Not all of you will be able to see these ads which is why I’ve included the screenshot. Basically WordPress.com are trial’ing ads from a company called “Luminate”. Luminate put their ads over the top over images. The ads can be closed by clicking the little cross at bottom right hand corner.
I am part of the WordPress.com WordAds program and I already have 3 advert spaces on my blog. The Luminate ads seem to appear randomly, and obscure part of my photos/images. They are additional to the 3 ad spaces already “rented”, so getting to be a lot of space taken up with adverts. Often I put text on the images, which gets covered or partially covered by the Luminate ads. So really the Luminate ads detract probably more than I’m prepared to put up with from my content.
The WordAds program, brings in a very small revenue for me. Basically it covers about less than quarter of my electricity bill for the month. Far, far short of providing me an income. But it’s something, and something is better than nothing. I enjoy doing the blog, so it’s nice to get something 🙂
I don’t just yet want to depart the WordAds program all together, but I can ask for Luminate ads not to be served on my blog. However it may be that Lunminate ads are more lucrative than the others so could be missing a revenue source.
So over to you guys – Have you seen them ? What do you think ? Comment or have a go in the poll – it’s all helpful 🙂
Warm regards
Don Charisma
Don Charisma 
I’m going to wait and see what my earnings are for April. If I don’t see a significant (and I mean really significant 🙂 ) change, I’m requesting they be removed.
Becky, that’s almost exactly what I decided … they are a bloody nuisance, but it it’s really really worth it then I’ll keep ’em … do you know what the dates are that a) the impressions are calculated for, and b) when we’ll see the payment ?
Not sure what dates are in the range, but we should see impressions for April posted by mid May. Usually around the 12th to 15th of the month
Thanks, and lastly how are you finding the WordAds in general ?
I’m fine with them, my site doesn’t get huge views, thus the impressions really only pay off if something of mine goes viral on Pinterest or something. 🙂
Same really, it brings a small amount of money, yet to have anything viral, so you’re doing well Becky !
A friend suggest I get my content out in pinterest, but seems quite a lot of work to syndicate it there … sorry to keep asking questions, but any advice would help 🙂
There are some good ebooks out there about getting started on Pinterest. I don’t even have that many followers on there, but certain pins get consistently repinned from other people’s boards and that brings the majority of traffic to my site. You never know when a pin might take off…I had an old pumpkin pie pin go crazy popular at thanksgiving 🙂
Thanks Becky that’s very helpful, I’ll do my own further research, and sounds like it’s worth the effort of getting the pins on there in the first place … oh well that’s my sunday taken care of LOL … take care … Don
I just saw the ads on my blog today. They are awful and intrusive, especially on blogs where photos are a big feature. I was not contacted about these. I did not approve of them (I never would) and I don’t see how to remove them.
Does anyone know how to turn them off?
I think if you’re part of the WordAds program you can contact wordads and have them turned off … if not then there’s a thread on the support forum, chip in on that … I haven’t got round to it, but likely to ask them to stop serving them on my blog …
I have contacted WordAds now. No doubt they’ll be working round the clock with this one!
Can’t help you on that one, my hotline to WordAds is the same as yours … The man at WordAds is very helpful and responds quickly, so no doubt it’ll be sooner rather than later 🙂
Oh cool. Glad they reply quickly. There’s hope yet!
They’ve been very helpful, and wordpress in general I’ve found that way … I’ve added you on my follows, I have to do it when i think of it, as I’m inclined to be forgetful 🙂
How can I run Luminate Ads on my Blog?
Google “wordpress wordads program” …
I already have these WordAds on my Blog, I thought Luminate ads is some different thing.
ah, no it’s part of the same thing … WordPress are doing a trial this month with them … judging by the response I saw in the forum, well, not sure they are very popular …
Let’s wait for the final decision on this then 🙂
🙂
Seems like they’re posting their billboards on your highway and offering you a pittance of rent after the fact (oh, were we stepping on your lawn?) when your real estate is worth more.
