Advertising in the Elsmar Cove Forum

[Marc]

First, Please review: Elsmar Cove Forun Advertising. Thanks!

> We may be interested in advertising - can you give me some indication of
> how many people you reach and how your advertising works/costs etc. How we
> can measure click thru etc.

First: The Cove isn't really a 'for profit' site per se. I know some people think I'm sitting here making a small fortune whilst doing nothing {or next to nothing} according to some emails I have had in the past, but I'm not, especially considering the time I put into maintenance.... Until it's in your hands, and all the 'background' stuff is in your hands, well... I assure you it's not a situation where I sit back, do next to nothing, while 'raking in the bucks'. If you don't believe that, contact me and make me an offer to buy the site....

I make enough to keep the server up and maintained, but I'm not trying to, or wanting to, 'maximize' advertising because I want to maintain a somewhat uncluttered site. As long as the site is paying for its self and its upkeep, I'm a happy camper. It used to just be my 'personal' site with no advertising, but in 2003 it started to become somewhat popular the expenses started getting pretty high, which is why I do take paid advertising now.

How people 'reach' the Elsmar Cove (find the Elsmar Cove):
Ummm, well, from friends and co-workers, from various course instructors to "the boss told me about it", from LinkedIn and from Google {and other search engines}, and from links on other web sites, and from.... Well - Once you register, you can look at peoples profiles and see. Now, that said, a lot of people put 'garbage' in their profile for one reason or another. Sometimes it's a language issue, sometimes a person just doesn't want to say (who knows why anyone would object to letting us know, for example, how they found the site {such as through Google, a co-worker, or whatever}, but some do, apparently).

I take a simple approach to Advertising in the Elsmar Cove forum.

I don't do 'clicks'.
Advertising in the Elsmar Cove forums is strictly 'Presence' (aka "Branding") advertising. Advertisers can count click throughs by giving me a specific URL for their ad and analyzing their log files for hits to that specific URL. NOTE: I do not guarantee, or promise, any follow through business/sales (aka "conversions").

What Do I Charge for an advertisement slot?
I charge based upon the ad location - Sidebar or Header, but I do not publicly disclose what I charge for advertisements.

Limitations:
1. No annoyingly animated (blinking, flashing or otherwise annoying movement/colour change {flashing} distracting) ads.
2. I take a limited number of advertisements. If the quota is filled, the only option is the waiting list or using Google's AdWords.

Site Traffic Information is posted publicly every month here: The Elsmar Cove Web Site Visitor Statistics. The statistics are derived from log file analysis using AWStats which analyzes the Apache log files on an hourly basis. As with ANY log file analysis program, the analysis data should be considered with the limitations of all log file analysis programs. Even expensive programs like Sawmill (which I used back around 1998 through something like 2002 {it cost a lot less then, too}) cannot over come the limitations of log file content.

When I look at log file analysis, I take a general look with an eye to 'Unique' visitors as well as returning visitors. I have attached 'Elsmar Statistics Jan 2008.pdf' to give you a view of what I see.

NOTE about Numbers: I also have a Google Analytics 'script' on every page. I really don't go there often to look at the data, but since Google is the major source of income for the site I don't mind feeding them the data. And, now and again, I do go there and take a looksie. But, again, my main focus is on how many 'new' people visit, as well as total visits with respect to "numbers".

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There is also the option of using Google's AdWords program for advertising. Google's AdWords advertising is site wide.
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If you have any questions, you can post them here or you can contact me via PM (see my profile for links).

NOTE 1: Advertising is only sold in 3 month time "blocks" with the option to continue or cancel at the end of each 3 month period.
NOTE 2: Advertisers are invoiced during the last month of their 3 month ad run.
NOTE 3: There is no "ad juggling", in part because that would involve "scripts" that ad blockers can use to block ads. An advertisement shows in the same place all the time. Ad slots are dedicated to one advertiser.
NOTE 4: Advertiser ad links are *NOT* "rel="nofollow"" so from an SEO point of view each advertiser is also getting a one-way (non-reciprocal), content related link. These types of links are the most valuable type with respect to SEO.

[Sidney Vianna]

Marc, congratulations for attracting more advertisers to The Cove. To me, it shows that this website is being more and more recognized as a valuable source for management system professionals, around the World.

NASA might take the same approach...

[Marc]

Well, as you know I didn't want advertising and didn't have any until December 2003. I wish I didn't need advertising. But, sadly that's not the situation.

I have more advertising than I planned for, that's for sure. I haven't sought advertisers. Companies have contacted me, so I can only guess my prices are cheap and they see a potential even if it's name recognition. For starting out as something to do in hotel rooms back when I traveled a lot to what the forum is today, I'm continually surprised at how the Cove has developed and how many people visit these days.

I have tried to be as 'tasteful' as I can with advertisements as regards placement and minimal, slow animations with loops limited to 5. And I'd be lying if I didn't categorize it as a business these days. None the less, as a business this pales in comparison to the ASQ particularly financially and in size.

I also should note that without the regulars who visit and help others, and the moderators and all they do, the forums would be dead. Advertising pays for the costs involved but the people who volunteer their time are what keeps the Cove alive and growing.

As always, my thanks go out to each moderator and each of the 'regulars' for all they do to help out here in the Cove.

Here's a freebie which is proof that over time advertising works:

[Jeff Frost]

Marc

I would be happy to advertise with you any day if I ran my own business. Keep up the good work we need a site like yours.

Jeff

[Marc]

I appreciate the thought, Jeff. The forum is doing OK. I'm easily paying the related bills and make a bit for my time. On the other hand I wish the forum was big enough and profitable enough that I could pay the moderators for everything they do in helping out here.

The problem right now is I think I have too many advertisements, which is something the moderators and I are discussing. Right now there is a waiting list and I'm thinking about what to do about it.