New google ads

[Robert Dewey]

Mike...

Your ads blend in right with your site and look good. They don't get in the way of any important links and fit right in under your photos symmetrically.

The Google bar that was at the top of the ST page looked almost identical to the ST control toolbar just above it, and was obtrusive looking - almost like it was trying to "fool you" into clicking on it instead of the ST toolbar. The "block" style might be bigger, but it's tucked away in the upper right hand corner out of the way of the website navigation toolbar. I have gotten used to the spacing difference between the forum boarder and the ST navigation toolbar, and the Google ad bar interfered with that...

Other than that, I don't really know how to explain what I mean by "it doesn't feel right".

 

[Mike Hollingshead]

The Google bar that was at the top of the ST page looked almost identical to the ST control toolbar just above it, and was obtrusive looking - almost like it was trying to "fool you" into clicking on it instead of the ST toolbar.

Well I put them on my site because I wanted people to click on them. I think that is the goal, getting clicks on them. If someone gets fooled they can simply click back and note the text at the left end of them--"ads by google". The site with lots of free content will still be there when they click back. But, the link text obviously said something they were interested in, so maybe they will find something more interesting.

There is nothing pretty or real nice about them no matter where they are. It is still a better option than asking for donations and whatnot(which many sites do).

But I agree, they do look tricky that way and on my site also look like my links. But at the same time they are less obvious in that format and seem to take away less than the typical google ads box that I don't think many bother clicking on anyway.

I figured it is making around $3 a day with 1000 visitors. During the Aurora image e-mail chain thing in November of 2004 there were 2 weekend days with about 70,000 each. That is $210 each day. I'd be a fool not to get something up that gets clicked on.....and the less distracting format does that on mine. I just figured I'd tell Tim about the outcome and what it says on the adsense tips page. It doesn't matter how they are on here what-so-ever to me. I don't get too distracted, but just note them and move on. Thought maybe the other way would get Tim more funds for his troubles. I was wrong.