Are you losing or antagonizing followers because of them?
I ignore most ads, but if you’re making a few pennies, it has to be your call.
I think I’ll probably ask for the luminates to be removed, they are obscuring my images and detract from the blog … and advertising is just that for small bloggers a pittance … but it’s one night out for me and my girlfriend in an ordinary restaurant, so happy for that …
My following always goes up never down, well at least not so far … so alls well …
What about incorporating a “donate” button instead for some income….say if people are using your images they might like to contribute a little (seeing as we still have to rely on a monetary system). When people suggest a setting to photograph they might also like to contribute a little???? How about it everyone?
Hey Gail, I trialled the donate button for a while, didn’t really fit at the moment, but I still have the widget saved in case I change my mind … My business partner and I have a commercial site for developing websites and promoting them http://DonCharisma.com so that’s our income project … I’ve had a few people express interest in buying photography, but not as yet had someone make a firm commitment and actually pay anything …
I prefer blogs to be ad free. Don’t like the way it covers your images.
For sure, totally agree !
Don, I would agree with yer other readers re:placement of ad’s. However, I can’t remember a time where I have been seriously inconvenienced by an ad here on WP. Earning money doing what we love is probably what many of us dream about doing. I don’t believe it cheapens or makes the blog post suspect of “sell-outery” in most instances, but it an in many cases produce resources for more and dare I say it better creativity.
For sure, and that’s the entirely positive way to look at it … if I could provide myself a “full income” from my blog, then I could do it full time and not have to worry about paying my rent etc … probably this would give me a better creative space in which to create … so there’s a definitely very positive side to the ads on websites argument … within that advertisers seem to be wanted to attract more and more attention from the readers, and there’s a line where one has to say, NO, actually I didn’t create the blog for advertisers, it’s for my readers …
Maybe the ads are seen only if you do not have a Premiun account? I dont find myself often clicking on adverts. Do you see clicks going to them in your stats? I agree with edmooneyphotography. If you were able to place them in the sidebar then better. But, I wouldnt want them to make mine or your blog to busy.
Well I have a premium account and I see ads … the equation I think is slightly more complicated … it depends on what jurasdiction one is in, it depends on what data the ad people have on the viewer (if he’s been searching for hard drive on amazon, then he’ll likely see ads about hard drives), it depends on what the content on the page is and what type of website the ad agency thinks it is – I often get travel related ads because I blog a lot about thailand … it depends on what device and browser they are using, the wordpress ipad app doesn’t seem to show any ads for some reason … and so on !
I see some traffic leaving on my stats to advertisers, although not a huge amount. Someone in the know told me recently that people aren’t clicking on ads as much as they used to, the reason behind it I don’t know …
And yes I’m sitting on the fence with the luminate ads, not sure if I’ll drop them or not, but erring to dropping them at the moment as they cover my content …
Very useful to get your comments, so please do feel free to comment !
I can see this for people who use the totally “free” venue, but those of us who pay for custom themes or .com should not have to have these. Actually, I don’t care for people who sell their stuff in the blog venue, just because it may be free. So no adverts!!!!! of any kind.
OK, that’s good and in a world of ideals I’m with you on that … at the moment, having my monthly eating out in a restuarant being paid for by the advertisers, I’m grateful for … once I’ve figured out alchemy, I’ll get the ads removed !
It seems there is an option for that because I remember choosing it, seems around the time of my blogsversary. But it’s been awhile and the old they matter is greyer than usual
This morning. It seems all of a sudden, the ads were gone.
🙂
If your making money and that’s what you want to do, I say go for it.
LOL, a little maybe eat out once a month, but yes it’s something 🙂
Hey man. I read your stuff on the iPad app, and see no ads at all – so it doesn’t bother me one bit! 😉
🙂 I think the ipad add doesn’t show any ads at all, so you’ve found an ad free way to view wordpress !
