Coming up: forum sponsorships

For quite some time we've had companies contact us about sponsoring some of our forums, by putting a button on the forum which links to their site. It seems like a good idea and will increase our revenue, so we've finally decided to implement it.

As always, though, I want to make sure that everyone stays happy :) so I've made a new preference option so that you can turn off sponsorships in the same way that you have the option to turn off advertisements. You'll find that option in the "My Info" and then "Preferences" area.

It won't hurt anyone's feelings if you disable sponsorships, but I'd encourage you to keep them enabled, as they aren't junk ads but relevant sponsorships from companies who are directly supporting DG. These companies should be encouraged and rewarded for their support of our favorite site. :-)

We'll probably have our first real sponsor in a few days - I'll post when that happens!

Dave

Sounds good to me. Great move Dave. This will help with all the new things you are doing. I am always willing to try something new. This way I won't have to travel to far to check out new things. Bring them on, I am ready.

I saw the Cook's one earlier today and explored it. Button was not "pushy", I was nosey! I am all for anything that enables this site to continue to grow! You serve over 250,000 and only collect from a small percentage of us who subscribe and can opt out of the ad. Can't ask for more that that! Thanks for all you do. With the quality of this site, you should be able to get some really good sponsors! Thanks! for this nice place to play!!

Pretty cool!

Grammy, I had to see what the 'button' looked like so went directly to the Cooking Forum. Very nice, dave! Not obnoxious/obtrusive at all! Fits right in!

Great idea!

Shoe

{edited cus I apparently was trying to invent a new word thru mispelling.}

This message was edited Sep 27, 2006 6:02 PM

Had to check too :) Nice button, click and look.

Dea

Now that's nice....not something flashing at you.

I have wondered how you make it with a minority of paying members.

Cool! I think it's great. The sponsors button isn't obtrusive or anything, and it will definitely encourage ME to go to that site if I'm looking for something I need. I'd happily support a company that supports us.

I'm wondering though, are the companies that want to support forums going to be selling something that pertains to that forum? Like the cooking one? Iris forum, Iris seller; daylily forum, daylily seller, etc.?

Is there a way to make the button open up a new window rather than taking the DG one?

Joan, yes...whenever possible, the sponsorships will be matched to the topic of the forum (it makes more sense for the sponsors and the readers that way.)

Dave might be able to do something with the link, but I think you can set your browser preferences to open up a new window, or right-click with your mouse to open it as a new window ;o)

This may be a stupid question as I really am not familiar with how this would work, but how much access do they have to us? Meaning, can they gather info about us and what our interests are and then d-mail solicit us? Or is it strictly an ad that we can choose to click on or not to click on?

Thanks Terry, I'll go try that. I like the links that open a new window and leave my DG intact. I hate to lose my place. LOL

If you hold the ctl key when you hit the link, it will always open in another window, anywhere in the firefox browser!

This message was edited Sep 27, 2006 3:09 PM

Hah! That's the answer. Thanks Grammy. :)

If you right click the link, you can also choose to have it open in a new window. I hate being kidnapped. LOL

Pudgymudpies, it's just an ad - you can click on if you're interested in it or ignore it if you're not.

The sponsor doesn't know anything personal about you or anyone else who frequents the forum (until you choose to go to their site and interact with them on their site.)

Lookin' good! As long as you don't get any of those huge stinkin' blinkin' honkin' ads and the awful ones that float across the screen to block your view, like GardenWeb, (which made me pretty much abandon ever going there), I am all for it! ☺

good to go at my end

Will there be a limit to how many sponsors will show on a forum at once?

Yep - only one sponsor per forum.

Thank you! I was wondering if the forums would get cluttered. I'd say with one, tastefully and strategically placed, like the Cooking.com one, it should stay nice and tidy. ;)

The idea is that the forum sponsor gets "exclusive dibs" on that forum for the month(s) they choose to sponsor it.

That keeps the forum uncluttered for the participants and makes a sponsorship more valuable to the sponsor.

i have no problem with it. i didn't even see the buttom. checking it out now.

I saw one of these on the bugs forum?? Can't remember. The only objection I have is the space it takes away from the forum. I had to use the bottom scroll bar to read posts. Can they make them smaller? Otherwise I am all for it.

I agree with defoecat...I don't mind the sponsorship, but it takes up alot of space on the each side. Hopefully the link comes through okay...maybe it's just my computer. Could it just be left at the top and not on the side?

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/647201/

I'll experiment with putting it on top instead of the left.

Also, I'll see about a smaller button. That one on the Foes forum is 200x200 which is quite large...

dave

I think the button in http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/654459/ is more obtrusive than the ones at the top of the forum page. It changes the width of the posts on both sides. Agree that having it "on top" will work. I know, nobody asked!!

This message was edited Sep 28, 2006 7:06 AM

I'm for anything that will keep this site going. Could not stand to lose this family!!!


Hap

Dave, I was just on the recipe forum and noticed the "sponsored by cooking.com" I was about to write and ask what was up when I saw this thread. I love cooking.com and have bought from them many times. I like that idea, but I'm hoping that this doesn't turn into a lot of these sponsorships as that is one of the things that many of us here at DG like about this site. NO ADS. :)

:) Kathy

Kathy,

I understand and that's why I made it a preference option. If you start to dislike them, feel free to disable them. :)

dave

ha,ha...can we pick and choose? LOL

Inside the thread I moved the sponsor box over to the right hand side. I was afraid of putting it on top lest it push everything down too far. Could ya'll have a look now and let me know what you think?

Magpye suggested that I also setup a page of active sponsors so that those of you who disable them from showing in the forums can at least view the list and see who's sponsoring DG at any given moment. That's in the works.

Dave

I looks fine.

We sure keep you busy, huh?

Hap

Chuckling; I'm happy to get the feedback!

Much better!!Thanks!

Frankly I don't like how commercial DG is becoming even as I also know Dave needs to feed his family.

That's almost a oxymoron, Darius....

Call me.

I don't think it's an annoyance, as I thought it was going to be when you first mentioned it, so I'll leave them. I'll even visit them. But I like the new window idea. The 'back' button does bring you back, but if you've navigated within the sponsor's site, you want a quicker way to return to Dave's.

And let's remember that we DO want to return to Dave's.

I like it better on the right; doesn't impose so much :) hardly know it's there.


:) Kathy

I like Magpye's idea too. I will definitely check the page of active sponsors.

Dave
If I was interested how would you go about being a sponsor.