bit different here on OS than what other members do. Most of my work takes the form of a photo blog. I'm very particular about how my blog is presented, and take pride in my abilities to take the shots and then present it in an artistic way, often with a narrative that I take time and pains to produce--I hope in a way that is perceived as artistic. What is a bit stunning to me, in looking at my blog posts now is that there is an image at the end of my blogs before the comments, that I have no control over. It may or may not coincide with what precedes it, I'm guessing it will usually not fit in with the artistic presentation.
But I'm also a realist, and this is a small compromise when compared to what I get in return. A terrific place to display my work and words, and amazing interaction with friends that I truly love, and in a place where I trust TPTB--Joan, Kerry, Thomas, Jim and the whole team.
So, I'm on board, though I don't like the image ad at the end of my posts, I'm willing to live with it.
Long live OS.
And I think I have probably complained about every single y'all have made since I've gotten here. This one I think is kinda cool, though, if it helps y'all keep the playground open.
But I am a little disappointed that it's not team-building exercises.
Mr.M: I'm not sure I understand why it's condescending. This is the primary way most bloggers make money -- we've been wanting to offer it for some time now. I'm not promsing wealth, of course, but some Open bloggers will make money off of it.
Cartouche: You did and you can.
For example, my latest blog was a story about going to a 55-year-old BBQ place in Georgia. This morning, the first half of the article and two photos were shown. Now, no photos are shown and only a snip of the first paragraph - just an ad for Air France.
Readers who may have been motivated to click through by the photos now only see a little of the first paragraph. That can't be good for readership. I'm hoping this is just a glitch?
and what if one uses another browser? I cross post with FoxFire.
It has compatibility issues with formatting that Safari doesn't.
Again... there is a thing called choice. And if we all do install this ad-blocking feature won't it defeat Kerry's idea to help defray costs?
Again advertising is useful... it's the placement that's the issue.
Don't you realize you are missing out on a PERFECT opportunity to BLOG ABOUT those advertisers and their products and tell them EXACTLY what you think !!?!?!?!?!?
Haven't you always wanted a way to get directly at the heart of your issues with corporate america? Now Kerry and OS have given you a perfect forum.
Their ad above --^
Your opinion below --v
What could possibly be better than that?
It was exciting news then, and it’s exciting news now. It’s fun and a real pleasure to see OS growing up. Thank you.
Condescending? You don't think we bloggers are wise to the ways of advertising?
All I am trying to say is advertise away... you run and manage the site, but you don't control what I write. Why does advertising have to be placed within the blog itself?
Will have to consider signing up with Adsense - never done that before.
But the placement, directly after the post and before the comment box - ah, seems a tad rude. Any chance it could be moved? Or did I miss something there.....
Someone with time on their hands, how much money could I have made?
Dunno.
I'll go on record and say I support this idea. The google ads that we control are largely unobtrusive (save for the terrible gigantic C, which I'll probably turn off at some point). Tech saavy OS'ers probably have already figured out that it's easy to avoid all the embedded ads in the first place (and some of us will probably go ahead and just let the ads through our filters, in order to support this site).
Most people won't make a lot of money. Some will. There are some people with huge readerships here who will benefit (regardless of how many, if any, EPs they have).
My only regret is that we didn't have this in place when my one post went viral :)
Jodi_K: Good question. Let me look into.
Moses: What's not working? Explain and I'll try to help. (Have fun in Vegas!)
Mr. E: "Their ad above --^
Your opinion below --v"
These ads are dynamic. You often won't have the same ad on your blog twice in a row.
D_Decker: Ha! I did accidentally publish this announcement a month ago! It was up for all of 5 minutes, and you saw it. Thanks for your discretion!
constants. . .wrote: "What's to keep us from on or clicking through every ad on every post we read (or don't), not out of interest in anything advertised, but merely to promote fellowship and wealth amongst all our brethren starving artist writers?"
AdSense is pretty sophisticated in being able to tell when someone is gaming an Ad. Probably not a good idea. Also: Some ads get credit for click-throughs, some just from being viewed -- and you don't know which is which. Clever, Google is.
