In my now classic post on December 3, 2011, Vicious smirkle, I explained the conundrum wrapped in a paradox sitting on top of a puzzle, the algorithms which feed ads to Legal Insurrection and most other blogs:
Michele Walk has noticed that Alan Grayson is gracing these pages with great frequency, and adds “I hope people are clicking on the ads — nothing sweeter than making Grayson pay conservative bloggers!”
I fully understand sentiment, but … that may create a vicious smirkle.
The more you click his smirky face, the more the algorithm keeps placing his smirky face here, the more you click, the more he smirks, etc.
Where does it all end? What is our exit strategy?
It’s happening again. Reader “Granny” is upset she keeps seeing anti-Republican ads here:
Did you know that your page is displaying an ad … that says “Tell the GOP to stop the obstructionism”? The GOP? How about Harry Reid?
I think your site has been specifically targeted to bombard with anti-GOP and pro Dem signage – here is another series I caught just now, again 3 ads down the side of the page. This goes to http://www.democratsenators.org/o/23/p/salsa/[xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Have also seen ads for Cory Booker and at least one other problematic ad. Doesn’t Google ads allow you to specifically disallow ads political ads from the opposite viewpoint? The big ad servers used to allow that.
I have no answer to this problem. No exit strategy. No nothin’.
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Comments
I say keep corralling ’em for cash!
It’s the flypaper strategy gone sideways. Conservative blogs draw the poison away from the lofo websites with enthusiastic clicks… like targeted radiation on a cancer. Keep them coming here, supporting our efforts, while we keep them away from their audience.
You get paid when we click, Wm? Heck, I’ll click. Make them pay for nothing, sure.
I always believed it to be target advertising to those who haven’t already drunk the coolaid.
Kind of like cold calling for insurance or other types of sales. Even if you get less than 1% returning the call, it’s still new business for those who have little or none.
The ONLY use I can see for this Alan Grayson person IS:
An updated version of everything Frankenstein. And with very little, “make up” (if at all) he would star in any feature flick..
I’ve seen Hillary more than anything. Something like “Tell Hillary you want her to run”
Guess I’ll start clicking on them … to make money for LI from Team Hillary.
If this results in LI getting money for the click, I say we all spend a couple minutes and add to the professor’s tip jar!
Take the money and run, Professor…
I clicked on the “blog advertising is good for you” link, and found this statement: Buy ads to connect with the social media elite!
That explains why all those ads show up here. Everyone knows, LI is where the elite meet.
A vicious smirkle may be annoying but as a long-time ‘clicker’ on blogs to support their costs I have to admit that I especially love to click on Alan Grayson knowing that my click transfers money he paid to place the ad directly into tip jar.
Annoying but WTH! It’s pocket change for your coffers…
Well. I guess I will have to start clicking.
people clicking to make points is good way to get yourself permanently banned from adsense also. I know that pain. google is evil.
and adsense is only one that pays anything really.
you write something about grayson, targeted ads see the reference and lace a grayson ad, nothing magical.
Professor, thank you working whatever technological miracle it took to get rid of that noxious sitemeter pop-up.
I seriously thought it was an ad for a comedy film. He’s got a face that comedy would love.