Google Ads

**Junior** · 13/04/2005, 4:12 PM

[MOD EDIT: See post #3 below.]

Including various "Ticket Agencies" and the infamous "Euroteam" no less. Doesn't seem right having Ticket Touts sponsoring the site when one of the rules of the forum is no touting!!

Whats the story?

**Peadar** · 13/04/2005, 4:15 PM

Originally Posted by Junior

Doesn't seem right having Ticket Touts sponsoring the site when one of the rules of the forum is no touting!!

Whats the story?

The ads are random and provided by google.

**dahamsta** · 13/04/2005, 5:21 PM

The ads are fed to Foot.ie by Google based on keywords in the page where possible, so if the page contains the words "tickets" and "football" (and possibly "ireland") and a ticket vendor is currently running an AdSense campaign based on those keywords, their ad will show up.

I can block particular ads based on their URL, however given the possibility of abuse - removal requests based on personal grudges, for example - I think requests for removal should be posted in the Support forum, so others can concur or object. I'll need the URL that the ad leads to in order to block it.

adam

**Junior** · 15/04/2005, 3:12 PM

http://www.euroteam.info/subevent.as...%20-%20Germany

This is the euroteam link that comes up. As you say its difficult because I guess some fans may want to avail of this service if they are desperate for tickets and we make it to Germany. But after so many Irish fans got fcuked over by this mob (including members of this site) I Don't think foot.ie should be advertising Ticket Tout sites. If people want to use them regardless, they can find them through Google. IMHO

Jnr

http://www.globalticketservice.com/e...d%20cup%202006

Another bunch of legalised touts advertising

Your call I guess.

**dahamsta** · 16/04/2005, 12:31 PM

Thanks Junior. Anyone else want to comment on these sites? (I'm genuinely not familiar with them or the problems Junior's mentioned, but I don't spend a lot of time in the Ireland forum.)

adam

**adamd164** · 17/04/2005, 11:26 AM

I agree that they should be banned. What they're doing is unfair and IMO not right. Foot.ie is basically supporting these b*stards unless the links are blocked.

**Junior** · 17/04/2005, 4:35 PM

Originally Posted by dahamsta

Thanks Junior. Anyone else want to comment on these sites? (I'm genuinely not familiar with them or the problems Junior's mentioned, but I don't spend a lot of time in the Ireland forum.)

adam

In summary, euroteam left around 300 irish fans (who had paid vastly inflated prices for tickets to the swiss game in Basel) stranded outside the ground without any tickets. The fans were on the phone to them right up till kick off and they were promising them they would be there with the tickets shortly. Needless to say they never showed up, leaving the fans with nowhere to even watch the game on tv.

I believe most fans got refunds eventually but this is hardly the point.

Both sites are just legalised touts IMO

**dahamsta** · 17/04/2005, 6:35 PM

Right, I've blocked those two sites, however if they travel through other servers on the way they'll still show up, in which case you'll need to post the page it's showing up on on Foot.ie, so I can track down the proper url.

adam

**dahamsta** · 14/09/2005, 3:31 PM

Somebody emailed asking me about the Google Ads, so I said I'd post an update:

I don't really want to give out exact figures, all I'll say is that up until about three months ago the returns were roughly the same as the last time I trialled it last year, i.e. the value of running ads was less than the value to our users of not running them.

About three months ago the revenues approximately doubled, and many colleagues running Google Ads saw the same bump. In the last two months they've doubled again, but statically, i.e. the results for September will likely be much the same as for August.

I'll be happy if they continue at that level, as they'll pay for the server and software licences. That is, up until recently, strictly speaking Foot.ie was operating at a loss, however it was using spare capacity on my server so it wasn't a /financial/ loss. Now it's paying for itself.

However there's no big profits, if that's what you're asking.

HTH,
adam

As well as the Google Ads, I'm looking at enabling subscriptions as a way to make improvements to the site. In particular I've always wanted to skin most of forums with individual club colours, but I'd also like to bring Foot.ie Photos online properly in-line with the upgrade to vB3.5, and I'd like to offer Foot.ie Mail as part of the subscription packages too.

Another idea I had for the former was to ask individual club supporters to donate (via PayPal) towards a fixed fee for skinning, which I'd agree with a designer, because it would kill two birds with one stone: the forum gets skinned, and the club forums get more visitors.

I'd be interested in feedback on these ideas, and if you have any questions about this or any other aspect of the site, feel free to ask. I may even feel free to answer.

adam

**dahamsta** · 15/09/2005, 3:19 PM

Bump. 49 views, no comments. Do you think it's a good idea, a bad idea; do you feel that subscriptions are a cynical attempt by me to line my own pockets, a wonderous gift to the community; have you a better idea? C'mon folks, if you don't feed back I won't know if I'm going in the right direction or not, and you'll have no right to complain if I do make changes and you don't like them. Help a hamsta out here!

adam

**Dodge** · 15/09/2005, 3:25 PM

TBH adam, I don't think too many people will be interested in a subscription service. There's too much free content out there and practically every club has their own forum anyway.

Don't mind the google ads and if it helps keep this place running, all the better.

**drinkfeckarse** · 15/09/2005, 3:30 PM

I would've offered a comment if I could've understood it.

**dahamsta** · 22/10/2005, 12:53 AM

I've added two large Google ads at the top and bottom of the site, however these will only displays to guests. If you have an account and log in, the top one will be replaced with the existing thin "ad unit", and the bottom one will disappear altogether. If you don't have an account, register. And post.

adam

**A face** · 22/10/2005, 4:37 PM

The job ... proper order !! There are enough people reading as guests anyway !!

**John83** · 24/10/2005, 2:33 PM

I don't mind google ads. They're quite visually inoffensive, even here where they stand out a bit against the green. Adblock nearly everything else though.

**Gareth** · 24/10/2005, 4:50 PM

Adam, I am not sure. I think that if the service is top quality people would join but you would most definately lose the underage majority and you would probably need some seriously quality work to get people signing up. As said, lots of free stuff out there. Be careful not to break that which is not broken!! It really is up to you and your market research. Personally I generally find people will only respond to potential change once its hit them.

As a person running the Shelbourne Official Forum, I think increasing your Shels forum is a terrible idea and you should just have links to the Official one

hehe Only joking, the more the merrier I say!!

**dahamsta** · 24/10/2005, 5:49 PM

I've decided to go ahead with subs shortly anyway since it's for the long term benefit of the site (skins), and no real loss to me if no-one signs up. No signups, no skins, I doubt anyone will notice the difference.

Here's the basics of the Subscriber package off the top of my head: