Hi, I have a free business directory at http://www.projectword.co.uk. Much traffic has passed through this site and probably will continue to do so. It is also the kind of site that can get a lot of hits to AdSense. But.... Is this being greedy? Should I deface my directory? Will my current users frown upon this? And, is it worth it in terms of money.
It's totally up to you coz.. it's your wish to make money or not. I recommend you to place ads without disturbing visitors.
it should never be a question of greedy. most of the web exists to profit someone, even the media websites. Just do it in an aesthetically pleasing fashion. And ESPECIALLY since you are running a free directory, there is nothing to lose so to speak. You could even setup adsense to only display on the inner pages and keep the front page adsense free. I inspected your site and would highly recommend that route.
I believe a block or two adsense ad won't hurt. Your site is a directory so it's about providing information. So yes, recommended !