First Get Firefox. Second get an extension called “NoScript.” What this lets you do is allow javascript, java (and other plugins), only for trusted domains. Most of these inline ads run on javascript. Really very few times does this hender your ability to find what you’re looking for. Text isn’t javascript and it also blocks all those annoying flash banners that use your computer’s resources. If you want to allow a certain script to run on a site, you can click the little icon on the bottom of your browser and a convenient popup menu comes up with a list of scripts that are being blocked.

Scripts come from different sources. So the script that runs kontera or adbrite inline ads you can block, while say for instance allowing a script that runs a flash demo on the same site. It’s very versatile and you should just take my word for it — It’s the best Firefox addon ever created. Surfing is 20 times better with this script.

Bloggers rarely, if ever, contribute to your income by clicking on an ad.

Average readers click on ads. Don’t ever confuse the two groups as they act completely different in testing situations.

Never, ever make a decision based on what you ” think ” a customer will do.

Don’t even believe him if he tells you what he thinks he’ll do.

Run a test and ” see ” what he’ll actually do under given circumstances.

Also, Darren, I had to use your name again. in my latest blog post.

Hope you can help.

The parameters were: posts older than 30 days, not for logged in users, and using Kontera’s new contextual engine.

We’ve had some minor bugs with the code (WVW may not have the latest version, for example) but they should all be fixed now. Also, as Darren said, every reader on the blogs we’re testing on has said they have 0 problem with them.

And, really, if you’re a regular reader you should never, ever see them anyways. Sorry if folk did, though, that’s my fault as I was doing testing / rollout.

We’ll be discussing this more once I’m back, though. End of the day the reason we’re doing this is so that search readers and such can be more likely to find info they are looking for (ie: if they searched for “windows vista” or something we want them to go to a definitive page from our blogs even if the post they are on doesn’t link to it).

I hear what you say though – I’m sure there are some who would unsubscribe/stop reading when they see them – but I wonder if it’d be significant levels.

Having said that – that’s what this test is about I guess. We’re testing a variety of ad types, placements, sytems at b5 in the hope of finding a system that works both in terms of giving readers a quality experience, fitting with design and looking at income. I guess it’s a balance of finding the place that works amidst them all.

We’ll see what we find I guess.

Martin – not really red faced. We’re learning as we go. In actual fact we have 4 bosses scattered around the world (two of which are currently travelling – as I was when this all was implemented). At the head of b5 we have Jeremy, Duncan, Shai and myself.

We each have our own roles and are continuing to find our way on learning who is good at what etc.

You’re right about it being an overwhelming negative reaction here in the comments of this post. I didn’t expect anything different when I reported Adbrite’s move. The interesting thing however is that those that have commented are all bloggers (and fairly tech savvy and experienced ones at that. I’d be fascinated to find out what blog READERS think of these ads. I’m not sure how we’d survey them but I did talk to one blogger 6 months ago who was using these ads and he did a survey of his readers and found that they actually preferred them to many other forms of advertising because they didn’t dominate the page and in some cases they were actually helpful to them.

I’m not sure this would be the case for all blog readers but I do wonder if the feeling in this comment thread is perhaps skewed. Definately an interesting discussion.

In terms of me announcing results – I don’t tend to reveal everything about b5. What I share here in terms of actual details of earnings, findings etc tends to be more from my own personal blogs and not b5s.

And now – I’m off to bed.

Yikes must be a little red-faced :-) It’s not easy having 3 bosses scattered around the world. Who handles such things at b5? Is there one person in charge of advertising at b5?

Reason: as John just said, I’ve never seen an overwhelming reaction to any issue such as this one: very clear: the vast majority hate them with a passion.

Personally, I’d get rid of them or at best have only one per post.

Also, I really hope it doesn’t give you guys great click thrus (with all due respect) because you’ll report that here and then you’ll see a thousand blogs going down that road.

I’ve done a little digging and it seems that we’re testing them on a small number of our blogs and that they were introduced just before my last holiday when I was packing and getting my guest blogs ready (hence me not being up with it).

I’m also told that they are only supposed to be on old posts and not new ones – obviously not working if you can see them on the last two posts.

We’ll be discussing whether to continue with them in the weeks ahead.

My own personal opinion is that I don’t like this type of advertising. I think it’s confusing to readers to see different types of ads.

I do however know of some blogs that use them in a way that is less disruptive than others (ie I think some ad systems let you limit how many appear on a page and let you considerably change the appearance of them.

Anyway – It’s definately something we’ll be discussing further as directors.

My lesson – no more holidays for me! :-)

That’s a real shame.

I’ve never encountered it at any b5 blog … and I hope I never do.