well first..there is all those people paid to sit at home and click on ads so companies think ads are great. Then there are the forum bots that occasionally post subversive ads of thier own "FE is great its like my favorite game x". They need to click on these to appear to be real amoungst other reasons. Then there are the people like me whos cat jumps on the computer whenI get up for a tonic.

I am a firm disbeliever that anyone ever clicks a banner ad on purpose.

iva accidently clicked an ad or 2.

I really hope my thread didn't prompt this OP at all.  I actually like seeing banners with the heads up about other SD products.  And I'm sure its great for for folks that don't follow the forums as much as me.  Keep it up!  pacov just doesn't want there to be the following forum structure:

elemental ad

pacov post

elemental ad

Thanks!  Really glad to hear that you were able to quickly draw in some new folks just with banners!

Frogboy also sent me this graph in a PM. I think it speaks for itself, and I'm sure you all agree.

Disclaimer: Its a hoké.

I think the banner ads are well done, much less annoying than most ads. It is annoying that it disrupts the flow of the thread though.

Traffic doesn't always correlate to sales, I've read enough of cliffski's blogs and his frustrations to know this.

Entire companies are built around advertising. Google makes something like 90% of their money from advertising. Facebook exists because of advertising. Do you really think all of those clicks are on accident? 

You also didn't take into account our subconscious memories. Seeing an ad may not phase you but later, when you're in the store shopping for the week, that ad might just do it's work and you might buy something you wouldn't have otherwise.

Bara

LightofAbraxas, I had a somewhat similar reaction (to yours) when I saw the E:FE Banner Ad the first time.

In fact, in the first reply to Frogboy's Discussion thread entitled: "Elemental: June 2012 Status" (after first thanking Frogboy for the updated Info), I specifically asked the following question:

" But one other question:  WHY does the new one-line Banner Ad for Elemental: Fallen Enchantress show a   4-masted Sailing Ship at the right end of the banner ?     Is this a not-so-subtle "Preview of Coming Attractions" ??  "

I'm glad that I am not the only one who has been puzzled/discomfitted by this!  Unfortunately, I have never qotten an answer to this question.   I really think this Ad is very strange!   But, perhaps, if enough people bring this subject up, we will get some explanation ...         

I'll talk to the right people about adjusting or replacing that ad.

Bara

I really dislike having ads in amongst the flow of threads. Would be much better if placed to the side. So many companies have started doing this on forums now and it just feels wrong. To the side you know that it is just an ad. In the middle and it ads confusion. If the goal is to trick people into clicking on the ads and to promote products ahead of keeping the communication flowing  then by all means, keep them there. But if the purpose of the forum is to communicate about thread topics then keep the ads out of that flow.

You don't see newspapers inserting ads through their main content - they insert ads around their content. Sure, ads pay for them selves but please don't lose track of what is important in a forum. I think this placement is a massive step backwards and really taints your forum as being more about selling than communicating.

Nope, it has the opposite affect on me. In fact, I tend to grow a rather strong aversion to products when the ads are thrust at me from one direction or another.  For me, it's about priorities and affordability, and no amount of advertising is going to persuade me to part with cash I can ill afford to let go.

Anyway, advertising was not behind or what prompted my purchase of Galciv I and II.  No, that was more through word of mouth and a friend who demonstrated the games from hard copies he bought at a local gaming outlet... not to mention that I was helping to support a company I happen to like, admire and respect, and there aren't too many of those in existence.  In fact, that's how the majority of my purchases occur... word of mouth and people showing me their latest gadgets, nick knacks and dib dabs.

Once Stardock gradually migrates into hard core porn, I think the ads will be a lot more popular.