So, today's post won't be about what's up with me lately, because there isn't anything up with me lately. (Seriously - I had to invent an excuse to get out of the house this weekend, and the excuse involved an emergency cup of coffee.)

No, what's on my mind today is this: Advertising. I have no problem with advertising - in its benign forms: Magazines, TV Commercials, Billboards, and other passive media. I even (to some extent) appreciate targeted advertising, e.g. banner ads, because depending on where they're placed and what data they use, sometimes they're actually useful to me. However, I'm getting pretty upset that it seems like every good idea, when questioned as to how they'll become profitable, turns to advertising. Every Web 2.0 startup with a great idea that's not profitable immediately plasters their site with as many ads as possible, rather than try to come up with ways to make their service better and make money at the same time.

At the same time that so many more people are slathering ads all over their site, the ads get more insidious - what's that? You've run out of room for image-based static ads? Well why don't we make a Flash ad that pops up over whatever the user is reading and follows him down the page, with video and audio and nary a close button to be found? Yeah, that sounds like a great idea! I will seriously consider buying this product or service now.

Here's my rule - if my blood pressure rises, even a little, when looking at an ad for a product, I'm not going to buy whatever it is. If the ad interferes with whatever I'm doing, I'll disregard it. It could be advertising the 100% guaranteed cure for cancer, and all they need is $5 from me for worldwide distribution, and I'll ignore it. Furthermore, I'll probably teach Firefox to block it. If ads comprise more than say 10-15% of the visible area of a site, I'm leaving, and taking my non-paid clicks with me. If your program insinuates itself into the damp recesses of my computer just to sit in waiting until it can spawn 12 pop-ups trying to sell me generic V1@gr4 or low-rate mortgages, I'm not buying any of it - and I'll hunt you down and beat you with a sock full of pennies.

If you want me to buy your crap, make better crap, and market it in a way that doesn't force me to rant like this. Conversely, if you've got a good idea and no way to make money from it, either expand it to profitability, or sell it to someone who has a better idea than you. In any case, everyone needs to reevaluate these strategies - build profitability into your web ideas from the start (if you plan on making money off them - there's no need to, generally), and consider your customer when buying ad space.

Also, to all of the idiots who keep clicking on this stuff - you're the majority of the problem - thanks.

Whew, that's a relief. Almost as relieving as that LOW LOW 5.9% APR on my new mortgage from www.internetsavant.com.