What banner ads?
Adblock Plus is a very effective filter for unwanted content, especially banner ads. The only time I click on an ad is with a control-click, to select “Adblock Image…”.
If I click on a banner ad, it is usually only by accident. The last time I remember clicking on a banner ad was on a Microsoft web page and it was for a Microsoft product.
Agreed on Adblock – first extension that gets installed :-).
I do sometimes click on ads on open source / freeware / web comic sites to support them, but very rarely with the intention of finding out about the target product being advertised.
+1 more for Adblock Plus. I haven’t purposely clicked on a banner ad in some time. I vaguely remember clicking an ad in the past several months, I cannot remember what it was for.
Screw installing stuff, I just use that HOSTS file that contains the IPs of all the ad servers / spyware / malware / etc. and send all requests going to those IPs to 127.0.0.1. Just Google “hosts file”
I had to buy a copy of quickbooks recently, so I went out to the financial blog that I read to see if he had a banner for it. He did, so I purchased it with his link. I’m not sure if it was an affiliate link or not, but I always try to support the little guys.
Unlike the other commenters, I haven’t got Adblock Plus installed. But I can’t remember the last time I clicked on a banner ad.
Actually, scratch that. I can. The last time I clicked on one was about a year ago. The ad contained a picture of a skydiver and I was curious to see who was using the imagery. I skydive, hence the interest. Recollection of who the ad was for? Zero.
I’m afraid that the iron enters my soul when a company offends me by its poor service, and I click incessantly on their Google ads, knowing that it is costing them something every time I click.
If it is a free site that I find valuable, making its money by advertising, I reckon it is a courtesy to click on all their adverts, as it brings them in a bit of revenue.
It would be nice to automate both these processes.
Can’t remember clicking on any banner ad, for lack of wanting to encourage the concept.
If I were to guess that I had, it would be for similar reasons mentioned above, to see another web comic related to an existing comic I already read.
I know this is different, although i think it’s a reasonable distinction to make, but I’ve clicked on sponsored adverts on google but usually only when i’m reasonably sure of the company that it will take me to. In some respects these aren’t banner adverts in the more traditional sense.
Apart from that – I never click on ‘ordinary’ banner adverts. I just don’t trust them and have heard of too many stories of exploits being run through them. Maybe most of these are myths but it’s enough to keep me from clicking.
Thanks everybody. It’s interesting that banner ads are that ineffective, and it sounds like when people do click on them it’s either by mistake or for some secondary reason.
I use Adblock Plus for the last year and a half–blocks everything. Before that, it was two years since I purposefully clicked on a banner ad.
Several times since then I’ve clicked, but I was tricked–not happy!
What banner ads?
Adblock Plus is a very effective filter for unwanted content, especially banner ads. The only time I click on an ad is with a control-click, to select “Adblock Image…”.
If I click on a banner ad, it is usually only by accident. The last time I remember clicking on a banner ad was on a Microsoft web page and it was for a Microsoft product.
Ditto Adblock plus. Don’t even see them now, except when in Internet Explorer.
Agreed on Adblock – first extension that gets installed :-).
I do sometimes click on ads on open source / freeware / web comic sites to support them, but very rarely with the intention of finding out about the target product being advertised.
+1 more for Adblock Plus. I haven’t purposely clicked on a banner ad in some time. I vaguely remember clicking an ad in the past several months, I cannot remember what it was for.
Screw installing stuff, I just use that HOSTS file that contains the IPs of all the ad servers / spyware / malware / etc. and send all requests going to those IPs to 127.0.0.1. Just Google “hosts file”
I use adblock as well, but even before that I’m pretty sure I rarely ever clicked on any banner ads.
I had to buy a copy of quickbooks recently, so I went out to the financial blog that I read to see if he had a banner for it. He did, so I purchased it with his link. I’m not sure if it was an affiliate link or not, but I always try to support the little guys.
Unlike the other commenters, I haven’t got Adblock Plus installed. But I can’t remember the last time I clicked on a banner ad.
Actually, scratch that. I can. The last time I clicked on one was about a year ago. The ad contained a picture of a skydiver and I was curious to see who was using the imagery. I skydive, hence the interest. Recollection of who the ad was for? Zero.
I’m afraid that the iron enters my soul when a company offends me by its poor service, and I click incessantly on their Google ads, knowing that it is costing them something every time I click.
If it is a free site that I find valuable, making its money by advertising, I reckon it is a courtesy to click on all their adverts, as it brings them in a bit of revenue.
It would be nice to automate both these processes.
Can’t remember clicking on any banner ad, for lack of wanting to encourage the concept.
If I were to guess that I had, it would be for similar reasons mentioned above, to see another web comic related to an existing comic I already read.
I know this is different, although i think it’s a reasonable distinction to make, but I’ve clicked on sponsored adverts on google but usually only when i’m reasonably sure of the company that it will take me to. In some respects these aren’t banner adverts in the more traditional sense.
Apart from that – I never click on ‘ordinary’ banner adverts. I just don’t trust them and have heard of too many stories of exploits being run through them. Maybe most of these are myths but it’s enough to keep me from clicking.
Thanks everybody. It’s interesting that banner ads are that ineffective, and it sounds like when people do click on them it’s either by mistake or for some secondary reason.
If such is the case, why then are the banners still everywhere?
Pauline,
Very good question!
– Neil
I use Adblock Plus for the last year and a half–blocks everything. Before that, it was two years since I purposefully clicked on a banner ad.
Several times since then I’ve clicked, but I was tricked–not happy!