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I wouldn't block ads if they were only static images loaded from a web server, with the only click/impression tracking being web server log scraping. No JS, cro

I wouldn't block ads if they were only static images loaded from a web server, with the only click/impression tracking being web server log scraping. No JS, cross-site tracking, malware. Bonus points for being SVGs and thereby saving my bandwidth and looking nice across all resolutions.

woutr_be 7y ago
My main reason for blocking them is that they disrupt me using a website. I'm fine with ads being on top of a page, or in a sidebar, as long as they don't cause any interference. More than often, they cause the page to jump down, or hide content, that's when I block them. Of course, because of some websites doing this, I actively block ads on all websites.
- judge2020 7y ago
  Here's an example I'd like to share, this is dotabuff.com (game statistics for Dota 2): https://i.judge.sh/Maud/8eH5pZPJ.png https://i.judge.sh/Maud/8eH5pZPJ.png
  - woutr_be 7y ago
    You know what; apart from that floating box in the corner right, I’m okay with the rest of the ads. Yes, they’re there, but I can still see all content, so it doesn’t bother me that much. But like I said, they have to be there on page load, not do this weird thing that causes content to jump around.
- frandroid 7y ago
  Variable height ad slots on mobile are one of my pet peeves... "why is the page moving? The ad is not even visible on the page!"
thanhhaimai 7y ago
Just curious, what's your solution to frauds and bot clicks on static images without client side scripting/cross site tracking?
- BLKNSLVR 7y ago
  Some kind of statistical analysis of online clicks versus uptick in actual sales in, and slightly beyond, the time window of the advertising campaign. Base payment scales on impartial ratings of website popularity. I'm harshly anti-ads (for a swathe of reasons), but the problems of ad-fraud is an internet-unique problem. Advertising campaigns on TV, Radio, and paper mediums didn't track views (clicks didn't exist, my gosh!). An assumed value was given to the advertising based on the popularity of the particular TV show, radio program, magazine type, etc. AND the ads were generally targeted to the audience of the medium. The advertising industry had this problem solved before it even became a problem. They wanted more, and are whinging about people blocking their methods to gain this 'more'. Just don't create online dossiers on individuals, don't provide yet another vector for malware, don't invade our spaces with uninvited sound, don't slow down the sites I've chosen to view, don't waste my bandwidth.
- zeta0134 7y ago
  Well, if we make that a metric, it'll be gamed, no? Don't track that at all. The advertisement should run for a set amount of time, and the correct metric to track is successful leads that originate from the campaign, which is easy to measure if you're tracking leads (you really should be) and the campaign has a unique landing page. Don't bother to track ad clicks (because they can be gamed) and don't sell ads based on clicks (because then they WILL be gamed) and the problem vanishes. Click fraud is a problem the advertising industry created for itself, and other advertising mediums without invasive user-tracking seem to get on just fine without it.
- toast0 7y ago
  CPA (cost per acquisition) seemed like it was gaining steam over CPC (cost per click) and CPM (cost per thousand views) when I left Yahoo! in 2011. Did that not go anywhere?
  - edoceo 7y ago
    It's still a vanity-metric CPC game :(
  - manigandham 7y ago

woutr_be 7y ago

My main reason for blocking them is that they disrupt me using a website. I'm fine with ads being on top of a page, or in a sidebar, as long as they don't cause any interference. More than often, they cause the page to jump down, or hide content, that's when I block them. Of course, because of some websites doing this, I actively block ads on all websites.

judge2020 7y ago
Here's an example I'd like to share, this is dotabuff.com (game statistics for Dota 2): https://i.judge.sh/Maud/8eH5pZPJ.png https://i.judge.sh/Maud/8eH5pZPJ.png
- woutr_be 7y ago
  You know what; apart from that floating box in the corner right, I’m okay with the rest of the ads. Yes, they’re there, but I can still see all content, so it doesn’t bother me that much. But like I said, they have to be there on page load, not do this weird thing that causes content to jump around.
frandroid 7y ago
Variable height ad slots on mobile are one of my pet peeves... "why is the page moving? The ad is not even visible on the page!"

thanhhaimai 7y ago

Just curious, what's your solution to frauds and bot clicks on static images without client side scripting/cross site tracking?

BLKNSLVR 7y ago
Some kind of statistical analysis of online clicks versus uptick in actual sales in, and slightly beyond, the time window of the advertising campaign. Base payment scales on impartial ratings of website popularity. I'm harshly anti-ads (for a swathe of reasons), but the problems of ad-fraud is an internet-unique problem. Advertising campaigns on TV, Radio, and paper mediums didn't track views (clicks didn't exist, my gosh!). An assumed value was given to the advertising based on the popularity of the particular TV show, radio program, magazine type, etc. AND the ads were generally targeted to the audience of the medium. The advertising industry had this problem solved before it even became a problem. They wanted more, and are whinging about people blocking their methods to gain this 'more'. Just don't create online dossiers on individuals, don't provide yet another vector for malware, don't invade our spaces with uninvited sound, don't slow down the sites I've chosen to view, don't waste my bandwidth.
zeta0134 7y ago
Well, if we make that a metric, it'll be gamed, no? Don't track that at all. The advertisement should run for a set amount of time, and the correct metric to track is successful leads that originate from the campaign, which is easy to measure if you're tracking leads (you really should be) and the campaign has a unique landing page. Don't bother to track ad clicks (because they can be gamed) and don't sell ads based on clicks (because then they WILL be gamed) and the problem vanishes. Click fraud is a problem the advertising industry created for itself, and other advertising mediums without invasive user-tracking seem to get on just fine without it.
toast0 7y ago
CPA (cost per acquisition) seemed like it was gaining steam over CPC (cost per click) and CPM (cost per thousand views) when I left Yahoo! in 2011. Did that not go anywhere?
- edoceo 7y ago
  It's still a vanity-metric CPC game :(
- manigandham 7y ago