Mashable has a lot of ads
I normally read Mashable, the uber-comprehensible news service of the social media world, through an RSS reader, so I was a little bit surprised when I browsed around the site last night.
Is it just me, or does it have a lot of ads?
The center column is ad-free for the most part, thankfully. But there’s a lot of color and blinking lights and ads that run on and on down both the right and left column of the page.
Far be it from me to criticize a website for trying to make money, I’m all for it! But there’s a balance between content and advertising that’s part art and part science.
I don’t think that Mashable’s use of ads is terrible, but it was enough to be distracting. Which I suppose is good from the advertiser’s perspective!
Taking a look at TechCrunch, arguably the site which Mashable most hopes to emulate in terms of popular and financial success, it’s pretty clear that there are a lot fewer ads and the layout and balance between content and ads is cleaner. There’s a wide body of content on left, with a sizeable column on the right set aside for ads and other stuff.
The appearance of the ads is less distracting on TechCrunch as well. Less bright flashy things going on, lack of Google text ads.
Hey, we all have to use Google text ads from time to time (ahem), but lets face it, they’re not the greatest thing that you can do for the overall appearance of your site.
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April 14th, 2008 at 1:57 am
[...] Mashable. Check out their ads - they have a lot of them. Eric Berlin even notices that Mashable has a lot of ads. These blogs put a premium on speed, frequency and exclusives. And a good dollop of opinion sure to [...]
April 14th, 2008 at 3:08 am
You highlighted a very strong point in your post: RSS Readers are a filter to ads.
I understand with some extend the purpose of the blog’s author why ads exists in Blogs.
I read most of posts from my RSS reader and go on the blog itself to comment or typically I’ll hit a specific blog or classical website by clicking on links in the post I read.
Thankfully, I haven’t seen yet overlapping ads in Blogs I visited.
Flashing ads are painful. Ads of any kinds (except maybe clearly identified text ads) in the text content of the pages I visit makes me upset.
Text ads or static graphical ads are more of my taste. When I visit a blog (or a website in general) it is with the goal of reading and/or commenting on the content. It is not to be overloaded of flashing ads. Overlapping Ads are definitely the most painful ones. What do they drive to me? The willingness of runaway from these websites/blogs.
But I must admit I personally don’t see most of the ads anymore, thanks to FireFox plugins.
I’m however happy to click on Sponsor Links or links redirecting to specific pages filled with ads.
April 14th, 2008 at 9:35 am
Very interesting that you’re willing to click on Sponsor Links, Gaetan, which I think basically means that you’re apt to be tempted by relevant advertising. The same is true for me and for most people, I’d wager. And that’s the challenge for both publishers and advertisers: how to get relevant advertising in front of the right people in the right way. When ads become “flashy” and distracting to the content being presented, that’s when you run the danger I think of compromising your content and presenting a poor user experience for readers.
April 15th, 2008 at 7:30 am
@Eric. I need to clarify my saying a bit.
Readers that read good content should rewarded by a click on a featured ads or sponsor link … at the bottom end of the article or a dedicated page.
*disabling FF ADP plugin; *clicking on 1 ads; *re-enabling FF ADP plugin.
April 17th, 2008 at 10:35 am
Gaetan, I think you’re saying that readers who appreciate and value a content source should help it out by clicking on ads?
Can’t argue there.