Why does warcraftrealms promote goldselling sites?

otanka · Post by **otanka** » Wed May 30, 2007 5:58 am

First of all.. i think the census is great. There has been put a lot of work in it and it provides some really nice stats for wow-players.
So i have been helping too with uploading my stuff.

But something was nagging at me.
I hate bots. .I hate the goldselling sites they work for.
And on warcraftrealms there are not one.. but several advertisments for those sites.

Why?

Because i don't want to promote goldselling, i have decided to not use census anymore.

Pitty, as in core, it's a really nice thing.

Ota

xpolockx · Post by **xpolockx** » Wed May 30, 2007 6:43 am

This has been mentioned before... since I think it's a personal choice (simply seeing the ads pop up doesn't force me to buy gold nor help the gold sellers in any way) they don't really bother me. But others have complained, so I can see where you're coming from. I just think the value of the site far outweighs the gold ads that I couldn't care less about. At least that's my two cents

otanka · Post by **otanka** » Wed May 30, 2007 7:00 am

I have principles.
Advertising for a gold selling site on your website is equal as bad as selling the gold on your own website.

Like i said.. pitty.. as census on itself is great.

There are lots of wow websites that have a special non-goldselling advertisment client and they're proud of it (and should be)

Maybe that's an idea?

Ota

NiennaMiriel · Post by **NiennaMiriel** » Wed May 30, 2007 7:13 am

Whenever I see this type of post, I wonder if it's really that bad. I don't see ads, so I don't know what ads are being displayed right now, and why those specific ads are shown. I think part of it is the client, as you mentioned, and part of it might just be that sometimes you have to advertise something you don't really like because like everything else, this website needs some income to survive and keep up.

That said, if you'd like to not see the ads, you can always donate a tiny amount to the site and you'll never have to see ads again. http://www.warcraftrealms.com/donate.php

And as xpolockx said, if you don't click on them, you're not helping out the gold sellers, are you? They're giving Rollie money to show the ads, but if you don't click and you don't buy, then they do it all for nothing.

WyriHaximus · Post by **WyriHaximus** » Wed May 30, 2007 7:35 am

It's a simple fact: Gold selling ads pay better. Although I'm against and trying to keep my websites adds gold sellers free it's hard since they popup like weed in your precious garden. And as long you won't buy you won't hurt yourself. Also just and NM says, donate and you won't see them anymore

. This website problebly got a huge bill to be payed monthly and the money has to come from somewhere. Dunno about the leveling guids but maybe thats an idead instead of the gold adds

.

Post by **Rollie** » Wed May 30, 2007 8:17 am

As mentioned, we've gone over this before. Here's a couple of threads:

http://www.warcraftrealms.com/forum/vie ... php?t=1250

and

http://www.warcraftrealms.com/forum/vie ... php?t=1537

Long story short, ads pay the bills. The DB server alone for WR costs over $400/month. If you don't like 'em, don't click 'em. If you would like to use the site and not see the ads, you can always donate:

http://www.warcraftrealms.com/donate.php

I'm sorry that the ads detract from your enjoyment of the mod/site.

Lahaie · Post by **Lahaie** » Wed May 30, 2007 10:59 am

Rollie,

Do you make any money off ad clicks if we don't do anything, or do you just get a fixed rate regardless of clicking?

The way I look at it, if you are paid a fixed rate, then the gold sellers are indirectly helping to pay for the hosting costs of the site. I like anything that will reduce gold seller profits.

If you get more money for clicking on the ads, I may just have to visit a few to take more money from them...

There are still way too many people that have no problem buying gold, so it isn't going to go away any time soon.

<img src='http://www.mysigspace.com/wrsig/40213141.jpg'> <img src='http://www.mysigspace.com/wrsig/37440512.jpg'>

Post by **Rollie** » Wed May 30, 2007 12:08 pm

There is some of both. Google ads are by the click, most image ads are by the impression (each time shown, etc)

WyriHaximus · Post by **WyriHaximus** » Wed May 30, 2007 12:37 pm

Rollie wrote:There is some of both. Google ads are by the click, most image ads are by the impression (each time shown, etc)

So the more we browse the site the more you get payed

.

Hybuir · Post by **Hybuir** » Wed May 30, 2007 1:44 pm

If you troll the forums here you wont see ads

otanka · Post by **otanka** » Wed May 30, 2007 3:59 pm

Sorry that i opened another topic about it. I had looked on the first page only and should have looked on.

I understand a need for payment for the server space, especially for a heavy duty website, but as i said, i'm a girl with principles.

I hate goldselling, botters, goldselling websites and websites that promote them.

So even though i really like census, and i think that rollie did an awesome job with the site and add on, i will not be participating anymore.

I will check back from time to time if there is another theme in adds, because if so, i will start using census again.

Ota.

xpolockx · Post by **xpolockx** » Wed May 30, 2007 8:43 pm

It stands to reason that if there are sites that pay Rollie to display ads and I don't click them, then I'm only helping Rollie and not helping the gold selling sites in any way, shape or form. I hate gold sellers as much as anyone else, believe me. Gold selling destroyed the economy of FFXI when I played it, and it's definitely not healthy in any MMORPG.

I just liken it to billboard ads on a highway: I may not support what's on the billboard, but I'm not going to avoid the highway because of those billboards. The pros far outweigh the cons.

If not coming to the site or submitting data is the decision you decide to make, than that's fine. But those of us who do continue to visit the site and submit believe in the principle of keeping a good thing going. We too, have principles and stand by them

DM. · Post by **DM.** » Wed May 30, 2007 10:40 pm

You can be guaranteed that ANY site related to World of Warcraft will contain some advertisement by a gold seller. Wowhead, Thottbot, Curse-Gaming, Worldofwar. You name the WoW site and its guaranteed that you will see a gold selling ad there. Even Google ads will contain links to gold selling companies.
They are the ones with the big bucks. And eventhough its against Blizzard's Terms of Use and in most cases will result in a permanent ban, people still take the risk and by gold, power level, bot, etc...

Just think of it like those commercials when watching TV. Most people just ignore it and use it as a break time to go get a snack, bio break, etc... Or as xpolockx said, a billboard on the side of the road.

This site isn't cheap to operate and Rollie even stated the numbers for how much it costs to run it. The gold selling companies are the ones with the big bucks and thats how most WoW fan based sites operate.

I hope that you reconsider your choice Ota, but I can't make decisions for you. Just hope that the info we are giving you is enough to realize that these ads are needed to keep this site going.

WyriHaximus · Post by **WyriHaximus** » Thu May 31, 2007 12:22 am

Hybuir wrote:If you troll the forums here you wont see ads

Nooes whats wrong with us Trolls!

otanka Rollie would have just as easy took leveling guides instead as gold selling sites (for example) if they would pay more

. This is a great site and if you realy like Cencus+ and want to contribute you can allways use the UU program to upload your stuff so you won't have to see the adds

.

Post by **Rollie** » Thu May 31, 2007 9:45 am

FWIW, I run quite a few levelling/gold guides as well =)

DM. · Post by **DM.** » Thu May 31, 2007 10:43 am

*points at sponsors link*

Skyfire · Post by **Skyfire** » Thu May 31, 2007 8:31 pm

With IGE being sued... half of those ads for gold-companies might end up disappearing.

DM. · Post by **DM.** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 12:36 am

IGE has the money tho.... With everyone who has bought gold or used their other services, which are prob hundreds and thousands of customers... They would have the money on hand to afford the legal bills. But we'll see how it goes.