I am very happy with this place and this community and I wouldn´t like to lose it. I think it won´t be a big deal to see OS ads on my blog, no problem about that.
That being said, please OS editors, whoever you are, DO REVISE your EP and cover policy to include in them some writers who seem to be disregarded, who knows why...
Best,
Marcela
AdSense makes no money. I read about some guy who worked furiously on a slew of AdSense ads for months and months and only made a few hundred bucks. And this was this guy's self-designated part-time job.
OS, I think you guys are the best. I agree that I'll pretty much stand behind whatever decisions you've made because you've lead us to some amazing places and continue to do so. And I realize that someone has to pay the proverbial piper. But this just makes me sad. Not sure what I'm going to do.
Something to do with sacred space.
Mr. M, Bill and a few others don't like where the fixed ad position, and ask if there isn't another placement option.
Not really. Ad placements on the Web are not that flexible. If you look at enough sites, you'll see that the same sized ads tend to pop up in similar positions over and over. Try it: Surf around on Salon, NYT, Washington Post, The Daily Beast, etc., and you'll start to see the same patterns emerging. Those patterns change -- remember when banners across the top of a site were the dominant form of advertising? -- but when the industry locks into fixed placements, that's what they are.
Its okay, we can either make a little game of it-- match the opinion with the ad. Or else press Enter a few times and make a blanket post.
But I think you're assuming all of the commentary might be negative-- which may be a little presumptuous-- I'm sure at least some advertiser has a product that's worthwhile! :) :)
In any case, it sounds like an interesting new twist to OS blogging...
I, respectfully, really disagree with that. In the (nearly!) year since Open has been open to the public, I've watched a number of bloggers -- complete unknowns to me when they started -- on Open slowly but surely build solid, reliable audiences that continue to grow. They aren't professionals, and they aren't writing on big ole topics that everyone wants to kibbitz about. They have their thing they do -- and are honing it into a thing of beauty. Their faithful readers keep growing. They will and should make some money off of AdSense.
Aaron -- Lemme check.
And, your ad sales department will be walking a fine line. I had better not have an ad for Big Oil, Detroit, Corporate Food or Big Pharma - and I'll feel free to complain about anyone else I don't like who shows up in the center of my space. That's a promise.
I'd like to think that e-commerce freaks who register accounts here just to post drivel with key words embedded will 1) never, ever receive an Editor's Pick, and 2) aren't going to get a lot of readership from the real OS members here. You only make money if people actually look at your page. Folks will quickly divine who the invaders are and report them. All we need to know is that obvious trolls will be banned by you and the people in charge.
I had a post yesterday with almost 10,000 hits (it's still creeping up, so maybe cross that today) and thought it a shame that anyone was bothering counting them given they were surely generating no revenue. And surely that means Open Salon is one step closer to sliding into the sea. So having a revenue model like this will be a help.
Doesn't AdSense offer a way to say one does or doesn't want certain kinds of ads to fill a particular0 space? e.g., so that Coke doesn't end up with Pepsi ads on its page? Or, more likely here, so that pro-Choice people don't get pro-Life ads or vice versa. Or so it doesn't advertise the use of coal or oil on a page about Climate Change responsibility. I can imagine that if it offers an ad I don't like, I may be quick to want to rush out of here. Others may feel the same. But other than that one scenario, I think this is all pretty good.
But I will feel a lot better about the unconditionally forced add if the word "ADVERTISEMENT" appears above the gray rectangle, so that it's clear it's not my own chosen cause. Does AdSense allow this? I seem to recall they don't allow the reverse, that is, someone saying "Click here" or anything like that. But I just want it clearly delineated that it is an ad, as happens in the text ads where it says "Google Ads" or something like that.
On my other blog, which is a local foodie site, we have to *court* advertisers to use our site. I spent the better part of two weeks emailing every restaurant and food related business in Jacksonville trying to GET people to pay to advertise on my blog.
To me, this is someone else doing the work for me. Of course, the money from these ads will not be subtantial. But, you can earn *money* from something you were already doing for *free*.
I hate the "gray box" ad as much as the next guy, but I don't fancy myself too much of a proud "artiste" to have a few column ads if it makes a few bucks. Seems we're just trading the folks fussing about not being paid for the folks fussing about ads.
