Comments on: Ads are elbowing their way into news. This can’t be a good thing, can it?

By: Megan Lavey

Megan Lavey — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 04:45:31 +0000

The online, in-story links aren’t just disturbing, but they’re also a common sign of some malware that gets installed on Windows machines. When I first saw the links embedded in stories on AZCentral’s site, my first thought was that I had picked up some sort of malware. Then, I remembered that I was on my Mac and that sort of spyware isn’t available for OSX (thank goodness.) Some of the embedded links like that generated by spyware are vicious, and I do have to wonder if programs embedded into the stories like that can lead to problems for users browsing the sites.

I’m of mixed feelings on the Web slinger ad. I’m very glad that Dallas fought for, and won, the right to more white space. It does a much better job at setting off that ad and making it obvious that yes, it is advertising. We’ve had a few odd-shaped ads here, but nothing quite like that.

By: Robb Montgomery

Robb Montgomery — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 00:52:08 +0000

Charles,
Yet another stellar post.

Autumn, you’ve hit the nail on the head.

The link to ads words in those stories are highlighted on-the-fly- using keywords, tagging, and other SEO tactics.

Writing headlines for Google is already an accepted practice in many online shops. So is writing another meta-layer into blog posts that expand upond the sometimes crytic headlines and call out post descriptions blog templates and CMS editors use.

While those meta fields are good tools to have for getting your content found and indexed properly - to an ad bot agnecy they are fresh meat on the hook.

It is easy to spot Web sites that use this dubious practice - and it doesn’t take long to learn that you never, ever click on a link with more than one underline.

If your revenue depends on using misleading linking practices then guess what. Instead of writing keywords for your community - you will end up using the keywords that bring in the most money. Long term - this is not a good solution and, by the way, not the first time these type of alternate link payola schemes have surfaced.

And I like the Web slinger ad. Fun and used right could work out just fine. Like, may a listings page! Oh yeah you charge a full-page rate and get the cash up front.

By: Autumn Heep

Autumn Heep — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 23:55:50 +0000

I find the online, in-story links to be kinda disturbing.
It feels like product placement in a news story. I hate product placement in TV shows and movies, but at least those don’t cross ethical lines. Not that advertising doesn’t already impact editorial to a certain extent… but, how long before a reporter is asked to use certain words so that advertisers are guaranteed links in a story? I think allowing even the possibility of those questions in readers’ minds calls our journalistic standards into question. I know I take any product recommendation from a magazine with a huge grain of salt, especially when I see that company advertising later in the magazine.

By: Katrina Lallier

Katrina Lallier — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 21:07:12 +0000

I don’t know if they work or not, but we deal with integrated ads pretty often. I think readers notice, but I’m not sure if they are annoyed, or pleasantly surprised. The sales sheet says the ads “work themselves into the content of the page, providing an eye-dazzling advertisement for your brand.”

And a major headache for anyone trying to design around them.