I haven’t seen these ads, so i am not bothered by them yet. ^_^ I think it is great that you are receiving money from them thou. Every little bit does help. I just looked at your .com site and it is really nice Don. Congratulations I hope it brings you some great business opportunities.
Thanks hun, very thoughtful … and yes I’m happy for a little coming in, hopefully Danny and I can make it into an income that supports us both 🙂
Hi Don I see 4 adv luminate on your blog, on the right side bar.
too many adv make people dong like to visit our blog 😦 .
For sure, that’s totally what I’m thinking and exactly why I asked 🙂
I’ve seen them but i think it makes things look busy but that’s just my opinion. I’ve not really had to close them though so that I’m confused about. They never seem to interfere with me commenting and Lord knows I comment a lot haha.
LOL, totally Laura, it’s a tradeoff between profit and aesthetic/operability … the wordads thus far had been relatively tasteful, but these luminate ads are different, in that they are covering images, and I do quite a lot of work with images !
Yeah that’s no good if they cover up what you are doing with your blog in the first place! But wow in that you even have income from your blog! I’m just happy to have a few followers, lol.
LOL, well as explained Laura, income as in a little money coming in, but it’s only around 1/4 of my electricity bill so it’s not an income income … I live in hope !
Well hey, better than nothing! But geez…they shouldn’t cover up your blog. Maybe it’s a conflict of formats. Hopefully it will be resolved soon. I want to see Don Charisma in his full glory! lol
Thanks Laura, and LOL that last one … well you’ll make my girlfriend jealous 😉
Reblogged this on rebloggobbler.
Thanks for the reblog 🙂
I gave up wordads completely as I can’t control the quality of ads being served. You should always know what goes in your stomach, in this case, what ads are being displayed to your viewers.
Quality vs small revenue, it narrows down to that.
This is just an opinion. Many people like wordads, but that’s just a compromise you got to make with your blog.
These were just my two cents…
Thanks Ed, and of course I realise your opinion, have no problem with that … I find putting out to find others opinions useful and sometimes others are asking the same question … and I totally get your point of view !
I’m erring at the moment to dropping the luminate ads, and will probably continue with the wordads for now …
I have the Luminate ads program on my blog, too, Don, and some readers have said they don’t like it in my comment section.
I told them about clicking the little black cross to get them to vanish, like you did.
It’s annoying, but I’ve decided to let it go for now because, like you said, every tiny bit adds up.
We shall see how long my patience lasts.
Thanks for putting the topic out here!
You are welcome and thanks for chipping in Mark … I’ve asked WordAds if they are pay-per-click or pay-per-impression, and I think if they are pay-per-click then I’ll definitely dump them … I do a lot of image work, so these ads have quite a big impact …
Hope you are well my friend 🙂
I would be very unhappy if my content was covered by the Ad. No one invest time, energy and resources to have their work improperly displayed. So I figure there has to be a happy medium…..such as having the Ad’s placed on the side. Just my thoughts on it.
Agreed, I’m working in that direction I think …
Too many ads can get really irritating, it would turn me off. I feel like I’m getting chased by ads wherever I look but perhaps I’m not a good example as I’m a passionate hater of inserted ads!
For sure, I don’t really like ads … but if one could pay the rent, and it doesn’t detract from the content, then that’s got to be worth doing … in a world of ideals, income doesn’t need to come from the ads, and just pure content, would be best
Hi Don,
Whilst I personally like the idea of a source of income, I think that it would not be worth the hassle cause by obscuring ones images. Maybe I am bias as a photographer, but this would bug the hell out of me. I think it would be far better if the ads were placed in either the side bar or above or below a post like in Google.
Either Way,
Best of luck,
Eddie
Thanks Eddie, I think I’ll probably tell them to stop doing these on my blog … but good to ask around, sometimes people have angles I didn’t think of … and yes for image dependant blogs like photography, these don’t work too well really !
Cheers
DON