Email article
The other day I was reading my e-mails (in Gmail) and noticed that there were Google Ads placed at the right. This struck me since I never really noticed the ads before. This got me thinking were the ads just added or did I subconsciously ignore the ads – until that moment – because I never click on any advertisements. So that got me curious and I was wondering what about other dotTechies – do you click on advertisements?
[poll id="17"]
Feel free to share your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.
I will rarely click on an ad. When I do click on an ad, it’s usually for an online game that looks like it might be interesting.
Of course, some ads are blocked in my firefox anyway.
Since Firefox is my browser of choice, Adblock Plus keeps ads out of sight. I didn’t even know there are ads on these pages until I opened dotTech in IE8 one day!
Seriously, my online purchasing habits are not affected by ads – that’s why I ignore them.
Bah. I use the net for information, not exploitation….
I DO some times ……
IF I think it might “help” the site I am on…
like “dottech”
I am sure (or hope) the advertisers count the “clicks” done from every site…so yes, I do :-)
@haakon: Good for you. =) I don’t have patience to click on meaningless ads and then close the new tab. Even if it is to help the site. Too much work for me.
Edit: Completely off topic here. I just clicked the back to top button in the bottom corner of the page for the first time. It’s so much fun. :)
No, I don’t even click on the ads in the DotTech site.
There might even occasionally be something worthwhile, but most of the time my eyes just automatically skip over the ads without stopping.
Just so you all know, Google uses cookies that don’t expire until 2038. I’m sure that Google Ads use those same cookies.
When I see something interesting, I would rather type in Google search bar & go on from there. Who knows, the ad you click may bring you to unexpected places & open up can of worms.
Needs an option for, “Only when it’s an accidental click.”
I almost never click on ads. And I do not know if I ever have because I wanted to buy the product. But I have clickedc on a few here at dottech to help Ashraf.
I never click on any Advertisement. Not on any site. I don’t want Adware/Spyware.
I’m with CitizenEarth on this one. I rarely click on ads. If I see something interesting I’ll usually google it.
Most ads hide the direct URL so you never know where you’ll wind up (same reason I rarely click on sponsored ads in Google searches since the true URL is generally obfuscated – the one it shows you may not be where you’ll end up, or be where you’ll end up first (before being redirected)).
If ads do show the URL they’ll take me to I’m more likely to click on them than to google them, but it’s still rare that anything on the web catches my attention (you know, now that I have all my smiley icons, and avatars, and have checked the important e-mail messages that were waiting for me).
I never click on an ad even if it’s interesting. If I see something interesting I will go to it from my own search of the product. I use ad blocking software so hardly see ads anyway. I use the internet for educational purposes for the most part.. feeding the brain/research on many varies topics.
It is very easy to find out all the ads that you clicked (if you have enabled Web History). Just go to google.com/history and select “Sponsored Links” from the sidebar. The last time I clicked an ad deliberately (not counting when I clicked on empty area that turned out to be an ad, which I closed promptly) was in January 2009. Even in that case, I was actually looking for the website I searched for. Otherwise in the past 3 years, I have clicked on a (Google) web ad only thrice! None of them resulted in any purchase or subscription.
Like hallkon I will also check out some of the ads on pages I like to help the site pay their bills. I have also paid to upgrade some of the freebies offered on here because I like them so much.
I sometimes click ads, notably the ones presented by Google in Gmail – I have a couple particular hobbies that are not ‘mainstream’ and am always on the lookout for relevant businesses.. Google knows my browsing habits and catches keywords in my mail(?) and presents me with ads that are (often) relevant or make me aware of a supplier that I may have missed.
At least the ads in Gmail are unobtrusive and easily ignored (yes, they have been there forever iirc) so much as I dislike advertising generally I’m happy to accept (and even occasionally support) ads that are presented in a low-key way. I’m happy to say that the ads that I’ve seen here are are similarly tasteful, and sometimes get clicked ;-)
I will yes if i’m on a site that i like to visit and I know that by clicking that add helps pay for that site. however i do not click add links on every site just a very select few.
I rarely see ads but never click them.
I never click on ads. I block them in all ways that I can, and the ones that escape blocking have no chance of getting a click either.
I don’t click on them unless they’re for a legitimate product from a legitimate seller (like an advertisement for a game or movie), and then only if it’s something that interests me. That accounts for about 1% of internet advertising – the other 99% is for the acai berry scam.
What I’m more likely to do is use an Amazon partner link from a site I visit a lot.
I never click on ads on web pages, usually I do not see them unless I am forced to use IE. Hacked ads are a known vector for malware injection into a system. But I do click on ads in emails all the time, like from Newegg, Costco, etc. If I visit a site often with good results, like dotTech or Filehippo, I would rather be a donor than a clicker.
Advertisements? What advertisements? I don’t see any advertisements.
I will rarely, on occasion, accidently click on an ad, but like Ashraf I just don’t pay attention to them, or most often I don’t even see them.
I can’t remember clicking on any ads, but I probably have at some point in my life. Between Adblock Plus and HostsMan, I don’t see too many ads.
Thank heavens for Adblock and its relatives. It’s all too easy to forget how omnipresent and annoying online advertising used to be. Now if there were just a way to block the NY Times from sliding in those obnoxious prompts for other articles that began working my one good nerve not very long ago.
I use Firefox with the Adblock Plus add-on. Unfortunately; there are a handful of sites that don’t display all content properly unless Adblock Plus is disabled. Even in those cases I would never click on an ad. After having worked in broadcasting for 10 years and in the IT field for 15 years, I know that media outlets never investigate their advertisers AND that these ads often lead to infectious sites.