8 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
8 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

I'm curious - what do you do?

by Kay King
6 replies
  • OFF TOPIC
    • |
I was checking out some stories/facts/news/etc this morning and 5-6 times when I click on a google result of a search i was hit with 'sign up and pay to read this article' or - "just 99 cents for a month of...."

I leave the site immediately...but have noticed there seem to be more of these sites recently that google has ranked... but are not accessible without payment or giving personal info.

There has not been a single time when I have not been able to go a different, accessible site and find the info I wanted within a few minutes. That makes me wonder just effective these 'pay to join' or 'pay to read' sites are.

Anyone have experience with this or run a site like this? Would be interested to know if the practice is profitable or not.
Avatar of Unregistered
  • Profile picture of the author Monetize
    I do not operate any sites that force people to sign up or pay
    to read content. Besides selling websites and domain names,
    everything on my sites is free and I monetize with affiliate links.

    I often encounter what you describe, especially when reading
    news, but not through Google, although I may have seen that
    tactic on a recipe site. I hate it.

    Whenever I click to get to another article and see a pop-up on
    joining, paying, or removing my ad blocker, I leave that site
    because I'm not going to pay or join just to read one article,
    when I can find the same information elsewhere.

    But if I really want to read it, I look at the page source, there's
    usually a link to the article without any blocks or I can read the
    text within the code.

    I doubt that this annoying practice is profitable and I wish
    that it would stop.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11803979].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
    Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

    I was checking out some stories/facts/news/etc this morning and 5-6 times when I click on a google result of a search i was hit with 'sign up and pay to read this article' or - "just 99 cents for a month of...."
    .

    I've found on Newspaper sites that if you refresh the page, sometimes you'll get the article in full.
    Signature
    One Call Closing book https://www.amazon.com/One-Call-Clos...=1527788418&sr

    “Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise; seek what they sought.” - Matsuo Basho
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11803987].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Princess Balestra
    Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

    ... makes me wonder just effective these 'pay to join' or 'pay to read' sites are.
    Ain't it no abominayshwaahn!

    My ansa always is ... ima Princess.

    So dowin' is as kinda dowin' gotta.

    At sum point all gravitas will shift, an' eithah ima acschwl QUEEIN by mysterious default ... or I gotta arrange for a whole buncha HI VIS MALE RELATIVES to be taykin' the frick out.

    (Do I run with poison? Rodents? Or am I equally capable of strangulation-themed monstrosities?)*

    I would wish for nowan evah to himajean Moi to be no kinda MOIDERAH in this cuppasity.

    Bcs dowin' is deed, plus also indeed (when, yanno, you kinda go SHOOOOORPSY!)

    All I know is, From-On-High Beacons Callin' Evrywan Towards 'em don't actschlly work too good when the fire BURNS steada INSPIAHS.

    That is why we carry torches inta the darkniss.

    Bcs how'n else you gonna see nuthin'?

    * If'n you evah presented with any kinda multichoice YOU CAN WIN YOUR DREAM VACATION trio of optschwaahns ... an' they read like this ... you would mebbe wanna sit quiet sumwhere with butta banainooer.
    Signature

    Lightin' fuses is for blowin' stuff togethah.

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11803994].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author lanfear63
    For the general news, the main sites like MSN or BBC will give you that. Then we have Local News sites run by local tv channels.

    Then we get newspaper and perhaps a few magazine sites that carry some more offbeat stories so not surprised they come up. And, despite advertising, they make less than selling papers/mags so they like you to do a paid subscription.

    Not really seen any other pay to view stuff other than that.

    As for facts, never, though solutions to problems, say computer ones, they will often promote paid software.

    Perhaps it's the way you phrase the question and what sort of stories you look for?
    Signature

    Feel The Power Of The Mark Side

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11804172].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Nehakakar1
    I understand the frustration with paywalls. Instead of paying, I usually find the same info on free sites. If needed, you can sometimes check the page source to read the content.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11804546].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Odahh
    It's just as bad when my data is fine and an article wants to load up really slow so that adds pop up in the center of my screen so I have to chase around the part of the article I am reading.

    I tend to just give up in that case and when there is a paywall or an ad blocking 80 percent of the screen.

    Normally I don't even have to search for the free version within a day or two or in the same feed I get the free information. That comes in the least annoying way to read or watch it.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11804588].message }}
Avatar of Unregistered

Trending Topics