I've decided to add Shopping Ads on a grander scale

[qryztufre]

When the idea was brought up that my occult forum should have a classified section, I looked around for a way to accent it and found Auction Ads (shopping ads) and placed an ad in the forum description. The classified section does not get a lot of traffic though, and with that I have not gotten a lot of clicks. In fact, that board + my personal site have only brought in like 55 cents thus far (in months!) but then, it was never really about the money...

Though, now it is...

We moved from a shared hosting account to a VPS, and of course with that comes a need for more money. So I've decided to push the ads a bit further in placing them after the first post for GUESTS only. I've also placed a small ad on the forum index through the Welcome Block.

It's my hopes now that I can pull in around $25 a month, as that'll pay for the board...though, I'm also getting a little cash through a donation system and gold member accounts, so maybe just $15-20...

I'm hoping to break even, and I'm hoping to not go with Adsense, as heh, I fear being clickbombed though angry members.

I put the ads in the welcome block yesterday, and the threads today. I'm unsure how well my niche will play out, but here is to hope.

I'll try to keep this thread updated as to how well I do...

heh, wish me luck ;)

[Joeychgo]

Good luck.

[qryztufre]

Good luck.

Thanks :D

I'm actually hoping that this thread will show I've put my foot in my mouth because of all the bad things I've said about AA/SA over the last year. Then again, maybe I'll be one of those niche sites that just does not do all that well...

I may try out other ad networks, but I felt that this would be safer, as it's certainly harder to abuse...as I don't make money unless some one buys something. So heh, if someone wants to click bomb me, make it really hurt by buying stuff (LOL).

Of course, if I do try out other networks, you can likely expect a bunch of n00b questions in other boards here.

[Joeychgo]

Your biggest problem is your niche. Finding relevant ads for your niche has to be difficult.

[qryztufre]

All the keywords in my niche are showing 700-900 entries. While I've only got one in the middle at the moment. I do plan on playing around with the code to get them rotating...

I checked for xbox and car and I have more entries then those... *shrug*

[Joeychgo]

Yeah, but how many are really relevant to what your forum is about?

[qryztufre]

Other then the strange jewelry ads, car audio ads, WII, and clothing things that pop up, then yeah, most are.

The Necronomicon, Golden Dawn stuff, Wiccan pendents, Druid robes, etc....

When the ads actually pull the keywords, they do seem to pull relevant ones. Though, that's when SA holds up THEIR end of the code.

[SuperJETT]

They appear for the most part to be targeted, like you said there are some random ones tossed in but that's probably because of the seller doing massive hidden keywords.

I would recommend putting them on a page for all users. You need to get people to click an ad so they set the cookie for 30 days.

Something else I did...I added an 'Ebay Ads' forum---people can post an ebay item, the forum rewrites the link using the rewrite hack and they click that link to buy something so we get the referral $$$. Only the poster can see the posts, not even admins, so noone knows what is being bought other than the OP. I have a thread explaining that, so our users that buy stuff off Ebay, even if it's not related to jetskiing, are helping support the site. There are currently 42 threads/53 posts in that forum so it's being used.

Good luck.

[qryztufre]

The site is still mainly member driven, and as such, the paying members have all stated they 'do not want' when it comes to ads of any nature for members... however, I may later add it in a usergroup 'ebay users' that can opt in for seeing the SA ads.



Something else I did...I added an 'Ebay Ads' forum---people can post an ebay item, the forum rewrites the link using the rewrite hack and they click that link to buy something so we get the referral $$$. Only the poster can see the posts, not even admins, so noone knows what is being bought other than the OP. I have a thread explaining that, so our users that buy stuff off Ebay, even if it's not related to jetskiing, are helping support the site. There are currently 42 threads/53 posts in that forum so it's being used.


I put up a classified forum, which ebay linkage is not discouraged (though I'm not currently using the hack, heh, currently no one has linked to ebay, accept one fella that was spamming, and I deleted his post).



Good luck.

Seemingly I'll need it... I'm not getting hundreds of impressions, but other then the first day, the only click has been from me, looking at grave earth (lol).

Monday, I'll start playing with format & keyword options.

[SuperJETT]

Any improvement?

[qryztufre]

I got a handful of clicks, and a very strange nickel that seemingly is unrelated.

I have swapped out for Adsense & have earned several dollars in a like amount of time...

Though, that is dwindling now, so I'm thinking of rotating the ads somehow.

One thing I have noticed though, is that SA had about 100 more impressions daily then Google is showing.

I also find it odd that it's just my niche that is the trouble, but then, maybe I just hang out with an odd ebay loving occult group *boggle* I really am clueless, other then maybe SA doesn't like me (LOL).