Did I mention I hate the "gray box" ad?
::shudder::
Long live OS.
Wanna see some ugly ads?
Go check out huffpo.
(Oops, did I say that out loud?)
WTF???
The OS model of readership is driven largely by 1) cover/editors picks exposing new work to readers, and 2) writers developing their own pool of "fans" who subscribe via the Favorites link.
The only way that trolls can exploit the new ad-sense system is if you allow them to overwhelm the "new post" feed. Simply, put, they will "spam" the feed by posting rapidly, so that they are the only person who appears in the feed. As long as you take the time to ban those people, you really take away the only means they have of attracting the "regular" people's attention here.
"...inserting an ad in our content column is intrusive, and becomes part of the message of the content."
____
I could not agree more. Every time I look back through my posts now, it's annoying. A distraction to my content and look. And, I was given no right or incentive to opt-in.
"The OS model of readership is driven largely by 1) cover/editors picks exposing new work to readers, and 2) writers developing their own pool of "fans" who subscribe via the Favorites link. "
on this we agree.
Looking forward to trying it out. Though I feel for you guys. I'm sure blog pimping will be getting gangster level pretty soon.
So I first examined my page's source document to see if I could off the advert there, but not such luck, then I put out a new post -- with some caps so that someone would notice and help me out on it.
And got this snotty, self-righteous message for M.Todd -- who wouldn't you know it is an advertiser by trade, he's in advertising.
He gave me this little lecture about being grateful for all that open.salon provides.
Well I already provide something in return: My writing which entertains and other who do the same bring people to this site.
Here's what I wrote:
HEY! Did I Agree to UNWANTED ADVERTISING on MY Blog?!
Unknowingly?
Because I'm writing for both my own pleasure and to entertain others -- hopefully -- and I'm not getting paid to do that, nor am I being paid by the advertiser who rudely slapped a chunk of advertising on my blog without my permission -- that I know of -- is it in the fine print or something here?
I don't mind, perhaps, helping Salon out, but I would like to be asked if it is okay with me and if this is a product that I can ethically support!
Thanks for any info on this.
pjv
And you can read the whole exchange on his blog and mine.
I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who was upset by and do not like this.
I saw the thing for managing feeds and adverts, but it's just one more thing to deal with and if open.salon provides so much how about an easy way to use HTML. I taught myself HTML 14 years ago and I have yet to make the HTML editor here work and someone told me I should be using CSS.
I want to write, I don't want to have to go into another lay of learning!
*Whoof!* Apparently I'm PO-ed, 'ey?
___________
NOTE: I apologize for the embedded ad below, now forced on us on June 25th without advance warning by Salon.com. Not my doing, and not within my power to delete.
____
Should I decide to stay on, I will place it in all of my posts.
Grumpily stomping away.
http://tinyurl.com/le4hjr
As I commented there, the hilarity of what her post was paired with completely distracted me from the content.
Ads in the middle of the page--how obnoxious. "This sticker is dangerous and inconvenient, but I do love Fig Newtons" (Talladega Nights"). "This ad is counter the content and feel of my post, to why I associated myself with my favourite site in the first place, but hints that I might just go big-time . . ." (OS).
Ablonde: Yikes, thanks!
http://open.salon.com/blog/verbal_remedy/2009/06/25/code_for_the_end_of_your_post
Btw, did anyone read that hilarious post by Moses Mendoza today? Hilarious, heartbreaking, controversial, sexy, all the adjectives. And you for a limited time you can read it with 75% less ads!
How much are we talking about?
And now my blog has three AdSense banners offering services related to Sex Offenders, Clergy Abuse, Sex Abuse Legal Defense, and the like. Apparently I have to wait a week for my application to be reviewed before I can say anything about it.
I don't like it.
" Kerry will need to staff up so that there are actually enough editors to READ everything that gets posted here, and get rid of the crap."
i applied for that position in yesterday's post. I'm still waiting for a response. Still waiting... Stil... Sti...
But when did OS become a revenue-generating site for bloggers? I stumbled across OS because of the writing and really thought it was a writer's community. There was already a constant hum of posts about blogwhoring and "fighting" to get editorial attention and front-page status. Now we've really gone and added gasoline to the bonfire!
