Ads on Railroadfan?

Questions and updates for http://www.railroadfan.com are posted here. If anyone has suggestions, either post here or email me at zack@railroadfan.com.
bnsfben
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 1653
Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2009 10:03 am

Ads on Railroadfan?

Unread post by bnsfben »

Okay, is it just me or are there small ads now at the bottom of each thread?

User avatar
Big Frank
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 1103
Joined: Thu Aug 21, 2008 10:29 pm
Location: Your Mom's House
Contact:

Re: Ads on Railroadfan?

Unread post by Big Frank »

bnsfben wrote:Okay, is it just me or are there small ads now at the bottom of each thread?
yes there are im guessing its a funding issue maybe adds would help keep the sight free due to low donations this year as i said before just a guess
Beating Up Foamer's and Rail Nerds Since 1981... I h8 u all!!!!

Image

User avatar
Jochs
Iron Horse Whisperer
Posts: 7279
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2010 4:52 pm
Location: On my laptop!

Re: Ads on Railroadfan?

Unread post by Jochs »

I don't see any, other than links to phpBB and Mark Alexander, and a donate button.
Jeff O.
Celebrating 11 years dial-up free!

(18:36:45) MagnumForce: Railfanning is way more fun when you stop caring about locomotives and signals
(19:11:29) cbehr91: I can't believe I'm +1ing Brent but +1

User avatar
conrailmike
Signal Maintainer
Posts: 2832
Joined: Tue Jan 30, 2007 9:59 pm
Location: Less than 100' from CSX (LSRC) Saginaw Sub. MP 61.4 in Highland, MI

Re: Ads on Railroadfan?

Unread post by conrailmike »

Yep, Google Ads at the bottom

User avatar
SW
Rail Trail Explorer
Posts: 11082
Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2005 10:51 pm
Location: Owosso, MI - 1 mile north of the GLC

Re: Ads on Railroadfan?

Unread post by SW »

I have been getting the Google ads also.
Owosso Steve

User avatar
PAT.C
Green BS SPECIALIST
Posts: 1808
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2005 4:33 pm
Location: LANSING MI---DELTA TOWNSHIP .

Re: Ads on Railroadfan?

Unread post by PAT.C »

THIS SITE COSTS ZACK MONEY TO OPERATE.

DONATIONS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME AND NEEDED.

THE ADDS BRING A LITTLE MONEY IN TO OFFSET THE COSTS .

LAST I RECALL WAS THAT DONATIONS WERE NOT COVERING ALL THE COSTS SO PLEASE BE GENEROUS TO ZACK---
WE ALL ENJOY THIS SITE AND OWE ZACK OUR THANKS [AND DOLLARS]. :D :D :D

bnsfben
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 1653
Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2009 10:03 am

Re: Ads on Railroadfan?

Unread post by bnsfben »

Yes, I agree with Pat C. I was just posting this to see if it was just me for some reason. The ads do not bother me at all! I would MUCH rather have ads than not have railroadfan.com. I would start getting angry if there were pop-up ads like on railpictures.net!

User avatar
AARR
Ann Arbor RR Nerd
Posts: 37905
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 7:39 pm
Location: Washington, MI

Re: Ads on Railroadfan?

Unread post by AARR »

The ads are not intrusive IMO
PatC created a monster, 'cause nobody wants to see Don Simon no more they want AARR I'm chopped liver, well if you want AARR this is what I'll give ya, bad humor mixed with irrelevant info that'll make you roll your eyes quicker than a ~Z~ banhammer...

TrainWatcher
The Beast
Posts: 5934
Joined: Fri Dec 08, 2006 1:28 pm

Re: Ads on Railroadfan?

Unread post by TrainWatcher »

I was going to add something last night and noted it, I like the idea as some of the ads are quite funny.

User avatar
AARR
Ann Arbor RR Nerd
Posts: 37905
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 7:39 pm
Location: Washington, MI

Re: Ads on Railroadfan?

Unread post by AARR »

It's been noted that quite a few of you have clicked on the penile enlargement ads :P :lol:
PatC created a monster, 'cause nobody wants to see Don Simon no more they want AARR I'm chopped liver, well if you want AARR this is what I'll give ya, bad humor mixed with irrelevant info that'll make you roll your eyes quicker than a ~Z~ banhammer...

