Why people use Adblockers...

[mgillespie]

Because sites don't care what they show...

Example: (nice little trick to get you to click the link there...)

I usually allow ads on sites I support, as I realize how things work and how sites make their money, but when these things start, out comes Opera's content blocker.

 

[Rob]

Apologies for being rude, but this is a ridiculous criticism.

If you've been here for 99 posts and fail to realize that the space to the right of our logo is an ad, which is in an OBVIOUS 728x90 format IAB accepted ad size whose ad position never changes, then perhaps you need to spend a few more days on the interwebz.

I totally understand the complaints about the fly over ads and all that jazz, but this is just being downright picky. We have a bunch of ad partners who do a GREAT job filling our site with relevant, targeted ads. When our inventory isn't completely sold it defaults to 3rd parties like Google Adsense and random advertisers get filled in. The object of their ads is to get you to click. Nobody can help that. Welcome to planet earth.

I work my ass off, as does Phases + Shivers + Mods + Guides, to make this place the best it can be. To complain about the ad you're complaining about seems a bit extreme.

I realize I'm a bit bias so I'll let others chime in but I've pretty much said my piece. Go ahead an use adblock if you want... but thank you to all those who continue to support our sites by allowing our non-intrusive ads to be displayed.

 

[mgillespie]

Sorry but i disagree. I know you get paid for click thrus so clearly you would defend this, as after all it's a very effective way of tricking someone into clicking it. However nowhere does it actually advertise it's product. I'm sute the person paying for the ad would want real clicks rarher than fakes

 

[Rob]

You lose again.

The vast majority of our ads our CPM. That means advertisers pay per view whether you click or not. It's called "branding" and the amazing community here has built an environment where advertisers WANT to brand themselves with us.

Some of our ads go to other networks to fill inventory. CPM, CPA, CPC, you name it. THEY manage that inventory. But if you think the people managing this site are "tricking" people into clicking than you're barking up the wrong tree.

I strongly suggest you double and triple check your facts before making bold accusations that question the integrity of the very forum on which you're participating. We openly invite feedback, but to suggest we ourselves our attempting to bait members into clicking ads in order to generate revenue is absolutely ludicrous.

This is the last comment I'll make on the matter. To be honest, judging from your comments and what I can assume is your level of character and ignorance, I could care less if you come back or not.

Have a good day.

PS: To members and any normal people reading this- PLEASE continue to offer your feedback, criticism, opinions, ideas, annoyances, frustrations and more. This is an aberration of my normal "support" policy, but I can't stand people who call me out on trying to "cheat" visitors when my main goal is to protect the very members who make this place so great.

Keep doin' what ya doin yall. AF4L.

 

[Frisco]

Good factual point about branding.

But there's another, deeper issue as well that is related to that; critics of the ads here or anywhere need to think a bit and, more importantly, stop and look around them a bit.

Take inventory of what you own.. be honest in asking yourself this question as you point at your purchased items one by one: how many of those products came into your possession starting with advertising, especially branding?

Nearly all of it, if we're to be honest. If not directly to you via ads, to you through somebody else's "word of mouth" advertising.

Many talk about being annoyed by banner ads and billboards and commercials, etc, but in a large sense we use advertising that means something to us as individuals to make decisions about what to buy, whether it's food or cell phones or anything in between; if the ad is not relevant to us we will not respond, if it is, we will at some point.

 

[mgillespie]

sorry, I think you may have mis interpreted what I said, I don't think for one moment any of the site admins or owners are tricking people, It's the ad companies they deal with, and then not all of them. my point was I have no problem with targeted ads, that makes the web work, I have a problem with ads like the one I posted, that don't advertise anything and are nothing more than a lame click trick

 

[Caddyman]

you are right, but these type of ads show up on all sites that run ads every once in a while....AF is actually really good with the ad targeting from what i have noticed. i run lots of websites, some big, some small, AF is doing a good job.

and a click thru is not a click, a click thru is a click on a ad, then a click on that resulting page.