Do you show ads to members?
- Thread starter System0
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System0
Active member
This could be one reason why your seeing those numbers i.e. if there is a lot of content in the private forums.
Blue
Well-known member
Whatever the reason, it's working .
Num7
Active member
I show ads to members, but only text ads and links. I hate flashing banners and I figured I must not be the only one.
I make sure everything looks sweet and not cluttered. The ads are never more visible than the content itself, or anything else on the page. It doesn't affect the user experience.
I make sure everything looks sweet and not cluttered. The ads are never more visible than the content itself, or anything else on the page. It doesn't affect the user experience.
Jeff Fuqua
Well-known member
I have to run ads to cover the cost of a dedicated server. However, I do try to keep the ads to 2-3 per page and try to keep the quality high (no flashing, audio, pop-ups, etc.). My problem is the load times are sometimes long because of all the extra "stuff" these networks send before they send their ad (scorecardresearch, quantserve, etc.). I have almost 400 requests on the load of my front page.
I'd be interested in hearing how some of you who use ad networks have found a balance between making a little money and load times. Any tips?
I'd be interested in hearing how some of you who use ad networks have found a balance between making a little money and load times. Any tips?
Jeff Fuqua
Well-known member
DBA
Well-known member
Back when I was using vB4 and two Adsense banner ads (loaded asynchronous), forumhome had a total of 28 requests.
I'm now on XF and have a single (in house) banner ad, forumhome has 18 requests.
I can honestly say that I've never seen a site with so many requests. lolhttp://www.webpagetest.org/result/120615_KN_PS/1/domains/
BTW it took ~20 seconds to load with my crappy DSL line.
Jeff Fuqua
Well-known member
I thought I would continue this discussion instead of starting a new thread.
I'm attempting to balance ad revenue with load speed. On most pages, I have three ads shown to members. Since each ad has a chain of four ad networks, this often slows down load if one network is lagging.
I wanted to ask any of you who use ad networks how you've increased the speed of your load times. I'm considering a shorter chain but think my revenue will drop. Any tips or suggestions is appreciated.
I'm attempting to balance ad revenue with load speed. On most pages, I have three ads shown to members. Since each ad has a chain of four ad networks, this often slows down load if one network is lagging.
I wanted to ask any of you who use ad networks how you've increased the speed of your load times. I'm considering a shorter chain but think my revenue will drop. Any tips or suggestions is appreciated.
DBA
Well-known member
How are you serving your ads/networks? Have you ever looked into Google DFP (Doubleclick For Publishers)?
The thing you have to consider is that by reducing your page load time you'll most likely increase your traffic/page view. Which will in turn give you more revenue.
BTW is this site your primary source of income?
Edit: Here's a great article about page loads
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/01/technology/impatient-web-users-flee-slow-loading-sites.html
The thing you have to consider is that by reducing your page load time you'll most likely increase your traffic/page view. Which will in turn give you more revenue.
BTW is this site your primary source of income?
Edit: Here's a great article about page loads
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/01/technology/impatient-web-users-flee-slow-loading-sites.html
Jeff Fuqua
Well-known member
Thanks for the reply. I'll read the article now.
This isn't my main source of income (thank goodness). I use ad revenue to pay for a dedicated server and usually have a little left over at the end of the year to print up some t-shirts to give away. I'd love to take it to the next level via advertising but I'm not doing much in the way of direct sales these days.
EDIT: Very enlightening article. Keep it under two seconds? I would think that would be impossible if any ads were on the page. I'd be happy with the entire page loading followed by the ads.
This isn't my main source of income (thank goodness). I use ad revenue to pay for a dedicated server and usually have a little left over at the end of the year to print up some t-shirts to give away. I'd love to take it to the next level via advertising but I'm not doing much in the way of direct sales these days.
EDIT: Very enlightening article. Keep it under two seconds? I would think that would be impossible if any ads were on the page. I'd be happy with the entire page loading followed by the ads.
Jeff Fuqua
Well-known member
I'll investigate. Thanks.
DBA
Well-known member
With it not being your primary source of income I'd experiment with it. Try getting your first load time down to 2-3 seconds by setting it up with Google DFP and/or running less ads for 3 months. You might be surprised to see your traffic (and revenue) increase. The thing to remember though is that it won't happen overnight, I'd give it at least 2-3 months.
Here's a screenshot of when our forum was still with vB 4 and had 3 ads served by Google DFP.
CTXMedia
Well-known member
Did you review/optimise your MySQL InnoDB settings when you migrated to XF (most XF tables use the InnoDB engine)? And do you have any caching installed such as APC or Xcache?
To check whether it's the ads slowing things down disable all ads temporarily and run the speed test, then turn them back on and repeat. Was there a noticeable difference in page load times?
Cheers,
Shaun
To check whether it's the ads slowing things down disable all ads temporarily and run the speed test, then turn them back on and repeat. Was there a noticeable difference in page load times?
Cheers,
Shaun
Jeff Fuqua
Well-known member
The tricky part there is we see huge jumps during the season which probably skews the data. However, I would like to use DFP. Right now, I'm searching for a good how-to for adding ad networks. Right now, I have a default with each. If I understand this correctly, DFP will pull the ad with the highest CPM from which ever networks I add.
Click, someone with a lot more knowledge of xF did the migration for me. I know he added caching but not sure which. Based on what I see on Google Page Speed, the third-party things coming from the ad networks is what's killing me.
CTXMedia
Well-known member
Okay, no worries, just checking.
I'd also be interested in what you find out regarding the use of different ad networks with DfP. I use it for all my forums but currently just default to Adsense so haven't added any inventory/orders etc. so far.
Cheers,
Shaun
intradox
Well-known member
Not sure how you get such low requests.... I'm getting ~120 on mine (http://CastleStoryOnline.com) but I guess it's from all the external wigets/apis. Would love to reduce the page speed from it's current depressingly slow 11 seconds...Back when I was using vB4 and two Adsense banner ads (loaded asynchronous), forumhome had a total of 28 requests.
I'm now on XF and have a single (in house) banner ad, forumhome has 18 requests.
http://www.webpagetest.org/result/120615_KN_PS/1/domains/
BTW it took ~20 seconds to load with my crappy DSL line.
As for ads, I show 3 per page for guests and 1 bottom banner for members and they are all adsense at the moment. Not too familiar with google analytics so I wonder what the CTR is for members versus guests. The Average CTR is depressing low at ~.15%
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