So that leaves me with a few questions for Kerry:
1. Is signing up for AdSense required? I have no interest in earning money from my posts here, so will my posts be devoid of ads or will OS place ads anyway and capture the revenues?
2. Now that OS is a "paid" blogging site, will that create more costs and strain on the OS system? I think Cindy's made some excellent points - the potential influx of new accounts and constant addition of "nothing" posts seems like it would be a huge drain on resources. OS relies on a very close tie to its editors - are you really prepared to become full-time editors and content managers for this site, should you have to continually battle the junk and spam?
3. A few other posters have commented on the in-content ads versus the side column ads. Why couldn't these be reversed, with OS-selected advertising running in both columns? That would truly leave the center column (and content) up to the blogger.
Do you think Shelloil will support my hot strikeout piece, or do I need to learn how to write more interesting stuff?
Seriously, I 'm all up for giving this a try - it might prove beneficial and I'm always willing to try something new. Thanks for being adventurous and we'll all keep our fingers crossed.
i've got an idea. Put my post on the cover next to yours. Continue the debate. Openness?
and my satirical editorial application is now offered seriously.
I cannot understand having to sign up for something that basically has the signer agreeing to the whole ball of wax and not getting any choice the fact that open.salon will -- in fact and indeed -- put adverts on our blogs -- regardless and we cannot remove them -- in order to click some internal buttons to get remove the adverts?
How does THAT work?
Please, will you just take the *expletive deleted* thing off my page. Please.
Someday, maybe when I'm getting more than 3 or 4 comments and rates a day -- AND -- have some editorial choice over what will be placed there -- then I may feel differently about it.
But for now can someone just get the ugly thing off my blog.
Please.
the big ad in the middle of my writing, poetry, and images is to make money for OS, and the other three generate money for me directly?
Is that set in stone or going to change?
It's a deal I can live with, but I would like to know if this is it, or if there is another shoe about to drop. Cause this shoe hit me up side the head today and I am reeling.
@ VR- Thanks for the info on creating the white space, good idea.
As for the need for OS to raise funds, that's not a problem. I'd probably subscribe too (I had wanted to get a Salon blog but they stopped offering them just before I decided to do it) but if ads is the way then that's ok.
Not so sure about putting up my own ads. Will need to investigate the process.
That preliminary announcement was certainly ephemeral, I don't recall seeing it at all.
And, OS is mentioned in a new book! I'll put it up on my blog, then get signed up for the ads.
Shalom,
Robin
"You understand and agree that Salon may, at its sole discretion and at any time, take all or part of the revenue resulting from the placement of User Advertising. Salon will make reasonable efforts to provide notice of any change in how revenue from User Advertising is paid."
That's in the terms of service!
@ Kerry
?
___
Well, that sucks. They can count me out. Moreover, I now place the following disclaimer at the bottom of my posts:
___
"NOTE: I apologize for the embedded ad below, now forced on us on June 25th without advance warning by Salon.com. Not my doing, and not within my power to delete."
MAWB: That's odd. Let me ask Tech about that.
MAWB: Oh, OK!
MrM: re: Terms of Service are onerous. They are always sweeping because they need to be -- they need to account for the reality of now, but also whatever we could possibly want to do in the future, whether we plan to do something or not. That said, if we do change the AdSense Terms in a way that makes anyone unhappy, they can always cancel the AdSense account!
then I found this explanation
ok, I can live with it, OS has provided me a free space to try my hand at writing and a pre-rolled community of readers. This deal is better than any of the other free blog spots that I've heard of, gives some control to the writers, and generous participation in the revenues
I never expected to get rich posting here, still don't, but as someone said further up the thread, maybe it'll pay for my Salon Premium subscription
I haven't found it hard to simply ignore what's going on with EPs, spammers on the feed, etc., and I don't expect it to get any harder because of this change
I think this is well thought out, generous, and preferable to paying a fee to be a member of this community, I'd hate to think what kind of club we'd have here if the homeless, the unemployed, strapped single mothers, etc, were barred because they couldn't afford the subscription, I want to hear their voices
For all of you rushing to figure out how to lay out your ads, please don't think you'll make an substantial money from AdSense. You won't. Not even with a madly viral post.
