Can you please take the time to fill out the poll on the right sidebar about whether we should add contextualized advertising to the site? I have noticed that this site is actually getting a bit of search engine traffic to the discussions and posts on this site. I had never really thought about advertising when we set-up the site, but the idea has come to me now.
Below I will outline how I could see that working...
- The income (if there is any) would go towards the hosting of the site.
- I would probably have to use my personal Adsense account and then monitor the income from this site (Google only allows one account per person) and then I would send the income to the ICT since they are currently covering the hosting costs. I would make this process as transparent as possible and be accountable to David Couper and at least one other person about it (including generating monthly reports from Adsense).
- The advertisements would only show up to non-registered users, so us regulars and anyone else who registered would not see the ads after we signed in. You can read a bit about how I would try to do that here, here and here.
Let me know what you think in the comments here as well as in filling out the poll. Please note that you have to be a registered user to vote on the poll.
One concern that I would have would be how the site would appear to first time YWAM visitors who are not yet registered users. As such I would try not to overdo the ads on the site, but blend them in with the overall site design.
Comments
Adsense... cool
Hey Bill,
As you said, as long as only guests visiting this site would see the ads, I'm all for it.
Chris Bischoff
YWAM Latvia, Communications
www.ywamlatvia.com
www.chrisandlydia.net
Yes, let's do it!
Hi Bill,
I don't mind about Google adsense. They are really not anoying, as long as we keep focussed on the content. So I also wouldn't mind to have the ads for registered users also. We use the site the most, so why wouldn't we have to "pay" for it?
Maybe would it be important to keep in mind that the main focus of this site is to help people in missions. But if we can help cover the cost I am totally for it. But let's not take our focus off this "ministry".
Lets go for it
Bill - I think we should do it - lets make this project self-sufficient - and if we make some more then our costs then we can put the money back into some other projects!!!
Thanks
David
Lets do it
Great idea. Adsense already has channel reporting built in so keeping track should be easy.
Yes
We all know it's not and has never been the focus of this site, but if we are getting good traphic... why not? I personaly think it's a good idea.
Move with caution
Hi Bill,
Be careful. YWAMconnect.NET will never post ads for $$$..... one reason is that we will lose the level playing field for global audience (which is the power of the internet technology). As soon as we start mixing commerce and ministry, we open up an opportunity for the enemy to deposit 'questions' in the minds of the people (both christians and non christians- in ywam and out of ywam). The question we have to ask ourselves is this - will the income be worth the risk of stumbling our brothers? I have been in internet business since 1996. Its hard making money through banner ads.... I doubt you will make much $$$ and also, it will most likely be ywam ministries that will post and not the 'outside'. If that happens, then you just created a ywam caste system from western world where they can afford $$$ and the countries that can not. I would stay focused on the ministry and not be distracted by commerce. YWAMIT is doing great!
Just a thought.
CH
I wouldn't do it
I don't know I don't think it's a realy good idea.
The first things is that as far as I know you need to click on the banner to receive money. And who will click on it?
The second thing is in my personal opinion advertisment makes a site less atraktiv.
The third thing I don't think the few cents that would come in through it would be worth the hassle.
Fourth if you have a commercial site in Germany (because that is the only country I know a bit about that legal stuff) you are required to follow a lot of regulations. If you don't do that you could get into trouble. The problem is that a site becomes quickly commercial if you try to make money out of it and the deffinition in Germany about that is rather tight.
So just the few things I thought about it.
mcjobo