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POLL: Guest Advertisements


RichM

What do you think about Canal World displaying non-intrusive advertisements to guest users?  

55 members have voted

  1. 1. What do you think about Canal World displaying non-intrusive advertisements to guest users?

    • I think it's a good idea
      33
    • I don't think it's a good idea
      16
    • Abstain
      6


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On 26/05/2017 at 13:53, RichM said:

I'm sorry to hear that Mike. If you wish to provide feedback in relation to the matter or in regards to how the site is run, I recommend raising it via our support section and it will be reviewed by Daniel. I've been on the team nearly a year and from what I have seen in that relatively short time is that Canal World is very much a community driven & focused community in the way in which it operates. Sure, by human nature we won't always get it right no matter how much we try.

 

It all feels rather pointless. Dan either ignores feedback, or responds denying there is a problem and telling the complainant they are wrong. 

The mass banning that apparently never occurred is a good example.

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21 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

It all feels rather pointless. Dan either ignores feedback, or responds denying there is a problem and telling the complainant they are wrong. 

The mass banning that apparently never occurred is a good example.

I too cancelled my regular contribution around the same time.

I now rarely visit and even more rarely post because, during the time when political threads were being discussed I made several suggestions and even offered my services to mod a Current Affairs section and was never even given the courtesy of a reply from the site owner.

I learnt then how much regular contributors were valued.

On the subject of ads though, if I visited a forum as a guest and was bombarded with ads then I wouldn't feel inclined to sign up...I would just go elsewhere so I think it would be counter-productive.

Edited by carlt
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On ‎25‎/‎05‎/‎2017 at 22:58, RichM said:

We are indeed well established and that is largely thanks to you, our members. People come and go but it makes sense to do what we can to keep people coming. The likes of Google make the job a lot easier but it's still not quite like auto pilot.

I'm not aware of any plans to re-brand the site, I'm sure Daniel would have mentioned it if there were. :) If we do display ads to guest users and if it doesn't work out for any reason, we can review the situation again.

I'm sorry if it comes across as being "prim & proper" to use your words. Canal World is one of the most active UK Canal & Boating forums in the world. We do what we do with the intent to help keep it that way.
 

 

Without meaning to digress and bearing in mind I don't oversee the whole operation of the site; I appreciate the waters may get rough from time to time but we do what we do with the best of intentions and much of what we do is up for discussion with a view that we can continually make improvements based on the views expressed. This topic being an example.

If and when we do display adverts to guest users, we will look to embed them in such a way that does not intrude or degrade the appearance or performance of the site in any way of significance. They would likely be in the form of small images or text links, no popups.  If we do go-ahead with it, we would welcome feedback.

Potentially we would use Google Adsense to provide relevant ads and it's true that we would not have complete control of the adverts displayed. However, we can choose ad pools based on categories, e.g. "DIY", "boating", "outdoors", lifestyle and for arguments sake, opt-out of "fashion", "music" or anything otherwise irrelevant to Canal World. IIRC, we would also have the ability to block any ads we feel are not appropriate should the need arise.

We have a number of donators, many of whom have donated again since we improved the donation system but there is a slight shortfall largely due to the increase in operating costs. We look to continually maintain and develop Canal World for the benefit of the site and its members.  Canal World needs to be maintained, just like our boats. :)

Cheers

RichM

Thanks for your considered response to my slightly rambling and incoherent post Rich.

Cutting out the waffle and without knowing actual membership numbers, it seems to me that priority should be given to finding ways of encouraging the vast and for the most part silent majority of the existing membership to post regularly, occasionally or even at all, identifying and mitigating the reasons why so few do.

Rather than expending valuable and limited resources attempting to bludgeon a simple boost in Membership, which must yield a poor return on any investment made given CWDFs already high profile, thoughts should perhaps turn instead to finding ways of increasing the number of existing Members contributing thus widening the 'active Member gene pool' leading to a healthier, less insular CWDF with a broader knowledge base?

As a 'best guess' I would be surprised if there were many more than 50 'regular' contributors at the moment from a mostly mute Membership of (many?) thousands.

I would suggest the biggest and cheapest gains by way of growing the forum are to be found by concentrating on existing members, the rest will follow naturally if you get it right.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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