[Closed] Skim links on the forum

Not seeing any myself using android chrome. No adblock or anything as I understand the need of sites to make money. However, anything that looks like an endorsement from a poster needs different formatting if it is actually a ad. Also, if I was a P and still seeing ads despite paying not to I would be quite vexed.

I thought it was just me! 🙁

I wondered why regular posters had suddenly started putting links to random shite in their posts.

At least make these links appear different to legitimate links (colour, double underline, or whatever).

Even if it was obvious, double underline or different colour, it'd still be annoying.

You know you can just run a plug in and never see a skim link

That doesn't help Mark build a sustainable business though.

Hmmm...not seen one yet on STW, but hate them on other sites.
Would cut down on my use of the site, and depending on whether it became annoying I might cancel my membership.

I still haven't seen any auto links on here.

They seem to have everyone riled up! Where the hell are they ?

You probably have. Have you seen users linking to places to buy products that they mention? If so, that's probably a skim link, though there's no way of knowing which I why people are annoyed.

Edit: or maybe not as the one further up this thread has now disappeared...

nteresting point about the Classifieds as Skim Links will be doing something we, the users, are forbidden to do; refer to sites where products can be found at better/competitive prices to that being advertised here.

I stopped using Crash.net because of the intrusive links, pop-ups and banner ads. Don't miss the site and will actively avoid any sites using this. Would expect this was switched off for Premier subscribers in the same way as the ads and if not I'll go elsewhere and probably cancel subscription.

It's odd but on mobile Firefox i haven't seen any of these links.

I usually run ABP in 'allow some non-intrusive advertising' mode. When I saw these links appear last night I thought I had picked up some malware or something. Now I have unchecked the 'allow some non-intrusive advertising' option so don't see any ads at all now, including these spam links. So in your quest for more advertising revenue, from me anyway you've ended up going from some to none.

You probably have. Have you seen users linking to places to buy products that they mention? If so, that's probably a skim link, though there's no way of knowing which I why people are annoyed.

Nope. I've been looking for links specifically and haven't seen any.

Nope. I've been looking for links specifically and haven't seen any.

Possibly your browser blocks them by default or you're running a filter app of some sort.

I've never seen on either.

If Mark turns them back off, I'll renew my P (which only expired on Tuesday...) and I promise not to wait three months to get a free gift 🙂

Drovercycles makes a very good point. Singletrack is a business. The fundamental purpose of a business is to make money, so that wages can be paid. This is actual people's jobs, not some vanity publishing blog project where a few quid of ad revenue would be a Brucie bonus.

The challenge of monetising a website is a difficult one. How far can you push passive advertising (banners like on here) as a stream, how much sales resource (wages & commission) can you afford if you want to hunt ad money proactively, how much % increase on subscriber cost increase will the subscribers tolerate. All these need exploring.

Sadly, the web has conditioned people to think they have a right to something for nothing, in other words free content AND not being sold to, but if challenged to work for free or reduced earnings themselves, would soon complain.

Have they been turned off? I'm not seeing any - though Ghostery is reporting a skimlink thing which I hadn't blocked... (and I don't have any other freeloading software - TBH the only reason I have that is because it halves page load times here by getting rid of the share button, which I don't think makes Mark any revenue - does anybody actually use it?)

[quote=andyrm ]Sadly, the web has conditioned people to think they have a right to something for nothing, in other words free content AND not being sold to, but if challenged to work for free or reduced earnings themselves, would soon complain.

The thing is, there are plenty of us on this thread and the forum in general who don't expect something for nothing - there's an easy way of telling who they are.

Sadly, the web has conditioned people to think they have a right to something for nothing, in other words free content AND not being sold to, but if challenged to work for free or reduced earnings themselves, would soon complain.

Says someone without a P 😉

When I used to frequent Briskoda a lot, I paid for their freedom access. Having the ability to sell stuff with minimal cost was a bonus.

But I'm quite happy with ads so no incentive to pay it. Have never been "offended" by advertising in print, digital or anywhere else. Its how we know things are available to buy.

horrible hateful things. Am getting totally pee'd off with having adverts forced on me all over the web

Take the Piss all you like Drac, you are certainly adding to the argument and thread.

You asked for opine opinion, you are getting it.

I'm also offering up another business case for you: here we go...

Set up a site, just an Advertising site. A site that holds no content other than Adverts. Charge each other £100 for a 2cm box with advert content in it. Then why not just link that to all the other Advert revenue generator sites and you can pass that £100 around between you. So acting like a Ponzi Scheme, where theres only £100 available and you just send around invoices to all the Advert contributors and gain [s]millions[/s] £100...Just like Bernie Madoff did. He just passed around the same initial funds and waited until he had enough revenue then passed that around.
You can all spaff off about how many "clicks" & site impressions & new users had until the Pub opens, all you are in reality doing is targeting the same limited number of people who use the site and make them (by adding this function in) visit a chuffing advert site for Tudor Watches, nice.