Here's a quote from Copyblogger:
"Fake Steve Jobs’ best month came with a traffic spike. His actual identity was revealed in the New York Times, sending more than a half-million people to his site in a single day.
His payout? For that half-million-visitor day, about a hundred dollars in AdSense earnings. For the entire month, he made $1,039.81.
Not quite what he was hoping for when he became a celebrity blogger and earned an impressive amount of attention and notoriety."
http://www.copyblogger.com/no-money-blogging/
Yeah, they're trying to spin this as a worthy potential value proposition for us, but it's really just about making money for Salon.
Thanks Kerry
Aaron: No one's ignoring you -- I don't have an answer yet! A little busy here today, and icons from my youth are dropping right and left!
Members get 100 percent of the ad revenue from their AdSense ads. The Terms language is, as I described earlier, big blanket language in case we decide to change that or anything about the ad programs in the future.
Do you have any way that I can rent out like maybe three quarters of my banner space? I could have your people get in touch with Ric Tresa for the design, if you would like. Otherwise I'm a bit torn right now and will continue to read the comments here to see if I can come to a decision about how I feel about this.
I'm sure I will sign up, that is a no brainer. My problem is with how it might effect the community in a negative way when money enters the picture. Other than that, I will continue to operate the way that I've always done. Incoherently.
My concern is what happens when a financial incentive is introduced in a venue that has been community-based, not financially based. The great majority of OS members are here not because they want to make money, but because they like the community.
Now, when someone posts there will be a question: did the person post because he or she wants to contribute to the community, or did the person post because he or she wants to make money?
That said... and as I said earlier on another blog post regarding this subject: Allow me take you on a journey, a trip into the underworld, where blogs and homepages are assailed with obscene adverts for which you do not get paid, a place where people routinely threaten your children, your spouse, your life and are allowed to do so without consequences...no simple disagreements these, this is PASSION.
Seriously, I can DEAL with ads for Expedia or whatever... it's a HUGE improvement over trying to blog while looking at a plethora of penises and adverts for Penthouse.
Mishima writes: "My concern is what happens when a financial incentive is introduced in a venue that has been community-based, not financially based." A thoughtful point. But the truth is, a lot of members (and the vast number of readers) use Open as a blog network. They want to be read, they want to read, they don't necessarily want to commune. Probably the majority of members like both the publishing benefits and the community aspect. The navigation of Open is geared very much to allowing members to easily keep up with their Favorites -- or community of their choice. But for members who are trying to build an audience, and there are a lot of them, a financial incentive seemed pretty essential to us.
"...for members who are trying to build an audience, and there are a lot of them, a financial incentive seemed pretty essential to us."
___
Which is why you published that detailed tabular matrix of the enticing earnings potential for OS blogger AdSense signups, right?
[snark]
Nonetheless, I couldn't help satirizing the idea in my blog.
Cheers,
David
There are always issues with using material that's copyright protected. Members agree to respect copyright when they join -- and I sure hope they do. If you're asking if AdSense has stipulations -- rather than summarize, I'm going to refer you to the AdSense Terms and Conditions.
Stellaa: That's a cool idea. I'll look into.
I am even having trouble finding the tiny "post a comment" thingie for replying and commentizing.
I truly believe that the current placement will frustrate people and ruin the mojo.
The most efficient way of alerting members to an announcement, we've always thought, was posting it in the righthand corner of the cover and on my blog (which also shows up on most blog pages, too, as an alert along the righthand column). The next time we have an announcement we'll definitely consider sending a mass message to the entire membership.
Zumalicious: I can guarantee you that many more people would be really infuriated if the ad preceded a post, rather than following it completely. I'm wondering if you're having a browser issue, though, because I have not seen the ad interfering with the Comments line. Can you privately message me your browser/computer information? We'll look into it.
This thread might be a bit misleading -- I'm getting a lot of positive reaction to AdSense in my inbox, and have seen some nice, supportive posts. But I don't think we're perfect, and I do want to hear the concerns, and answer them if I can. I do encourage people joining this thread late to read my post if they can -- a lot questions coming up are answered above.
