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Thursday, March 13, 2008

Wanted: Spam Killer Web Browser

I've been thinking about blog ads lately. They really do annoy me. I understand someone wanting to make a buck, enough to pay for their web host. Seems that is how a lot of it started, just making enough to pay for the Internet connection and web domain/ host if you have one. That was a nice plan if you could do it.

Now I think more than two thirds of the blogs and sites existing are about money making, SEO, monetizing and so on. It amazes me that people still keep making more. How much of the same information does the world need? It is choking the Internet.

I still understand running an ad or two. If you are hosted on Blogger it is nice to run their AdSense, as thanks for the free site and hosting. You might run an ad to see what all the fuss is about or try to make a bit to pay for your Internet connection, etc. There are some blogs which are trying to make money to pay for college, surgery, a car or other things they need and hope to find charity from others online.

But, that is the cut off for me. I feel I am in an ad farm and it is becoming the whole Internet. It's like watching TV and wishing the ads would pause long enough for the show to come on. But they don't. There is no end to the ads and it is just getting worse.

Sites are writing about products and posting them as if they were regular personal blog posts. As if they just love denture cream, credit cards or having a bigger penis. Who do they think they are fooling? I'm sure a lot of people are confused by these fake posts, likely some assume they are sincere. There must even be people who do buy the stuff. If there were no sales the stuff would stop but it's not stopping it's growing.

I'm not against people who spam (and I am going to call it spam no matter what you protest). I'm against having it shoved down my throat. I want a break! I want to be on the Internet and enjoy it, unplagued by ads. I want a web browser, call it Spam Killer, that will stop web abuse. I want it to give me the option of not loading a spam infested blog or site. I want a little note to come up before the sites loads and tell me how many ads are running on the site. Five or more ads, YUCK! I won't waste my time. Two or fewer ads, ok, I'll have a look.

I am tired of being abused. Yes, I am a consumer. I am someone who could choose to shop online. However, that does not mean I want to be a captive audience. I'm tired of being abused by those who call themselves business people online. Run your business, great. Just get it away from me. I don't want to see beauty product ads when I am reading a blog about business women. If I want to know about beauty products I can choose to go to a site about them. Business women are not about beauty supplies. Find your correct niche and stay there. If I want to find you I will.

I'm at the point where I will not buy anything online cause I am just sick of being a victim to the ad mongers.

That's my rant for now. I will be watching for that Spam Killer though. Anyone who remembers the days of pop up ads knows it can be done!

7 comments:

Alison said...

I'm with you on the ads, and the fake post ones too I hate them.

Anonymous said...

I agree! You won't find a single ad on my blog. What's more, I make it a rule never, ever to click on an ad link on anyone's blog. There's no point in encouraging this sort of thing.

Anonymous said...

I think it can be overdone. And in those cases I think that detracts from the value the advertiser is getting anyway.

This is an issue I too have struggled with for a while - is it okay to advertise on blogs, particularly personal blogs.

In the end I cam to the conclusion that there's nothing wrong with a blogger being paid something in return for their time. Just like perhaps a magazine writer does. Their time is paid for by advertising revenue. As long as it doesn't become the MAIN focus of their site.

Do you use firefox as your browser? They have a "no scripts" add on and that does cut out some of the advertising on sites.

Laura Brown said...

I have one ad. I think it makes $1.91 a day or overall, I haven't figured out which. Either way, it's not going to cover my Internet costs but it would be nice if it could. I thought I would try it. It is kind of a pain cause they want to have space at the top of my blog. That takes up real estate I would like to use for other things. Eventually I will decide I want the space and the ad will go. Meanwhile, it is an interesting project. I thought I should learn about running ads to know how it is for those who do run them. I think running one ad is not going to do that really. Yet I do not want to have more. It would just be annoying and I have just gotten rid/ moved a lot of clutter I used to have in my sidebar.

Jillian said...

I dislike the fake posts, too. As a new blogger, it took me a while to realize what was happening. I use to respond to them like a noob. Oh well.

I don't mind ads on personal blogs or otherwise as long as they are unobtrusive and kept to the sidebar. I will not begrudge anyone trying to make an extra buck.

Like with anything else, when it comes to advertising, moderation is best.

And I agree, there are 53495295702 too many "make money online" blogs.

lattégirl said...

Uh... yes, but aren't those Evil Ads at the top right of this-here blog?

Laura Brown said...

I have one ad. The others are link exchanges, freebies. One is building into a community, EntreCard. I began writing for the blog there a couple of times a week.

As I wrote, I can understand having an ad or two. For one reason or another. I don't think a blog should be drowning in them though.

I also know some people have a personal blog which is separate from their ad blog. I think that is a good option so people can find them and catch up with how they are doing, without the ads getting in the way.