You're all just chasing the same amount of money, passing it to each other and charging each other for it.

And in the real world exploiting the public who because of a design fault in devices, and a human fault in designing thumbs, you get all sorts of miss hit scroll down and page swipes that hopefully catch the fat thumbed or lazy swiper out) and they inadvertently "press" the link and get shifted to another chuffing advert for Women Pants.

Nice business case you have.

I'd say if you're losing money, cut costs. But I expect this new directive has come from above you in STW towers and you're being told to Tow the Advert Generator Revenue Party Line like so many other sites are falling into.

Meanwhile the UX is frankly shite.

Thats my opine opinion that you generously offered we oblige you with.

Are they still on? I've made a point of logging out and (ahem) disabling any add ons that may have been in use accidentally. I haven't seen any. I'm using Safari on mac.

Think they've been switched off now.

Shall we just never speak of them again?

*Shares*

*Shares*

Haven't got one of those either 😆

Sadly, the web has conditioned people to think they have a right to something for nothing, in other words free content AND not being sold to, but if challenged to work for free or reduced earnings themselves, would soon complain.

I thought it was a spin-off of a paper magazine, that generated interest in it? Funnily enough I've not seen any, but then I'm on Mozilla with ABP running.

Given the number of classifieds-only users, that'd be my first port of call. No classifieds-only user is going to click through to adverts, or subscribe to the mag, or voluntarily donate from a sale. They're profiting from this site more than the owners.

Do I have to put my pitchfork away?

I'll keep it handy just in case it was a bug and they appear again.

monkeychild - Says someone without a P

So have they been turned off now? We can finally mention [url=

SSD[/url] without it getting linked to a broken John Lewis page?

Is Rickrolling still a thing? Crumbs!

I think they're great if they get rid of all the flouncing big hitters who think the forum is theirs and their god given right to have control over 8)

if you read a little further up the page you'll see I used to be a "P". But the fact that my browser never remembers me (not sure why but STW is the only site that I have to login to every time) I don't get the purported benefits until I want to post so didn't bother renewing.

Don't come here with facts!!! Sheesh, it was tongue in cheek 😆

[url=

Rickrolling still a thing? Crumbs![/url]

I'm a paper subscriber right now, but when I cancel that, I was planning to get a premier subscription to the forum specifically to avoid having it full of adverts and spam (and only for that; I don't use any of the other premier functions). This, and anything similar, would stop me doing that.

"Hey, you're a Premier User! So you get to decide if you want to see ads or not.", is the deal you've made with subscribers.

It was awful, but it was only a short time-bound trial!

Or a terrible dream.

I have a 'p', and I don't turn the ads off. On the whole they don't annoy me, some of them are useful, on a couple of occasions I think I might even have bought something from one of them and you've got to cover the bills.

Skimlinks would annoy me, especially if they are indistinguishable from others. It's not the sort of thing that would have me flouncing off but it might be what tips the balance when I'm wondering whether to renew or not. For what it's worth I like stw and dont begrudge a subscription because it generally seems to be run on pretty honest grounds. This, reasonably or not, feels like a bit too much.

Badger badger badger badger badger, well played sir!

I really like this place.

I've got a sub and a P and a stack of a mag which I like, but haven't got round to reading the last few issues.

I've been logged out on 3 or 4 different platforms last week, found it slow and difficult to log back in, and now this.

Not flouncing, but I do think Mark needs to think carefully about losing subs from some of us who have already given him cash up front, without even cancelling every now and then to get a free gift...

Either P means that you'll not try to screw us and experiment on us, and perhaps will try and run something which works a bit better in terms of log outs, or some Direct Debits might get cancelled. But It's a free market, and it's Mark's choice.

Yes they were switched off like Mark says it was a trial and if you look he did say he was going to push the buttons. Hence me chuckling at the tantrums, can't be arsed to read something about cardboard boxes.

why not make classifieds for P members only?

Hence me chuckling at the tantrums

Chuckle away, but wipe that brown stuff off your nose first, it looks ridiculous.

You've lost me.

He's accusing you of being unable to eat chocolate Angel Delight without flicking it against your mush.

I think.

[quote=Brainflex ]why not make classifieds for P members only?
Because it would immediately shrink the size of the market.

Ah! I thought he meant a choc ice.

I'm happy for Mark to experiment on me for the benefit of the human race.
I don't care how much pain ,PVC or jam sandwiches(With marg) it will involve.
Just think fondly of me, when you see the rising sun or feel a cool breeze on your toes.

why not make classifieds for P members only?

Mark

In case you are still checking on this thread my view is that no advertising content should be stealth and it mustn't look like a user's content. If you want to use skimlinks for revenue generation then they must in my view be clearly labeled as such and not the user's content.

