Internet Ads - How Do They Work?

[REDVAN]

Originally Posted by photon

it isn't against the regulations of CP to purposefully block ads; we can't control what people do on their own computers. However we don't want direct posts on how exactly to block CP's ads, for obvious reasons. If everyone blocked the ads, there would be no CP.

On my home computer I block the ads.

At work, school, and my iPhone I don't... so I help support CP that way!

On a side note, we should have a CP fundraiser. Maybe a raffle type thing, that way we can collect more money for stuff like server costs and all that. Do we need to? I remember a few years ago I donated some money for new hardware or something, but that might have been YEARS ago.

CP is a privately run website, but since most of us enjoy it so much, I'd hate for Bingo or others to have to pay out of their own pocket to keep it running. Hopefully that isn't still happening after all these years, and that there is enough google ad revenue to cover costs. If not, then let me know. If CP is having trouble making ends meet, I can start viewing a few ads.

edit: see edit on above post

[photon]

No worries, I know your intent isn't negative, I just wanted to make sure it was clear for anyone reading through the thread that we don't (and can't really) stop people from doing what they want on their own computers.

I'm not sure of the ongoing financials for the site, Bingo would know more, but if there was a dire need I'm sure he'd let us know.

[Locke]

All of a sudden all of my ads are in Italian. What the hell?

Macchine per Pasta Fresca
Scegli fra Tanti Modelli di Macchine per Fare la Pasta!

This one is clearly a pasta recipe.

Agenzia Matrimoniale
Eliana Monti, Più di 50 sedi in tutta Italia. Inserisci un Annuncio

I think this is for a wedding chapel?

Cerchi Nuovi Incontri?
Iscriviti Ora Gratis alla Nuova Webcommunity e Incontra Single

And a singles community? I dont know, I cant read Italian.

I dont know where google gets this crap.

[BlackEleven]

Originally Posted by photon

If everyone blocked the ads, there would be no CP.

Just curious.... Does CP get revenue from just displaying the ads or do we actually have to click them to help out CP?

[photon]

I think it's a combination of impressions and clickthroughs. Clicking an ad will generate more, but clicking an ad when it isn't relevant to you probably doesn't help in the long run as it just depresses the value of the clickthrough.

[Bobblehead]

Google ads often look at the content of a page to try and figure out what type of add to display. I've been on many forums where people will see if they can alter the type of ads shown by including specific words.

If you'll notice from the link Photon posted, "Ads in Gmail are placed in the same way that ads are placed alongside Google search results and,..."

So this response is saying the ads you are seeing while you are looking at your Gmail are related to the content on the page, in this case, your GMail emails.

I don't think they will track GMail users across the internet to display appropriate ads.

Google does keep track of all the searches that are done, and what ip address these are coming from, and they have released this information to police before when directly required to by subpoena. I can think of one case where a person was charged with murder based on this evidence (note to self - don't google how to commit murder then follow up using the results).

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by photon

No worries, I know your intent isn't negative, I just wanted to make sure it was clear for anyone reading through the thread that we don't (and can't really) stop people from doing what they want on their own computers.

I'm not sure of the ongoing financials for the site, Bingo would know more, but if there was a dire need I'm sure he'd let us know.

That is a very fair and balanced approach to the topic of ad blocking - not allowed to discuss it, but what you set up on your own machine is your own business.

Some sites will ban you if they detect that you are blocking ads at all, eg. Ars Technica, which is utterly ridiculous as it is none of their business how you configure your machine or what URL's you request.

[Locke]

My Italian ads have multiplied. There used to be 3 and now theres 5 and they're still in Italian. WTF? Am I not good enough to be advertised to in a language I understand?