Hello All,

At Gary's request, I'm going to jump into the conversation to try to answer any questions that you may have.

When we switched to the new site design, we also switched the way ads are served. Rather than fixed placements, as they were before the change, banner ads are now sold on a CPM basis, geo-targeted to Australian visitors across both WHT-AU and WHT.com.

The reason that some of you are seeing US-based hosting company ads is that we have a significant amount of unsold Australian inventory. By spanning your Australian-targeted ads across both sites, we have effectively tripled the number of Australian users that you can reach. (In other words, WHT.com gets about twice as many Australian visitors as WHT-AU.) This is, of course, an opportunity for Australian web hosts who want to accelerate the growth of their business by broadening the reach of their ads.

I understand, too, your concern with increased competition. The reality is that the competition has always been there. The 30,000 Australian visitors/month to WHT.com have historically seen nothing but US and European ads. You now have an opportunity to reach them and to educate those users as to why local hosting, while potentially more expensive, is superior to hosting offerings based outside of your country.

Let me close by re-iterating what was said in the press release. WHT Australia serves the unique needs of the Australian market. The community will maintain it unique focus and character. Yes, there will be some changes as I discussed above. But I hope you see the benefit these changes bring.

Troy
(CEO, iNET Interactive)

I dont see the point of WHT AU if this is the case.

Indeed.

Sorry Troy, but I, like many others may, don't share your optimism.

Dale

Well if that's the case then it sounds alright. Once we get some more Australian ads up the US ones shouldnt come up any more

I don't want to accelerate and compete with US adds that why i advertised with the old WHT-AU. And so far i havn't even seen my add but i have seen a softlayer add 3 time. I know its random but being impression is it also weighted like google where there more $$$$$ means more showings ?

I still think that this is only going to cause issues.

The question comes down to cost at the end of the day.

I assume the old pricing that Gary laid out is no longer and there is a new pricing scheme?

Well, there goes my idea of throwing on an ad or 2 on the forums!

If it is weighted out like Googles AdWords - bugger that!

I had 2 month left at "The old rate" which say my add in a spot with 3 other adds. Now i was given X impressions under the new system and that was it. The specs for the adds are crap; 20K size for a tower animated gif (my old 160x160 was 17k).

AKAIK the sticky advertising in the providers forum no longer exists.

Agreed, I don't see the point either if this is the case. The site used to be filled with Australian advertising. Now its all been diluted amongst the international hosts. Its also not easy for clients to see the difference between Australian and US based hosts.

From what I have gathered they will no longer be available. They will be charging per CPM and in USD (which is another great plus (not) for AU based hosts).

Not to mention that all the adds are in USD.
Eg there was a dedi there for $xx but its really $XX * 1.5/1.6.
Most people will just go **** kadeo/crucial are expensive im not even going to call those ripoff merchants.

So infact advertising will only bring NEGATIVE reponses

Agreed. Most customers wouldn't have a clue when it comes to this. I think a lot of businesses with a strong presence on here are going to have to think a little differently about they go about it.

What happens when all the hosts who lurk on whingepool sending people this way?? Those potential customers will go for the cheap US hosting cos it has bells and whistles and probably goes bing.

Good point. Maybe the US companies advertising for US based services must state the currency in which the ad is listed? I doubt the Aussie companies would object.....

where are my ads? INET won't even respond to my emails let alone tel me what size the news ads have to be.

Fix this NOW before you have a huge problem on your hands!

Ok still no clearer to me as to why this site is just not closed down and a sub forum created on WHT Big Brother and the domain name pointed there

I have not seen 1 solitary Australian ad here yet and I have been on all morning

as for the spin

Character - wtf? the template was the first thing that went to clone it to BB

Focus - wtf? I think we have covered the 99.99% US focus here as far as ads go

unique needs - you've just said more a lot more Aussies go to WHT BB so why not point them here
Some ???? everyone is - one person has said they saw an aussie ad once and as for geotargetting I have gone back to the main site and refershed the browser until I got RSI and still haven't seen an aussie ad so that sure as hell doesn't inspire me that by advertising anyone in Australia would see my ad on either site

The other thing is that all the ads are for very very big organisations - with multiples more clients and turnover than us - what chance do we have to compete at the advertising rates they will be paying?

At least the old WHT AU gave us the chance to put an Ad up and KNOW that AUSTRALIANS would see it

Harrumpf

Angus