It also undermines my confidence in the forum if advertisers are effectively hiding their wares and links in users posts so it looks like a user has provided it / endorsed it.

One of the fundamental reasons I come here is to benefit from others personal experiences. Allowing an advertiser to drop a link into my or any other post is potentially misrepresenting the views of the poster.

I agree

[quote=Stoatsbrother ]I've got a sub and a P and a stack of a mag which I like, but haven't got round to reading the last few issues.

Phew - it's not just me then. I keep thinking I should at least move down to a digital sub, but hoping I might be more interested when I get riding again.

Funnily enough I've not seen any, but then I'm on Mozilla with ABP running.

Why would you?

Some sites do that as it prevents classified only entities. But as said above, I think the classifieds would dry up.

Don't want. Please put my subscription up rather than do this.

I thought these had been de-activated?

I'm still seeing a lot of browser requests to skimresources.com

[quote=GrahamS ]I thought these had been de-activated?
I'm still seeing a lot of browser requests to skimresources.com
Still happening

Yep.

[img] [/img]

Yeah- I "reported" your post to raise it with the Mods (though I know they'll just have to punt it upstairs)

Cheers. I've not actually seen any skim links in posts recently, but clearly they are still tied into the forum somewhere.

Its one of the best forums around, don't start to spoil that with skim links.

Keep advertising honest and obvious.

The forum / mag / website is nothing without its users.

Yes, they're still embedded somewhere. Chrome JS console has some errors relating to skimresources requests.

At least you actually get a watch after 1000 clicks - doubt skimlinks are as generous 😉

Yes, Skimlinks are in operation on the forum. But there needs to be some clarification.

Skimlinks were activated around a week ago. On friday I activated another option as a trial. This option was called Skimwords. Skimwords is much different to Skimlinks.

Skimwords takes brand names that are written in the content of the page and autolinks them to that brand's website along with an affiliate link that means should a purchase then be made at that brands site we would earn a commission.

After the 24 hour trial, looking at both revenue earned and the reaction on here it was clear this was a bad thing and it was deactivated at 12pm Saturday at the end of the 24hr trial and it will stay off.

I agree with the comments on here. It's evil and confusing.

However, skimlinks works differently. If you include a link in your post then our affiliate ID is added to that link invisibly. If anyone click your link and then makes a purchase at the other side then we will earn a commission from that sale for being the referring site.

The affiliate ID is invisible and it does not alter your post in anyway visibly.

It's an invisible means of monetising our forum and as we look to reduce the level of visible advertising I think it's a good alternative. So far it's proving to be worthwhile.

so.. to summarise...

Skimwords = BAD
Skimlinks = GOOD

Thanks for the clarification Mark.

That sounds like a much better system for all concerned.

Nice one.

Ah - cheers. So if I include a link to, say, Evans and they're part of the program then it records the fact that it was linked from here? Seems sensible to me.

Yes, that's how it works.
We've done particularly well from ebay links so far 🙂

GrahamS - Member
Thanks for the clarification Mark.

That sounds like a much better system for all concerned.

Nice one.

After my opposition to this I think Mark you have come up with a solution that pleases me, and a few others perhaps..

Therefore, THANK YOU for listening to us (well me moaning) and support this move in every way.

It clarifies how the links will work and also clarifies if the User is to put a link into thread to a website they wish to promote, then why shouldn't you use/receive revenue based on that. After all the User is happy to post a link, we/I support you receiving money from it.

Cheers.

(and for Drac, my auto sub's clicked in before I got time to turn it off, and to GRIT.CX.)

Ah, so if I want to buy something from chainreactionwiggle now then what I really need to do is put up a post with a link in it first and then click on it

Or, how about a sticky with links to all the usual suspects in it?

Nice solution, liking it

[quote=leffeboy ]Ah, so if I want to buy something from chainreactionwiggle now then what I really need to do is put up a post with a link in it first and then click on it
Or, how about a sticky with links to all the usual suspects in it?
Some other forums have links specifically for that

I can't see anything different 🙁 is it cause i'm in the midlands?

No its because you have excellent security that stops you being traced to prevent your true identity becoming known

mrsfry - Member
I can't see anything different is it cause i'm in the midlands?

Maybe you are running through the GCHQ servers and they're already tracking You..

Possible..

Doubt they'd allow links via their security systems.. 😉

Think the above explains why Privacy Badger was still reporting skimresources even after skim-something-or-other was deactivated.
Don't recall if it was complaining about it being a dodgy 3rd party tracker, or if it was just one of many resources including in every page.

I never saw any of those words/links, so did wonder if there was some kind of browser detection going on. Android, Chrome and Firefox (an old version that usually complains about being obsolete and not supported).

Didn't realise that could be done, sounds like an excellent idea.

and for Drac, my auto sub's clicked in before I got time to turn it off, and to GRIT.CX.)

😀