Ad-sponsored ebooks

davidhburton · 02-21-2012, 12:00 PM

I know these kinds of polls never capture everyone's thoughts/feelings around this kind of topic, but I just wanted to get a general feel for ads in ebooks.

EDIT: I wish the poll allowed me to write a longer question, but I had a limit to the number of characters. Just to clarify:

For an ebook (priced at $2.99 and above) that you would normally consider reading, would you read a FREE ad-sponsored version instead?

Cheers!
David

AlbertaCowboy · 02-21-2012, 12:10 PM

Technically I voted "Yes, only if ads are placed between chapters and/or at the beginning/end of the ebook", but I would not buy the book if the ads were at the beginning of each chapter. At the front or end of the book, I could probably live with, but anything that disrupts the flow of reading from one chapter to the next is a deal breaker for me.

jgaiser · 02-21-2012, 12:29 PM

Nope.. I avoid ads wherever and whenever I can.

tecweston · 02-21-2012, 12:29 PM

If ads were unobtrusive and only placed in between chapters or at the beginning/end? Sure, I see no problem with that. Not any different from having to watch ads during a TV show.

However, I'd be pissed if I was in the middle of a chapter, turned the page and saw an ad pop up.

EDIT: Let me just clarify... I see no problem with that, if the book is free or drastically reduced in price. If I pay full price for a book there better be zero ads in it, other than maybe for other books in the series or by the same author, at the end of the book.

The Terminator · 02-21-2012, 12:42 PM

Edited.

The Terminator · 02-21-2012, 12:43 PM

Edited

davidhburton · 02-21-2012, 01:19 PM

Interesting results so far - not what I had expected at all.

QuantumIguana · 02-21-2012, 01:45 PM

Yes, we have ads in TV shows. But this is a book, not a TV show. It used to be that TV shows and ad content were totally separate, but more and more, the programs themselves are being bent around advertising, with product placement, or worse, product integration: the episodes written around the product.

If we have ad sponsored books, I suspect books are going to go the same route. Authors will have to please advertisers instead of readers. And that means the writing will change.

Look at the ad model for articles on the web. There are ads all over the place. The article itself gets squeezed into whatever space is left. If we have ad sponsored books, will we really have just a couple of unobtrusive ads? Or will the screen be packed with ads?

ucfgrad93 · 02-21-2012, 01:56 PM

I prefer my books without ads thank you very much.

pidgeon92 · 02-21-2012, 02:01 PM

Ultimately, I prefer no ads. However, if there were a $10 version with no ads, and a $2.99 version with (and the ads were at the beginning/end), I'd most likely purchase the $2.99 version.

Apache · 02-21-2012, 02:05 PM

No, I would rather buy the book ad free.
Apache

charmian · 02-21-2012, 02:12 PM

Didn't answer, because it really depends on the cost of the book. For under $20, probably not. For something that costs much more, maybe, depending.

DiapDealer · 02-21-2012, 02:38 PM

I'm looking for option 2.5:

"Yes, only if ads are placed between chapters and/or at the beginning/end of the ebook"

RHWright · 02-21-2012, 02:42 PM

It would depend on the nature of the ads. In-house ads were never a problem in print books, so I wouldn't have a problem with that. The more intrusive, custom-targeted kind of ads you see on Facebook would be intrusive here. As would anything from outside the book realm.

And even then, it would only be tolerable if it was free. Putting ads in something I paid for? No thanks.

Well, maybe depending on how steep a discount. If the price would drop from 14.99 to 2.99 because of a few ads. I'd think about it.

rcuadro · 02-21-2012, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ucfgrad93

I prefer my books without ads thank you very much.

Same here

View Poll Results: Ebook (priced at $2.99+) - would you read a FREE ad-sponsored version:
Yes, I'm fine with ads	15	10.64%
Yes, only if ads are placed between chapters and/or at the beginning/end of the ebook	40	28.37%
No, I'd rather pay for the version without ads	86	60.99%
Voters: 141. You may not vote on this poll

02-21-2012, 12:00 PM	#1
davidhburton Addict Posts: 211 Karma: 100001 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Toronto Device: none	Ad-sponsored ebooks I know these kinds of polls never capture everyone's thoughts/feelings around this kind of topic, but I just wanted to get a general feel for ads in ebooks. EDIT: I wish the poll allowed me to write a longer question, but I had a limit to the number of characters. Just to clarify: For an ebook (priced at $2.99 and above) that you would normally consider reading, would you read a FREE ad-sponsored version instead? Cheers! David Last edited by davidhburton; 02-21-2012 at 02:16 PM. Reason: clarification on question

02-21-2012, 12:42 PM	#5
The Terminator Retired Posts: 2,552 Karma: 37638420 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Vancouver Island Canada Device: Kobo Touch, Optimus One (2.3), Nexus 7 (4.2)	Edited. Last edited by The Terminator; 02-21-2012 at 06:46 PM.

