Hammer Media Network: Chris Hamilton | The Chookpen | Australian Bookmakers | Australia Betting

News.com.au Advertisement Overkill?

Ok, so advertising has become accepted in the way of online media – it was always going to be, it was always just a case of how the material was produced, displayed and marketed. Affiliate marketing is fantastic and with so many affiliate programs on the net today, almost any website can benefit from such a program.

Today, 1st of February, 2010 – I (as I always do) hopped onto www.news.com.au because the site always has leading news information not just from my state and country, but on a global scale. They have great personal blogs, integration with Fox Sports and other sites that represent leading newspapers in our country. On an average day, I would probably visit news.com.au about four times.

But today, I logged on to see this -


Five advertisements in your face about ING direct. I have no issue at all with the 728 at the top in the header, or the 250 on the right under the weather forecast, but the giant, long and wide advertisements that take over the left, top and right of the website seems unnessecary to me.

Here it is again with the ads highlighted in a red border -


It would almost definitely drop the user experience, it did for me. Normally, I would be drawn to the featured article at the top left, but after logging on today, the orange from the advertisements took over and was completely overwhelming.

And before anyone decides to point out the obvious – yes, I am aware this is probably NOT an affiliate marketing program and more than likely a sponsored CPM deal.

News.com.au has been like this since (I assume midnight last night). Hopefully it doesnt last too long. As I’ve already said, I love news.com.au, I visit it on average four times a day because they are (in my opinion) the most reliable website for the latest and breaking news. I just wish they dont crowd their design too often with too many advertisements like they have done today.

What does everyone else think? Am I being unfair or overexagerating?

Twitter Updates