I just don't get it.
Well, I kind of do. Internet advertising. Ads pop up on a page, here and there, and again and again. When you're new at using a browser, your eyes go to those ads to see what they say, especially if it is animated or has video. But when you become adept at using a browser and have a directed purpose in using it, isn't an ad the last thing you want to waste your time on? You tune them out.
Honestly, there are VERY few times when I look at an ad... like when I'm thinking about the subject. Just now, my eyes briefly looked at the "JAWS" ads on the right and top on TBBS. I moved on, continuing to use the forum, and without looking I tried to recall what it was that the ad was for. The only thing I remembered was the red JAWS with the shark coming up in a sea of blue water. I'm assuming it was promoting the original movie. I guess it must have just come out on blu-ray. Ah yes, (looks over), it has. But I must say that for the most part, I *rarely* remember what an ad was for. I might remember a brief image that I saw, but the context is completely missing.
How effective is this form of advertising? For me, it's worthless. I have *never* bought anything by clicking through an ad. That's the LAST thing I want to do, is to be brought to some website that will try to load cookies into my browser and try to entice me into giving some information for weekly coupons that instead turns into a rash of endless spam.
Google makes a fortune on advertising. Why? Because ads are CHEAP for their clients. The cost per hit is mere pennies. But, add up all those hits for millions of users? The cost of advertising is spread nice and thin across the base, like an ethereal glaze. The participants don't pay much, but Google scrapes that glaze off to then find themselves with a nice pile of cash. And this is easy for Google to do. When you search, you're going to expect to see a list of possible websites and yes, some of them will be shifted in position due to Adword advertising. Plus, some search criteria sensitive ads will appear on the right side.
But what about when you're on Facebook? Who wants to see ads when you're just doing a little social networking? To me, that's even more reason to tune out ads. I simply refuse to look at them. I learn the "useful zone" page layouts of a website and stick to them, not letting my eyes drift outside them into the stinky swamp of ads.
And yet, advertising is precisely what Facebook was basing its valuation on. Seriously. The context is just wrong. With Google it makes sense. But on Facebook, the only thing I could see being effective is directed advertising. You like a product? Go to the maker's Facebook page and look at some details. You might find an on-line coupon there. THAT is how I see Facebook being used by companies. But running banner ads in and around your social networking content pages? People adapt. I really believe everyone will tune those out and not even look at them.
So, Facebook being worth $38/share seemed to be pure folly to me. Wishful thinking on the hopes and dreams of the investors. Well, I think that's quickly being dashed. Facebook just touched down to $20, nearly half its IPO price.
Well, I kind of do. Internet advertising. Ads pop up on a page, here and there, and again and again. When you're new at using a browser, your eyes go to those ads to see what they say, especially if it is animated or has video. But when you become adept at using a browser and have a directed purpose in using it, isn't an ad the last thing you want to waste your time on? You tune them out.
Honestly, there are VERY few times when I look at an ad... like when I'm thinking about the subject. Just now, my eyes briefly looked at the "JAWS" ads on the right and top on TBBS. I moved on, continuing to use the forum, and without looking I tried to recall what it was that the ad was for. The only thing I remembered was the red JAWS with the shark coming up in a sea of blue water. I'm assuming it was promoting the original movie. I guess it must have just come out on blu-ray. Ah yes, (looks over), it has. But I must say that for the most part, I *rarely* remember what an ad was for. I might remember a brief image that I saw, but the context is completely missing.
How effective is this form of advertising? For me, it's worthless. I have *never* bought anything by clicking through an ad. That's the LAST thing I want to do, is to be brought to some website that will try to load cookies into my browser and try to entice me into giving some information for weekly coupons that instead turns into a rash of endless spam.
Google makes a fortune on advertising. Why? Because ads are CHEAP for their clients. The cost per hit is mere pennies. But, add up all those hits for millions of users? The cost of advertising is spread nice and thin across the base, like an ethereal glaze. The participants don't pay much, but Google scrapes that glaze off to then find themselves with a nice pile of cash. And this is easy for Google to do. When you search, you're going to expect to see a list of possible websites and yes, some of them will be shifted in position due to Adword advertising. Plus, some search criteria sensitive ads will appear on the right side.
But what about when you're on Facebook? Who wants to see ads when you're just doing a little social networking? To me, that's even more reason to tune out ads. I simply refuse to look at them. I learn the "useful zone" page layouts of a website and stick to them, not letting my eyes drift outside them into the stinky swamp of ads.
And yet, advertising is precisely what Facebook was basing its valuation on. Seriously. The context is just wrong. With Google it makes sense. But on Facebook, the only thing I could see being effective is directed advertising. You like a product? Go to the maker's Facebook page and look at some details. You might find an on-line coupon there. THAT is how I see Facebook being used by companies. But running banner ads in and around your social networking content pages? People adapt. I really believe everyone will tune those out and not even look at them.
So, Facebook being worth $38/share seemed to be pure folly to me. Wishful thinking on the hopes and dreams of the investors. Well, I think that's quickly being dashed. Facebook just touched down to $20, nearly half its IPO price.
