Are text ads still effective? Usually when I visit a site I realize that I don't even notice the text ads. I use the Internet so much that my brain just completely ignores them by now...
However, media ads still seem to be effective. Users are enticed to click flashy banners or interactive little games in the ads. Media ads sometimes slow down page load a bit.
I prefer to have media ads. As you sais, people notice them no more.
I also prefer the banners. and media ads.
My eyes just ignores the text ads. because it looks dull.
and you can hardly make your mind read text ads.
but banners are catchy.
My media ads do much better. One problem is at adbrite which I use on a few of my sites is they don't allow image only placement. You have to mix images and text or just text.
Image ads can also pay you on a CPM basis which I prefer since it's steadier than PPC.
labrocca
how many other forums do you got?
I would say text ads are just as effective as graphic ads, but you should put them in a different place than the graphic ads
I have a lot of sites. At one point I had about 120+ sites but I have since started to prune them and I think I am somewhere near 50. Not all are forums though. Plus I have about 450 domains total and many planned projects. At any time I can start a site.
L, on a serious note, how often do you get to take vacations? I often wonder since I'll be doing what you're doing by the time I am at your level.. and I have to have at least 1 weekly vacation a year. Just not sure how much of a barrier will be over my head if I do so (you're the only true webmaster I know). What I love about webmastering is the freedom advantage.. you can live off of your laptop (should you not be hosting your own server).. I kind of like that idea since I move frequently.
As for the OP. I think I recently saw an article sayings text ad's are more efficient than image ads. I don't know if it's viable though or what the statistics were. Personally, I prefer the image ads because I can better place them into my site and you won't realize they're ads (unless you're familiar with advertisements).. I like the advice I read in an article that mentioned "Try to make your ads look like they are apart of your website".
I think that is why text ads were considered to be more active, since you'd be able to blend them in with your site better. But that's a regular site. If you're running a forum it's a tad bit different.
I prefer using banners as they're more attractive and grab peoples' attention more often. Text ads are terribly boring to read unless it's got keywords that would attract people into clicking them. But seriously, banners and banners with interesting pictures are more attractive and convince people what the ad is trying to tell you and if it'll interest you (which will lead to a 'click').
Banners for me, you can make it look good and people will get attracted by the colors or whatever you do to make it look good, text ads are boring, they look plain and if you don't add any words that people like, not much success using them.