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Experimental blog advertising program

by Mar Matthias Darin

Update: the code has been rewritten to be more reliable and stable across different browsers.

I've been working on an experimental advertising program and methodology that is ready for open testing. The program is called Along for the Ride! and is designed to operate as user driven rather then blog owner driven.

Blog owner driven programs are like EntreCard or BlogCatalog. The advantages are that they can produce high amounts of traffic quickly. the disadvantages are they take a lot of time away from the blog owner and require constant attention in order to maintain traffic.

My developmental method is user driven, The advantages are that the blog owner does not have a lot of work to maintain advertising. This means more time for the blog owner to spend on their blog. The disadvantage is that it may not grow as fast in traffic as owner driven methods might.

Along for the Ride! works as the name implies. A random member is are brought along for the ride every time someone visits the blog. Above my comment form is the script. You'll notice that an actual site is loaded in the mini-window. I believe this approach will do better then other user driven method like BlogUpp or similar methods as the actual site is displayed.

I am looking for people who would like to assist in the testing of this program. The program is free and once it opens to the general masses, will remain free. The rules for joining are as such:

• Relatively family safe. Relatively best discribes blogs like mine that are 99% safe with the 1% not safe (but with warnings if needed)
• No pop-ups, pop-unders
• No auto-playing music or videos
• No porn, nudity, hate, or racism
• Nothing illegal (no warez, virus, guns, drugs, etc...)
• No Ads only blogs
• Blogs must be updated at least once a week
• At least 12 articles on the blog
• All member sites must have the Along for the Ride! javascript code on the page.
• Rules will be adjusted to compensate for anything I missed.

If you are interested in helping my test and perfect this method, add the following code to your blog:

<script type="text/javascript" src="http://matthiaschronicles.tanaya.net/AFTR/aftr.xjs"></script>

Be sure to leave a comment with your blog url that the code is on and email address so I can contact you if needed. Note, I never give out email addresses or any other personal information.

All code is hosted by my server. Currently, I am using my online book library as my test bed. Once I have enough blogs interested, I will switch to them as the beginning of the members' list.

Thank you.

Top tags: blog, owner, code, program, along, blogs, advertising, aftr, method, safe

Comments from Windmill ^60.53.48.22

Hello Matthias,

Count me in!

Let's get your beta going!

Comments from Windmill ^60.54.58.52

Hi Matthias,

I read the Comment you left at my Blog.

Its sad in a way that the previous sidebar widget has to give way to the one that you now show just above this Comment box.

The previous with a mouse-over open window sidebar widget made it more practical because not all blogs have the flexibility to add an additional top or a bottom script and the width size of the Along For The Ride widget. Kinda restrictive vis-a-vis sidebar widgies.

It is possible for the above widget script to come in various widths and heights so that it can be adjusted to fit.

Cheers!

Comments from Windmill ^60.54.62.197

Hi Matthias,

I relocated the script to the bottom of my Blog. It works but I feel that it takes too much space but not enough space to display all that it contains.

Could the widget show less detail? The full content could be read by clicking on the link to Open New Window?

Cheers!

Comments from Windmill ^60.54.62.197

Hi Matthias,

I think that 320px width will fit my bottom wide sidebar.

Understandably the script is embedded in a .js file and I do not know if there is a way such that the user can select width x height preferences? Maybe not possible, but most bloggers may not know what is the dimensions at at their Blog's Post or sidebar; Themes offer varying sizes and are never standard.

Comments from sharkbytes ^{65.183.168.94}

Tell me more, please... I'm curious, but want more info.

Comments from Jude ^{71.114.155.15}

The only thing I see the script do is go to Amazon for a purchase. I tried it on my site, but it wasn't right for me..sorry.

Comments from Mar Matthias Darin

My appologies for the time it has taken to reply. I've been knocked on my backside with some sort of cold or flu... I feel like a tank ran me over...

Windmill: Thank you.

sharkbytes: The program is a passive userdiven approach. Simply move your mouse over the Along for the Ride! box and you'll see how it works.

Jude: The new version may be more to you're site's look and appeal.

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