Many hits, low uniques make me a poor boy

I run a very popular site that is entirely member based, we get about 800 uniques a day and about 8-10k hits.

Because most people on the site are returning visitors they have become ad blind. Plus most of my pages are tool / utility based [you go there to submit results, view league tables etc etc] so I have difficulty knowing where to place my ads.

I recently got some help off some of you guys but the changes didnt seem to work at all.

FYI the top pages on the site are the shoutbox and the message center [basically PM box]. So maybe specical consideration is needed for these pages?

If anyone can give me any advice for improving my site I would be very grateful. I have an extremely extremely low CTR and make little to no money even though I have quite a lot of hits.

Thank you in advance

Chris @ www.backofthenet.info

 

changing colors, just like DP. Try it

 

You mean have a set of X colour schemes and randomly rotate them?
Or just statically change them?

 

He say Try it. So you got to experiment wiht it, let say a week or 2.

 

when the visitor turn ad blind keep ad and text changing places.

 

Thanks for ideas, I will try test them.

Do you guys do anything specific to test trends and so forth?

I usually setup channels and then download a few weeks worth as CSV then compare graphs and trends in Excel...

 

Begin charging a low monthly membership for completely ad-free service, access to contests, etc.? Would members pay $1-2/mo.?

-boxer126

 

Boxer126 you actually read my mind, I am working on expanding the site to cater for more features etc and providin a "Premium" membership for a few dollars a month.

But I would also like some adsense revenue, and also am not 100% sure what to charge for. I do not want to take anything [much] away from my current members as they are very loyal - it is not fair on them.

Thanks again for reply

P.s. you have any experience with automated paypal subcriptions in PHP or paying once per month via paypal. Which would you recommend?

 

Sorry, no experience really either. I'm working on a site myself with the same dilemma as you've got. That's why I suggested the membership. I've got to launch by April 1st, but gotta figure out what to make free and what to make premium. So, if you get a response to the subscription thing, could you shoot me a PM with the advice?

Thanks,
boxer126

 

i would suggest...that you change places of your ads...keep changing colour and plus add more matter with different headings so that your ads also keep changing.

 

I have changed colours, I will monitor progress for the next week then maybe change shape / position

I will report back results in case anyone else has a similar problem

Also I will try figure out if changes are permanent or temporary [i.e. members notice a change, but them become blind to them after X length of time]