I'm also a little dismayed, and want to shoot down, an emerging meme: That we've put "ads" on member blogs. We've put one ad on member posts -- any other ads on a member's blog is placed their by the blogger, who is receiving all of the revenues from them, through AdSense.
And their customers have the right to leave.
And they will.
1) maybe I missed this, but how much money are we talking about? I mean, if I'm going to get a dollar every time someone looks at one of my posts, sure, I'd be interested in that. If I'm going to get 1/100th of a cent, and at the end of the year get a check from Google for 7 cents, then it's not worth the bother of signing up.
2) won't OS members have to refrain from certain kinds of posts in order to remain within the Adsense program policy content guidelines?
For example, I notice that
"Sites with Google ads may not include or link to:
* Pornography, adult or mature content
* Violent content
* Content related to racial intolerance or advocacy against any individual, group or organisation
* Excessive profanity"
I would assume that posts about sex-change operations or getting your genitals waxed would be considered "mature content." And we sometimes do have posts with considerable profanity.
More to the point, all the time OS members denounce various individuals, groups, or organizations. We have posts like "Why OS Member Fred Smith is a Coward," "Why I Hate the Catholic Church," Why Liberals Suck," and so on. Wouldn't posts such as these violate the content guidelines?
When all is said about this, when everyone adjusts, Open Salon will continue to be the best blog site available. Yesterday we disagreed. Today we continue on our different paths here on OS. I know business decisions are hard to make--not always popular. But we entered into a discourse that proved fruitful. My protesting is miniscule considering the sadness in today's news. I look forward to more go between by you to us the bloggers. You have my respect for the job you do and for putting up with my rants. You have my respect and support as this venture, Open Salon, continues to grow.
Chuck Stetson
I installed on my browser an 'adblock' extension so that I don't see them any more.
I earned 53 cents today on 147 page "impressions" and 1 click, from about 6:00am to 10:00am. (At that time I turned off my ads, leaving just the OS ad in place.)
But, AGGGH! The placement (before comments) and SIZE of the image ad!! The size might be palatable if it came after the comments, but if it is to stay where it is - PLEASE consider to go with the 468 x 60 pixel AdSense image banner.
Please? Pretty please with sugar on top?
I already had an AdSense account so I gave it a whirl. The ads show up with no trouble - but I'm cringing at the same "white space and aesthetics" loss as designanator. I know the colors are adjustable, so it would be great if they could be a less glaring blue (such as the dark bleu in the OS header) that would integrate better with the overall OS design and look.
I will reiterate (see whining in my above comment) that the big ad smack center in the posts, as well as in the main blog page is really overbearing. I do understand the positioning - it is in a prime area to be noticed - but I think that a skinny banner could do the job as well without being so in-your-face.
I also find it disturbing that the right column ad displaces the favorites - I feel as though I'm doing my friends and favorites a disservice by shoving them on down the page. Again , I understand the premium placement for the text banner, but in this instance I think that the favorites cel should be given pride of place. There are so few ways to find people's posts with the new front page format, this seems a rude kick .
I would be interested to find out how others feel about these issues.
I do support the idea and the reasons for integrating ad content into OS, and after musing over the issue I decided to give it a whirl on my blog. My posts are carefully constructed with both images and words, so the ad content and visual appearance is a huge issue for me.
Thanks for this. Fine tuning to alleviate our aesthetic concerns would be a big bonus.
As for the AdSense guidelines -- I'm not going to try and explain Google's Terms, in addition to Salon's. BUT: I think it's a safe bet that if it could appear in a newspaper or magazine, you'll be just fine -- and everything you described, I think, qualifies.
Hannu: I do admire problem-solving.
Bobby: "You're showing your true colors. Kerry." I just hope they don't clash with the green shirt I'm wearing today.
Artsfish: Up this thread a bit I explained that we don't have a ton of flexibility with the ads appearance and placement. But we'll register all feedback, and see what we can do.
And with that, I'm clocking out and going to a party where much Michael Jackson will be playing. I'll close this thread, but will post more on AdSense in the next week, as need by. Have a good weekend.