Note: This column represents the opinions
of the writer and as such, is not represented as fact
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At last,
the contents of Aardvark's "million-dollar ideas" notebook
are revealed for all to see!
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Sorry to bring up the irritating issue of online advertising -- but I think
I've found a solution to the problem of ever-declining effectiveness and
ever-increasing intrusiveness.
Think about this for a moment...
What about a system that embodies many concepts already tried -- but in a way
that uniquely combines them into a design that not only drives traffic to the
advertiser's website -- but also means that once they get their they'll
browse around and actually learn about the products or services being promoted?
Need Cutting-Edge Copy?
As NZ's longest-running online commentator, I'm looking for
extra syndication opportunities for this daily publication -- or I'm happy
to write casual or regular material specifically to order for print or
Net-based publications. If you're
interested, drop me a line
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What about a system that is no more intrusive than the average banner ad? No
pop-up/under windows, no annoying animations and nothing to get between you
and the content you've come to see.
What about a system that also gives website operators the chance to earn what
could potentially be quite big money from advertising?
Sounds too good to be true right?
Well I reckon that what I've come up with achieves all those goals.
If properly implemented, I sincerely believe that this concept and the
technology used to deliver it, could give the online advertising market a
much-needed shot in the arm -- which is good for everyone.
More paying advertisers/advertising means more revenues for content providers -- and
that means more content for Net users.
At last we could regain control of our computers and avoid continuing down
the road of ever more irritating hijacking of our browsers by hungry
publishers prepared to do anything to attract the ad-dollars.
Speaking of which -- the very latest in "let's annoy you" advertising is the
transparent Flash ad.
If you haven't seen these yet then (if you're an Internet Explorer user)
you soon will.
Pages with these ads installed can use the entire browser window to deliver
their message. This means that the advertiser can use such annoying and
distracting techniques as banner which scrolls right around the entire edge
of the page, or even a semi-transparent message which sits boldly across the
entire window -- requiring you to read through it to view the content.
Fortunately Netscape users are spared such abuse -- but thanks to Microsoft's
dominance, using a browser which isn't IE is becoming increasingly difficult
as more and more web designers opt to make IE-specific sites.
Now I don't have the time or the energy to develop and commercialise this
great new advertising idea -- but if there's an ad agency out there who's
interested (and prepared to pay) then please
contact me and we'll talk turkey.
Microsoft Bribing Customers
Boy, Microsoft is really using some primitive tactics to recruit users
to its Passport e-wallet service -- they're bribing them!
Following a rather embarrassing security snafu with e-wallet that completely
shattered the software giant's claims of security and safety, it's now
offering
(sorry Netscape users -- won't work for you)
to pay people up to US$100 to use it.
I suspect this is also a bit of an intelligence test -- who's dumb enough to
believe that Bill's boys have really got a handle on security?
It's not as if you're betting just $100 on the matter -- if the e-wallet
system gets its pocket picked again then those gullible enough to fall for
the up to $100 hand-out could lose a whole lot more than that amount.
I must check and see whether Microsoft has purchased the trademark P.T. Barnum
yet -- after all, they also seem to believe that "There's
a sucker born every minute."
Save The Aardvark Fund
Yes, I have had several donations to the Aardvark fund and I thank those
who put their money where their mouse is :-)
If guilt is gnawing away inside you then there's still time to donate.
Just drop by and
hand over your loot.
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Contact me if you decide to use either of these feeds and
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