Basically, the donation idea just doesn’t generate enough revenue. I want to thank everybody who contributed, but it’s just not enough to support the time, effort and expenses for running these sites.
So I wanted to test the validity of running ads on the Forums. And guess what???? The ads are performing exceptionally well! – like 5x to 15x the Internet average. This is a very focused highly targeted audience of music and gear aficionados. We buy a lot of music merchandise each year. That’s an extremely attractive audience to certain advertisers – amps, guitars, cds, music books, concert tickets, etc.
My feeling about ads has always been, if the ads are for products I am interested in then I actually like them. Where can I go see a Baker ad or a Two Rock ad or a Robben CD ad… that’s cool to me! I hope it can be for you guys too.
So now that I have ads, I need to sell those ads! Besides running these sites, adding new features, creating banners, attracting new users, reading and moderating all the forums and having some basic form of a life offline…..hehehehehehe, things are starting to get a little crazy.
But I think it’s worth it! - promoting the artists and music that I love and helping to expose that music to a broader audience! Let’s face the artist’s are not going to do it and the record companies don’t do it for these artists!! Scott Henderson can’t afford to tour in the US. This is ridiculous!!!
So I don’t know. Maybe there is a business here and maybe not. But I am willing to give it a shot! Maybe there are new services we can create to help artists make more money and provide more content for us the fans!
Wanna HELP?
I could really use some help with Ad Sales right now! Like I said the ads have been doing really well and are micro targeted. So if anybody wants to help the cause and help sell some ads into the Network, please shoot me an email kirk95@mailblocks.com. I ‘ll be glad to pay a commission for your efforts. Email me if you are interested.
That’s the scoop!
The good news is we keep growing stronger and stronger as a community! I want to keep building on this and build it into something even bigger! I think WE CAN!
Joined: 21 Jul 2003 Posts: 401 Location: College Station, TX
Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2004 9:51 am Post subject:
With all due respect to kirk and the effort he has put into this discussion board, I am having some problems with this whole thing. These are my 2 cents here, so take them for what they are.
First, I visit this site to talk/read about music, mainly RF's stuff, and related issues. I do not really care about Henderson and Landau (no offense just not my cup o tea) and find it a little weird to see them advertised here. Second, RF does not use Two Rock amps and the ads for them may suggest sponsorship that does not exist. Third, all these guys are adults and make their own choices. If they choose not to run their own forums or discussion groups, so be it. You are free to choose to pick up the slack as you see fit but then are responisble for any burden that falls on you financially or otherwise. Robben must not care too much about this whole thing or else he, or Dal, would have updated the "Message" link on his web site - since Blue Moon is not his most recent release, right?
Basically, kirk, this is your site and you can do what you want with it, but these are your decisions and if you want to turn it into a business and it costs you money and "quality of life" you have no one but yourself to blame. Capitalism works this way, right? I wish you well with this, but I, for one, would prefer a simpler approach because as always it is about the music.
Joined: 29 Jan 2004 Posts: 1504 Location: Methuen, MA
Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2004 1:19 pm Post subject:
The ads don't bother me since they're not popping up uncontrollably and blocking my view. In fact, I enjoy some of them. For instance, the Black Creek ads for Baker Guitars caught my interest, and I now have new guitar fever which could render me about $3.3K poorer. The Wildwood Guitar site has lots of awesome "eye candy" too. I would've never found these sites on my own...
Joined: 29 Jan 2004 Posts: 1504 Location: Methuen, MA
Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2006 8:41 am Post subject: Re: Thanks for helping
kim_wong wrote:
Thanks for helping me with JobQueen and China Sales Reps. I'm with them 2 month now and they, thanks god, really pay. I'm already getting more than 5000 per month and looking for more coworkers. If you change your mind let me know. You can use my promotion code to sign in. mailto:kimwongshu@yahoo.com
Joined: 19 Sep 2003 Posts: 646 Location: City of Trees, USA
Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2006 9:42 pm Post subject:
Actually, the ads are sort of cool. I ignore them when I'm busy, and click 'em when I'm curious. Of course, like Johnny Z, some of the ads make me wish I could come across an extra $3.3K, maybe lying in the washing machine 'cause I left it in a pocket.
Kirk -- a question: If I click on the Amazon link, do they know? Or do you get financial props only if I buy something? I generally hit the link on this BB, rather than going there directly, hoping you get noticed.
And thanks for all of the great work. This really is a fun community, and over the past few years I've met amazing people, and learned about amazing concerts, that I would otherwise have missed. _________________ - BlueRunner
Joined: 13 Jul 2003 Posts: 1043 Location: Boulder, CO
Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2006 10:13 am Post subject: Re: Thanks for helping
JohnnyZ wrote:
kim_wong wrote:
Thanks for helping me with JobQueen and China Sales Reps. I'm with them 2 month now and they, thanks god, really pay. I'm already getting more than 5000 per month and looking for more coworkers. If you change your mind let me know. You can use my promotion code to sign in. mailto:kimwongshu@yahoo.com
Joined: 13 Jul 2003 Posts: 1043 Location: Boulder, CO
Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2006 10:16 am Post subject:
BlueRunner wrote:
Actually, the ads are sort of cool. I ignore them when I'm busy, and click 'em when I'm curious. Of course, like Johnny Z, some of the ads make me wish I could come across an extra $3.3K, maybe lying in the washing machine 'cause I left it in a pocket.
Kirk -- a question: If I click on the Amazon link, do they know? Or do you get financial props only if I buy something? I generally hit the link on this BB, rather than going there directly, hoping you get noticed.
And thanks for all of the great work. This really is a fun community, and over the past few years I've met amazing people, and learned about amazing concerts, that I would otherwise have missed.
Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 2:22 am Post subject: Chimin'in
telefunk1 wrote:
With all due respect to kirk and the effort he has put into this discussion board, I am having some problems with this whole thing. These are my 2 cents here, so take them for what they are.
First, I visit this site to talk/read about music, mainly RF's stuff, and related issues. I do not really care about Henderson and Landau (no offense just not my cup o tea) and find it a little weird to see them advertised here. Second, RF does not use Two Rock amps and the ads for them may suggest sponsorship that does not exist. Third, all these guys are adults and make their own choices. If they choose not to run their own forums or discussion groups, so be it. You are free to choose to pick up the slack as you see fit but then are responisble for any burden that falls on you financially or otherwise. Robben must not care too much about this whole thing or else he, or Dal, would have updated the "Message" link on his web site - since Blue Moon is not his most recent release, right?
Basically, kirk, this is your site and you can do what you want with it, but these are your decisions and if you want to turn it into a business and it costs you money and "quality of life" you have no one but yourself to blame. Capitalism works this way, right? I wish you well with this, but I, for one, would prefer a simpler approach because as always it is about the music.
Let's just assume that i can't read,write & speak english : Telefunk would be my perfect personnal translator.
Joined: 26 Nov 2003 Posts: 916 Location: Fairhope, AL
Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 6:37 am Post subject: ads
I don't mind the ads. They do not destract me or detract from the fun I have on this board. I use the Amazon link on this page whenever I can. I did not think that the ads implied sponsorship by Robben or anyone else for that matter. They're just ads and a necessary evil here as everywhere else. I appreciate the time and effort that the Captain has put into making this a site that I enjoy using almost every day - several times a day. As for whether or not Robben cares about this forum and the whole web concept - well, that's for Robben to decide. I'd really rather he just kept concentrating on his music and let us enjoy that. Kirk, I enjoy this board and I appreciate your efforts.
Thanks,
Frank
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