Did y'all just add a ton of ads to the site?

[thistlewick]

Wow, it sure is different. Spammy, flashing, across every corner and between every 3 posts. What the heck is going on?

Ask for donations if the servers are too expensive to run. Don't do this. It smacks of 1995 and looks godawful.

 

[CCsGarden]

If you have PFM you won't see any adds. Sorry this is happening to you! Not sure how to help.

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

Sorry you're having a bad experience.

We haven't changed anything with regards to our quantity of ads, types of ads, or ad-layout, and we haven't heard any reports from any of the other thousands of people visiting the site, so I'm guessing something changed on your side?

Were you previously a PFM (with no ads) and now you see ads?

Ask for donations if the servers are too expensive to run.

The servers are not "too expensive", but they (and all the other contractor, design, techs, etc.) are very expensive. Thankfully our tasteful and less-annoying-than-other-sites ads + our PFM supporters pay the bills.

We've compared our ad-stack to other similar sites and have found we have fewer and less-annoying ads than most. We don't allow popups and block MANY ads that other sites happily show (gambling, weight-loss, political, etc.) even though having them would make us a LOT of $$$. We're also one of the few sites that offer a completely ad-free experience option.

We don't ask for donations, but if you want a completely ad-free experience, please consider a PFM.

 

[tlcmurphy]

The sudden ads were how I realized my PFM had expired. I didn’t find them awful before I first got a PFM, but they sure were annoying once it expired

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

The sudden ads were how I realized my PFM had expired. I didn’t find them awful before I first got a PFM, but they sure were annoying once it expired

LOL! Maybe that's why the "big guys" like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, etc. don't have a non-paid option?

1) They don't want people to see what it's like to have an ad-free experience
2) They make WAY more money showing ads than they ever would with selling ad-free options.

 

[thistlewick]

The sudden ads were how I realized my PFM had expired. I didn’t find them awful before I first got a PFM, but they sure were annoying once it expired

yeah I never had PFM, so not sure how I wasn't seeing ads before and now I'm totally spammed and overwrought, god it looks terrible.

Don't assume just because we keep chickens we aren't aware of server infrastructure, backend and maintenance.

It's bad enough I cannot run my VPN to login or use this site, I prefer privacy. Now these ads. Y i k e s.

Raptive is a for-profit network; just looked it up.

So, yeah, nevermind lol

 

[thistlewick]

LOL! Maybe that's why the "big guys" like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, etc. don't have a non-paid option?

1) They don't want people to see what it's like to have an ad-free experience
2) They make WAY more money showing ads than they ever would with selling ad-free options.

Hmm yeah I don't use those

 

[Evadig]

I don’t have a PFM so I have ads, but definitely not as many as you are describing. I don’t know how to help but I hope your experience gets better .

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

Don't assume just because we keep chickens we aren't aware of server infrastructure, backend and maintenance.

I'm not assuming anything other than what the data proves... that the VAST majority of people on the internet (and especially BYC) have no idea how much it costs to run a FREE service used by millions of people.

If you do... then you're a significantly strong statistical outlier... which is super awesome! I love when people know about tech and how much it costs to run a service like ours!

Raptive is a for-profit network; just looked it up.

I'm not sure what our ad-partner being for-profit has to do with any of the above?

Honestly, they are a FANTASTIC ad-network (and I've used dozens over the last 25 years I've been doing this). I'm VERY glad they are for-profit! That allows them to have the resources needed to provide the best service for us as a customer, and best experience for our members!

 

[LaFleche]

Wow, it sure is different. Spammy, flashing, across every corner and between every 3 posts. What the heck is going on?

Ask for donations if the servers are too expensive to run. Don't do this. It smacks of 1995 and looks godawful.

Sounds more like a bug or maybe some of your add-ons were updated.