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Discuss Google Ads have New Settings / Subscribed members new tools in the ElectriciansForums.net News and Updates area at ElectriciansForums.net

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Dan

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Okay, so this is part of a wider efforts to balance the books for the forums. We're trialing it out. But it comes with some good benefits as well as a few ads. So read the whole thread please before judging and replying. :)

New Ads for logged-in users unless you have any one of the below:-
  • You have 150 posts - Google ads go altogether (we did have 1 ad spot for those with 150+, I've got rid of that one, so 150 posts and you get non at all
  • You have joined ElectriciansForums Arms - Google ads go
  • You have subscribed - Google ads go, sponsors SIDEBAR goes (in-content banners stay)
So Subscribed members get a good deal still just at that IMO. But there's more news.

Subscribed members will (very soon, I have the coding done just need time to install it) get:-
  • No Google Ads
  • No Sidebar Sponsors Ads (all content widgets) (they will get 1 banner per page in threads only - still testing that really that might not stay, it might increase to under the first post and under the last - not sure)
  • NEW: The ability to moderate your own threads!!!!!!! Whaaaaat?!?! lol
    • You will be able to delete off-topic posts, offensive posts, posts already falling under forum rules, but it gives the moderators some relaxation - Moderators will always be able to override your actions and undo them
    • You will be able to keep your threads on topic and helpful to you - You can then make threads with bants in, and if it becomes offensive, delete it quicker than reporting it.
    • If this tools gets used even once to get back at somebody, it gets removed - So best to report that post instead, and let the moderator take action should they wish.
  • NEW: Vanity URL for your profile page - so ElectriciansForums.net/YOURCHOICE (doesn't even have to match your username - nothing offensive will be accepted
  • NEW: (sort of had this, but it's coming back for Subscribed Members) Username Colour Changing - change your username colour as often as you want to. :)
  • NEW: You will be able to host groups, so like facebook groups, and get members into them, these are unmoderated TO A POINT. The moment I see ractist, sexist, any other illegal posts, the group gets restricted or locked for a week or something - not sure yet. But we can't have the next Osama Bin Laden group coming from here, like a similar one did come from a 4chan website (a website about Graphics Design of all things!)
The subscription price may increase at this point. Not sure what to. But those who are on them already, will have theirs honoured. It wouldn't be much of a change, the hosting of the groups might take a lot of bandwidth and disk space if they start to get big. So I have to reserve the right to adjust the pricing if it comes to that.

I don't really want to start splitting them off into different pricings and whatnot. It's not what we're about here.

I'm taking a look over the books, and it's not going to cut the mustard long-term on the sort of income we're on. So I'm trying to get Google pay us more - that used to be a lot more than it was years ago. People share their marketing fees between Google Adwords, Facebook Ads, and Twitter / Instagram Marketing these days. So Google itself has taken a hit I think.

I'm speaking with Google with regards to taking us up a tier so we get a bigger percentage of the ad cut. But that might not happen until next year it's a slow process. In the meantime I need to show them we can earn some money from it for them to even consider it.

So this is a fine line between earning some money to stay online, and putting people off with ads.

ADBLOCKERS

These do my head in. While regular members (150 posts) should see no Google ads. They're still using them to block sponsors ads and other blocks on the forum. You'd have seen me playing with testing tools around those. And I've got a log of all those who are, and have been, using them. I'm considering your current posting content, and it's not a lot. So wondering whether it's just worth us parting ways.

The other option is to just break the site by not serving you the CSS files (the styling) for the site to work properly, and hide those behind my own blocks, unless your browser or device is AdBlock Free.

The reason these came about were to stop malware ads, and dodgy ads. And we're not hosting any of those I assure you.

So I'm still thinking about this. But you guys blocking them are breaking some small bits of the forum for you right now, as I'm testing them. And personally, I wont be providing support to you when things go wrong your end whether ad-block related or not.

There is a way to browse the forum pretty much ad-free. Subscribe. Failing that, it's ads. Don't circumvent our only incomes. We wouldn't support this with your customers!

With the money we get, we're working on a few things to get you guys business in. It does seem a lot of you don't need extra business to come in. Think yourself lucky. :) - The forum does.

PLONKERS COSTING MORE MODERATING TIME / OR THOSE POSTING WITH VERY VERY LOW LIKE RATIOS

No matter whether they subscribe, are in the arms, or have 150 posts - They're going to get max ads. And the moment they block a single one, they're being booted. I haven't set it up yet. But I will. Why screw good threads with your shyte responses? Why screw around so much moderators need spend time approving your posts in a pre-moderation queue? Why do we need to even think about you at all? Your content clearly is brining the whole forum Post v Like count down, and in my eyes I couldn't care less how good of a sparky you are, if your ratios are rubbish, you're costing the forum long-term. In lots of ways.

So, this is all a bit of a test. I'm thinking this test is until around Christmas to get some good feedback (statistical - not comments from you guys lol) so I can work on them and adjust them.

I think it will hit, ooooo, around Zero good members who have posted even a little bit :D :D :D :D :D

TL;DR: Read it. It's important. :D

How to subscribe: https://www.electriciansforums.net/account/upgrades
The price will increase soon. So if you buy annual now, that sticks for 1 year. If you buy monthly and it increases, that'll increase from the month I do it. You're welcome to unsubscribe if you want at any time.

If anybody can screen print this screen who subscribes for me so they can show others what it looks like (could do with it being from a laptop to show the full width with widgets only - no sidebar banners) that'd be cool.

As I don't subscribe, I have the banners! lol
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Here's one
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Here's the bottom of the page.
 
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