Given the traffic that has put WUWT in the top WordPress blogs on a semi-regular basis (see below) I have been given a unique opportunity by the kind people that run the WordPress.com free hosting service. This wasn’t just a standard offer, this came in a personal email from the VP of Automattic, Inc., the parent company of WordPress. This is a beta trial for them too.
They have invited me to participate in the Google adsense program, which they offer only to blogs on their VIP hosting service, some of which you see in the top 10 list above. So, effective immediately, you’ll see some of these ads. For example after you click the “read more” below.
These are purely on a trial basis (my decision) and if they get in the way, I may turn them off. For those of you that support the work here at WUWT, you can now support me by visiting the advertisers on this blog.
I can’t control the content of the ads, (though I can block them from sites I don’t want) so you may find yourself presented with contextual ads from Al Gore, political groups, or even Greenpeace at times. Worthy of note, they pay for clicks made.
There’s a division of ad revenue. The ads at the top under the post title are the ones that benefit WUWT, and the ones at the bottom go to WordPress.com
I hope it is not too obtrusive, I welcome feedback on this experiment.
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It’s not obtrusive even in the slightest. I’m sure most people will be thinking, “Why did he wait so long?”
Thanks again for all you do,
Mike Bryant
The greens want us all to be poor, I want you to be rich!
Follow the money…
If ads like this help WUWT continue operations and get the message out to the wider uneducated world:
No problem.
Compared to some (many (maybe most) ) of the leading commercial sites, your above ”sample ad” is relatively unobtrusive; and above all:
LOW CPU-resource use (many of the ads on CNN, Fox, et. al that use Flash Player, complex animated video, etcetera are major resource hogs). ”Static ads” like this one are almost a relief from the video ad overload on some of those other sites.
The ads are small and don’t require me to click them away. No problem.
What Mike said.
Don’t waste time clicking on Al Gore’s ad multiple times. Once is enough. Google has software that filters out fraudulent clicks.
Nonetheless, I am glad you can monetize your traffic.
Do you have a projected completion date of the weather station survey? We have not heard you mention it in a good while.
See this at lots of sites that are way less interesting, so no problem.
My first impression is that I don’t like the ads that are placed between the article header and the article/picture. The ads placed at the bottom of the article between the “Possibly related posts:” and the comments are much less intrusive and blend in much better.
I think the offer is dubious at best. Money always comes with strings. And with ad money you are likely to see a drop in voluntary donations. This seems too much like the Obama stimulus package for me. Sooner or later Google, or somebody else, will begin to set rules about this kind of thing. Then it will be that if you want to get paid you will go along with the rules. Sure, you can pull the plug later, perhaps, but at least make sure you have a savings account of sorts set up. Money is power. And to maintain freedom we must always have at least some power at our disposal. Beware geeks bearing gifts.
REPLY: I have complete control, I can turn it off at a moment’s notice. I would not have accepted it any other way. – Anthony
If they’re as unobtrusive as the examples here, I don’t have any problem with them. Especially if it helps pay the bills and keep WUWT up and running.
I was sort of expecting something distracting like this. But the ones here are so subdued, they’ll be essentially invisible to us after a few days. Go for it!
Ya they are very intrusive, BUT having said that you deserve to make a buck. Maybe lose the ads right under the header and add a new column, but leave the ads between the article and the comments.
Also make sure wordpress is giving you a fair cut of the ads revenue, could you go direct to google, cut out the middle man?
I tend to agree with (Just The Facts), placing the ads at the bottom of the article between the “Possibly related posts:” and the comments section would be much less intrusive and blend in much better.
Also, the links are much better than the giant picture ads. I just got a picture ad for “Become a Marketing Rock Star” that was a train wreck and looks like it is part of the article versus an ad.
If you need them to keep WUWT going, use them, otherwise lose them.
This is a science blog. You wouldn’t find adds like this in a scientific journal. I think it cheapens the site & degrades the perception of the trust-worthyness of the content.
Just my opinion …
Lane has a point. I suggest you never rely on such ad revenue to the point that you cannot do without it.
Having said that, go for it.
In regards to the ads from pro-AGW outlets I would point out that this actually presents an opportunity for us to foster and maintain a greater level of familiarity with the opposition. Not exactly a bad thing.
As for the idea of ads more generally: I would say you clearly put quite a bit of work into the blog and can see no reason to fault your decision to opt into some compensation for that work. I hope you make a tidy profit from it as a matter of fact, it will only ensure you keep maintaining and updating what has become, for many, an indispensable source of news and information.
I am in favor of capitalism. No problem with the ads. In fact, we see so many ads when browsing these days, I am not sure they even “register” anymore. It seems quite natural to just skip over them while reading stuff.
I don’t know. By accepting google dollars, there’s a chance that you’ll become more wealthy. As a greedy fat cat, you’re much more likely to increase your CO2 footprint.
And, since we’re teetering on the path of no return to global warming-caused catastrophe, one more person with an increased CO2 footprint will probably tip the scales. I have a computer program that has run all the numbers to prove it.
if it helps the stations project go for it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anthony, do what is best for you to keep the site up.
In winter I have a cable connection at 764 or whatever. In summer I must settle for a dialup, which most days runs at 28. My only request would be to be patient with the poor dial-ups.
Some will claim that you have sold out to the oil companies. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
REPLY: Actually, I can block ads from any venue, so I can put in a block to exxon.com or to wecansolveit.org easily – Anthony
Why would you block ads from wecansolveit.org? Take the money and revel in the irony.
REPLY: According to the adsense report generator, I already have. ka-ching – Anthony
Feed your bank account!!! ;–)
Clearly Gore and Hansen deserve a cut of the action.
Without them, this would not be happening.
Send me their share and I’ll make sure they get it.
{optimistically} If you end up getting all your revenues from google ads which you don’t control the warmists can’t claim your working for special interests…