02-21-2012, 12:43 PM	#6
The Terminator Retired Posts: 2,552 Karma: 37638420 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Vancouver Island Canada Device: Kobo Touch, Optimus One (2.3), Nexus 7 (4.2)	Edited Last edited by The Terminator; 02-21-2012 at 06:46 PM.

02-21-2012, 01:19 PM	#7
davidhburton Addict Posts: 211 Karma: 100001 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Toronto Device: none	Interesting results so far - not what I had expected at all. Last edited by davidhburton; 02-21-2012 at 02:16 PM.

02-21-2012, 12:10 PM	#2
AlbertaCowboy Guru Posts: 819 Karma: 171672846 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Alberta, Canada Device: PRS-350, PRS-650, iPhone 6, NVIDIA Shield K1	Technically I voted "Yes, only if ads are placed between chapters and/or at the beginning/end of the ebook", but I would not buy the book if the ads were at the beginning of each chapter. At the front or end of the book, I could probably live with, but anything that disrupts the flow of reading from one chapter to the next is a deal breaker for me.

02-21-2012, 12:29 PM	#3
jgaiser Omnivorous Posts: 3,283 Karma: 27978909 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Rural NW Oregon Device: Kindle Voyage, Kindle Fire HD, Kindle 3, KPW1	Nope.. I avoid ads wherever and whenever I can.

02-21-2012, 12:29 PM	#4
tecweston Comic book artist Posts: 553 Karma: 1760679 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Detroit Device: Nook Glowlight, iPad, iPhone	If ads were unobtrusive and only placed in between chapters or at the beginning/end? Sure, I see no problem with that. Not any different from having to watch ads during a TV show. However, I'd be pissed if I was in the middle of a chapter, turned the page and saw an ad pop up. EDIT: Let me just clarify... I see no problem with that, if the book is free or drastically reduced in price. If I pay full price for a book there better be zero ads in it, other than maybe for other books in the series or by the same author, at the end of the book.

02-21-2012, 01:45 PM	#8
QuantumIguana Philosopher Posts: 2,034 Karma: 18736532 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2 gen, Kindle Fire 1st Gen, Kindle Touch	Yes, we have ads in TV shows. But this is a book, not a TV show. It used to be that TV shows and ad content were totally separate, but more and more, the programs themselves are being bent around advertising, with product placement, or worse, product integration: the episodes written around the product. If we have ad sponsored books, I suspect books are going to go the same route. Authors will have to please advertisers instead of readers. And that means the writing will change. Look at the ad model for articles on the web. There are ads all over the place. The article itself gets squeezed into whatever space is left. If we have ad sponsored books, will we really have just a couple of unobtrusive ads? Or will the screen be packed with ads?

02-21-2012, 01:56 PM	#9
ucfgrad93 Wizard Posts: 2,370 Karma: 9026681 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Colorado Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2nd Gen	I prefer my books without ads thank you very much.

02-21-2012, 02:01 PM	#10
pidgeon92 Wizard Posts: 3,144 Karma: 8426142 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Chicago, IL Device: Kindle PW2, Kindle Voyage, Kindle DXG, Boox M90, Kobo Aura HD	Ultimately, I prefer no ads. However, if there were a $10 version with no ads, and a $2.99 version with (and the ads were at the beginning/end), I'd most likely purchase the $2.99 version.

02-21-2012, 02:05 PM	#11
Apache Readaholic Posts: 5,259 Karma: 90000484 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: South Georgia Device: Surface Pro 6 / Galaxy Tab A 8"	No, I would rather buy the book ad free. Apache

02-21-2012, 02:12 PM	#12
charmian Addict Posts: 386 Karma: 1814548 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kindle 3, Kindle PW2	Didn't answer, because it really depends on the cost of the book. For under $20, probably not. For something that costs much more, maybe, depending.

02-21-2012, 02:38 PM	#13
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,365 Karma: 203720150 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	I'm looking for option 2.5: "Yes, only if ads are placed between chapters and/or at the beginning/end of the ebook"

02-21-2012, 02:42 PM	#14
RHWright Addict Posts: 219 Karma: 2617122 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: North Carolina Device: NOOK ST, Nexus 7	It would depend on the nature of the ads. In-house ads were never a problem in print books, so I wouldn't have a problem with that. The more intrusive, custom-targeted kind of ads you see on Facebook would be intrusive here. As would anything from outside the book realm. And even then, it would only be tolerable if it was free. Putting ads in something I paid for? No thanks. Well, maybe depending on how steep a discount. If the price would drop from 14.99 to 2.99 because of a few ads. I'd think about it.

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