Today, I got an email from Townhall.com that showcased the video interviews they conducted at CPAC last week. Ignore the fact that I've tried unsubscribing multiple times (more on that later) from their emails over the years, so I clicked on an interview with Michele Bachmann which directed me to a YouTube video that was listed as private (more on that soon). Towards the end of the interview, I hear that Ms. Bachmann occasionally blogs at a section of Townhall called tipsheet.
And that's when I got abused by online ads. Giant belly fat ads. Expanding ads. Popups that followed me up and down the page. So bad that I couldn't spend any time trying to read any articles. I mean look at this...Does anyone there care about content on the site?
So I went back to the site just a few minutes ago and the home page is just as bad especially with the home page takeovers and multiple ad placements. Look for yourself
I buy a ton, if not the most, political ads on the Republican side. Townhall should be a key component but it can't be anymore. These ads are a Chief Revenue Officer's or Sales Executive's ad revenue maximization plans gone bad. Seriously, do they even realize that people need to read content in order to monetize it.
That also goes to the email sales mentality of not being able to unsubscribe (and I'm not the only one). Throw in the YouTube private link which makes it impossible to find in YT search results (thinking the clicks are coming from emails only) and you get the idea of a desperate site looking to squeeze every dollar out of the site before it folds up.
You can't buy direct on this site anymore if you care about your brand. I'm not even sure it is worth sneaking it in on an ad network buy because think of how bad the ad position would be. I used to feel that way about Drudge and even with Drudge's auto refresh, it still gives great placements.
Townhall? Right now that's where good online ads go to die. I hope someone at Townhall fixes their ad model because it used to be a good site.
PardonMyFrench,
Eric
P.S. - Even though we don't work on Sarah Palin anymore, I'd recommend pulling those book ad creatives from the site or talking to the publisher about pulling the ads if you have any care in your brand.
I also have that kind of problem with pop-ups and emails from company advertising their products. How can we unsubscribe? I don't even recall subscribing. I don't how they were able to access my site.
Posted by: Brad Fallon | February 17, 2011 at 06:39 PM
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