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Comments on Ads: A Radically Good Idea
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This is a must.
Posted by Oben �zayd�n 3/25/2006 8:50:50 AM

It is obvious that advertisers need to be controlled.

It seems like a good idea...
Posted by Ivan Dylko 2/22/2006 1:11:16 AM

... because people online want control. The more interactivity - the better. Of course, moderation should be enabled.

I Think It Can Work In Many Verticals
Posted by aaron wall 2/18/2006 1:32:51 AM

I am in the search marketing industry, and the problems I have with the comment on ads model in that vertical are
- consumer demand typically lacks what is effective
- the audience of readers at my site typically have more money, knowledge, programmers, and resources than most people
- new techniques and algorithmic exploits tend to create more value by not being openly shared
- those who tend to know as much as the more advanced members at Threadwatch typically make money directly instead of creating tools and products for sale

I have another site in the same vertical that sells a related information product and likely makes 20 to 30 times as much per visitor as my current community site that accepts feedback on ads.

I am sure I could sell more ads if I pushed that angle hard, but due to the uniqueness of the site position and vertical I do not think the model is the most effective for my industry.

more on comments in ads
Posted by kpaul mallasch 2/16/2006 4:50:11 PM

I'm trying to get ahold of Rusty Foster and Nick Wilson, who have been running comments on ads for a while to see if they have anything to add...

The page explaining it on ThreadWatch is pretty good - something I need to stea... er, emulate closely. ;)

Great Wall of Journalism
Posted by kpaul mallasch 2/16/2006 4:01:26 PM

Barry - I know what you mean about the wall. Being out there on my own a lot, handling multiple roles has been a little tricky. I think I've done ok so far, but as soon as I can I want to hire an ad person to keep it separate.

Also, I like the idea of making the advertorial visually different. Thanks.

Wow, that *is* radical
Posted by Barry Parr 2/16/2006 2:53:22 PM

Comments on ads is a pretty radical idea, but to my mind putting ads in the regular flow of your editorial a lot more radical.

I'm still intrigued by the idea, but I think I'd want to format the ads differently from the editorial. The challenge would be to find a way to do this without making the ads too obtrusive in the edit column.

I can also say that it makes me uncomfortable. As editor/publisher in a small town, I'm realizing more and more why the wall between editorial and advertising is so jealously guarded by edit. It's very difficult for me to keep those two parts of my brain separate. After all, the advertisers I really want are my favorite merchants and they're also the guys I want to write about because I love them so much.

I don't think this makes it any easier.

Not just a good idea, but good marketing!
Posted by Mordechai Schiller 2/16/2006 12:03:24 PM

Steve,

I don't see interactive advertising flying on Madison Avenue. (Although that fortress is already being stormed by the likes of Epinions.com and PlanetFeedback.com.)

But it's a natural for Direct Marketing and the brave new world of Web 2.0.

Number 13 of Lester Wunderman's "19 Things All Successful Direct Marketing Companies Know" is
"Encourage Interactive Dialogues." (See http://www.wunderman.com/capabilities/156.asp)

In Wunderman's "Being Direct" he expands:
Listen to consumers rather than talk at them. Let them "advertise" their individual needs. They'll be grateful for your responsiveness. Convert one-way advertising to two-way information sharing.

Mordechai (Morty) Schiller
http://wordrider.blogspot.com

negative comments
Posted by kpaul mallasch 2/16/2006 3:35:46 AM

Foremost, what if a competitor or vandal tries to trash the reputation of an advertiser unfairly?

I've given this some thought. How a business owner handles a complaint is perhaps more important than how they handle praise?

Granted, the business owners have to interact for it to work. I think with one or two success stories, though, other people would try it. Maybe only certain types of businesses, but I think as time goes on the number of online savvy businesses will increase.

As Bob Garfield says, we're in a transitionary period. Which is a good time for people like me.

Also, I'm beginning to wonder if there needs to be more of explanation on the site regarding them.

actually, i can't claim the idea...
Posted by kpaul mallasch 2/15/2006 10:14:10 PM

i know Kuro5hin.org has been doing it for years and years. I don't think it's ever filtered away from a techy crowd, though, and used on a local scale.

In a semi-related note, I was doing an interview with the Muncie Mayor today, and we started talking about certain threads at the TSP Forums (the Gannett newspaper I worked for up until last year when I was downsized and online operations were consolidated with a nearby (40 miles away?) city...)

Anyway, it's already happening at the newspaper and I'm pretty sure they don't realize it or understand it. (Cars.com and the other verticals were the biggest priorities while I was there...)

Also, I have to admit I don't have anything written down outlining what type of comments will and won't be allowed. We're so small, though, (the local media, The Star Press, won't mention us or our existence, and the model I want to spread spends very little on advertising in the beginning...) that it hasn't been an issue yet.

It's something I'm seriously thinking about, though. And I have been encouraging business owners (most of them are net savvy) to keep an eye on the pages and respond to comments. They'll most likely be involved somewhat in the process.

I have a few ideas on how to expand on this too, including working with bars/pubs and other places - possibly adding podcasts to the mix, other things.

The Midwest gets forgotten sometimes, but we're here and eagerly striving to become better known for new media and all things high tech. We're decidedly in the Information Age, imho. And it's wonderful.

That's an amazing idea
Posted by paul conley 2/15/2006 5:12:51 PM

Wow. That is a shockingly interesting idea. I'm thrilled by the possibilities here, and I congratulate K Paul for coming up with it.
I'll be curious to see how many publishers will be willing to try and sell such a concept to their customers.

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