Where is the line for hidden text?

their design is well thought out and executed - right up until the coop ads - so I would have to say this was done purposely - I don't have ads YET, but even with-out reading the TOS I would ASSUME this is against the purposes of the coop - Especially as it is the intention of the coop to remain an ADVERTISING SPACE sharing coop not just a link exchange.

But thats just this observers observation

P.S. Do sites violating TOS get an opporunity to conform before they are 'booted'..?

 

Agree 100%

Bad design my ass...

 

Upon closer inspection I would have to say it is intentional. Look at the hyperlinks above it...they are white. The webmaster took the time to make them white, yet under the white hyperlinks the same time was not taken.

Intentional?? I think so!

 

There's the answer then. The majority of people believe that it was done intentionally.
Whatever the reason, there should be an email from DP telling them to change it.

I'm changing my mind. It's not the only link on the page that is almost hidden - there's also the one at the very bottom of the page that blends into the background. Once can be sloppy coding - twice is on purpose.

 

There was already a very big discussion on other forums from webmasters talking trash about the coop because one member was hiding links. We don't need that again. I think it is time for Shawn to step in and share his opinion on this.

 

when I first joined the COOP, well, the truth is I never considered the clickthru rate. I guess I underestimated it's value.

I think you're right fryman. This actully begs the question 'What was the COOP created for?' SERPS, advertising or both


If it's serps than this won't really matter, as long as it's not totally hidden (same color as background). If it's serps and/or advertising then this matters.

 

I'd say considering its called the Co-op Advertising Network, that kinda makes its purpose a bit of a given. Improved SERPs was an obvious bonus mind you

 

Homer, I don't think you should even be asking that. Shawn has explained more than enough times that it is an advertising network. You can even check the title at your login page.

Hiding links or "almost" hiding them is totally against the coop's meaning.

 

For my bank account the ads are more important than the increased SE rankings

 

I liked your idea of the image banners, Sorvoja, I'm sure well designed banners could bring in loads of good traffic. But there are just too many things against it. It would be very difficult to put up 5 banners on a site, so banners should have much more weight than text links. And banners should open in a new window. I guess it is too much work and would require loads of new coding, but it was a good idea.

 

Your right on your other post, I should not be asking such a question. I have been focused on one result, that is obvious to me.

My eyes are wide open now .

A recent survey conducted concluded that 'opening in a new window' was not desireable from a user's standpoint and most of the time resulted in a closed window. I think that's why programs like AdSense haven't gone there yet.

 

Agreed, I was having issues getting my links colors changed to where they were readable. I made the best attempt I could, then posted to this board to see if it was OK. A couple members mentione that it was borderline, so I simply moved the links to another area.

the links that are being brought out in this thread are obviously being hidden.

 

I really don't understand why a new window would mean a closed window. You are cliking on something that interests you and are taken there. The window opens in front of you, it's not like it is hidden somewhere in the page. Actually, the reason I only use opera as a browser is that I ALWAYS click on links and open them in a new window, that way I can browse around and not leave the site I was looking before that.

 

I support the idea of links opening in a new window.

 

I just realized I have site with coop ads on it , that some one is using and when they changed the front page colors it made the coop links almost invisible, I think their color is set in the style sheet, and I doubt the people using the site know what they are doing

 

No, the links above it are white, the coop links are dark red.

Please, ferret, we don't suck our thumbs any more. There is no excuse for this.

 

sure there is

 

It's definitely intentional. However, I think until we have the theming and languages in place to where we can be *proud* to display the ads, then people will be pushing the "hiding" the ads envelope. I'm not saying it is right, in fact I could care less myself, however you have to have a need to hide something to hide it, and there are definitely some embarrassig anchor text ads that I *pray* my customers never ever scroll down far enough to see.

 

I really havn't seen any ads that I worry about people seeing

I think some of you people should stop being so cheap and either hire a designer or buy a template for your sites. Whats it like $50 investment to have site that looks good over ... well

I mean come on