User avatar
~Z~
Sofa King Admin
Posts: 12909
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 2:14 pm
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Contact:

Re: Ads on Railroadfan?

Unread post by ~Z~ »

You guys are correct, the donations are not keeping up with server costs anymore. Thought it was a good idea to see how these ads would do. I'm also going to contact a number of railroad related companies to see if they are interested in displaying a banner on the site. As for the ads, never planning on any pop-ups, and I hope they remain very unintrusive. If you are interested in something that the ads shows.... well, I'm bound by their Terms of Service not to expand on that thought.
Webmaster
Railroad photos on Railroadfan.com

User avatar
Saturnalia
Authority on Cat
Posts: 15385
Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2011 7:54 pm
Location: Michigan City, IN
Contact:

Re: Ads on Railroadfan?

Unread post by Saturnalia »

I installed Google Ad-block for Google Chrome....no more ads!

My question is would that affect ad revenue?
Thornapple River Rail Series - YouTube
Safety today is your investment for tomorrow

59caddy
bag of holding
Posts: 848
Joined: Sun May 12, 2013 6:55 pm
Location: Ann Arbor, MI

Re: Ads on Railroadfan?

Unread post by 59caddy »

MQT3001 wrote:I installed Google Ad-block for Google Chrome....no more ads!

My question is would that affect ad revenue?
It shouldn't, unless you were clicking on ads before you installed Ad-block. Google basically charges advertisers on a cost-per-click basis.

GreatLakesRailfan
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 4828
Joined: Wed Aug 24, 2005 12:28 am
Location: Marysville, Michigan

Re: Ads on Railroadfan?

Unread post by GreatLakesRailfan »

~Z~ wrote:You guys are correct, the donations are not keeping up with server costs anymore. Thought it was a good idea to see how these ads would do. I'm also going to contact a number of railroad related companies to see if they are interested in displaying a banner on the site. As for the ads, never planning on any pop-ups, and I hope they remain very unintrusive. If you are interested in something that the ads shows.... well, I'm bound by their Terms of Service not to expand on that thought.

Other hobby sites do this. One I joined because of their N scale community foes this. It does put a little damper on discussing non-sponsor companies, especially if the non-sponsor has a particularly good deal or unique product offering.

Regardless, I hope it works out, Zack. Do you know yet what impact the ads will have on our behavior "guidelines"?
~ Charles W.

User avatar
Saturnalia
Authority on Cat
Posts: 15385
Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2011 7:54 pm
Location: Michigan City, IN
Contact:

Re: Ads on Railroadfan?

Unread post by Saturnalia »

MKT_fan11 wrote: Regardless, I hope it works out, Zack. Do you know yet what impact the ads will have on our behavior "guidelines"?
The ads have been online since 2010 :wink:
Thornapple River Rail Series - YouTube
Safety today is your investment for tomorrow

brysonda
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 467
Joined: Fri Feb 22, 2013 11:07 am
Location: Ensel, Lansing, MI
Contact:

Re: Ads on Railroadfan?

Unread post by brysonda »

Thought this ad on the CSX location updates thread was amusing the other day:

Image
Relevant ad? by David M Bryson, on Flickr

59caddy
bag of holding
Posts: 848
Joined: Sun May 12, 2013 6:55 pm
Location: Ann Arbor, MI

Re: Ads on Railroadfan?

Unread post by 59caddy »

brysonda wrote:Thought this ad on the CSX location updates thread was amusing the other day:

Image
Relevant ad? by David M Bryson, on Flickr
Don't know about you, but I am seeing those all the time on here 8)

brysonda
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 467
Joined: Fri Feb 22, 2013 11:07 am
Location: Ensel, Lansing, MI
Contact:

Re: Ads on Railroadfan?

Unread post by brysonda »

Lately the ads have been trying to sell me a Dell. Quite unsuccessfully at that (have been using OSX for going on a decade, and iOS since its inception).

Of course, I can't remember ever clicking on an ad that wasn't for the explicit purpose of supporting something. I much prefer the direct donation for that though.

Post Reply