Targeted ads for phpAdsNew

Giving back some more ...

We have 30+ forums, all dedicated to different topics. I wanted to be able to sell targeted banner ads for each of those categories. phpAdsNew is great for serving ads, but I needed to make some quick changes to VB in order to facilitate targeting.

Its easy to just plop in a generic call to phpAdsNew in the "header" template - works easy enough - however, you have no control and no ability to dynamically target those ads to a given forum. Now you can. (If there is another way, someone please tell me).

This is a simple hack, which involves a quick change to "global.php".

In global.php, find:

// figure out the chosen style settings

Below that, add:

// figure out the chosen style settings

// BSB - HACK - Need to populate foruminfo for targeted ads
if(isset($forumid)) {
    $getforuminfo=$DB_site->query_first("SELECT title FROM forum WHERE forumid='$forumid'");
    $forum_ad_keywords=$getforuminfo[title];

    // Replace generic words
    $forum_ad_keywords = str_replace(" and ", " ", $forum_ad_keywords);
    $forum_ad_keywords = str_replace(" the ", " ", $forum_ad_keywords);
    $forum_ad_keywords = str_replace(" with ", " ", $forum_ad_keywords);
    $forum_ad_keywordss = str_replace(" or ", " ", $forum_ad_keywords);
    $forum_ad_keywords = str_replace("/", " ", $forum_ad_keywords);

    // Replace spaces with commas (for phpAdsNew OR keywords)
    $forum_ad_keywords = str_replace(" ", ",", $forum_ad_keywords);
}
// END HACK

Let me give you an example. Let's say you have 2 forums:

• Outdoor Hiking
• Wild and Crazy Sex

Strange combination, I know - but bear with me. This hack will create a special variable called "$forum_ad_keywords", which will look like this (using the 2 examples above):

• Outdoor,Hiking
• Wild,Crazy,Sex

To use these in a template (i.e. header) to grab a target ad, you might try something like:

<a href="/ads/admin/adclick.php?n=$VBRandomX"><img src="/ads/admin/adview.php?n=$VBRandomX&what=$forum_ad_keywords" border="0"></a>

Note: the VBRandomX numbers are another hack. Just put this line in global.php to get some random #'s for the ad call:

$VBRandomX = time();

Easy enough. Not a real great randomizer, but it works for my needs. You want it to do more, have at it.

At any rate, the ad code above would expand to something like:

<a href="/ads/admin/adclick.php?n=993088616"><img src="/ads/admin/adview.php?n=993088616&what=Outdoor,Hiking" border="0"></a>

Now all you need to do is use those keywords when creating accounts within phpAdsNew.

Voila - instant targeted ads.

A robust, scalable targeted ad/sponsorship system should really be a part of the next release - IMHO.

Cheers.

[Dejan]

It works fine in vB 2.30. I am using this code:

// figure out the chosen style settings
// BSB - HACK - Need to populate foruminfo for targeted ads
if(isset($forumid)) {
$getforuminfo=$DB_site->query_first("SELECT title FROM forum WHERE forumid='$forumid'");
$forum_ad_keywords=strtolower($getforuminfo[title]);

// Replace generic words
$forum_ad_keywords = str_replace(" and ", " ", $forum_ad_keywords);
$forum_ad_keywords = str_replace(" the ", " ", $forum_ad_keywords);
$forum_ad_keywords = str_replace(" with ", " ", $forum_ad_keywords);
$forum_ad_keywords = str_replace(" or ", " ", $forum_ad_keywords);
$forum_ad_keywords = str_replace("/", " ", $forum_ad_keywords);
$forum_ad_keywords = str_replace(" & ", " ", $forum_ad_keywords);
$forum_ad_keywords = str_replace(" for ", " ", $forum_ad_keywords);

// Replace spaces with commas (for phpAdsNew OR keywords)
$forum_ad_keywords = str_replace(" ", ",", $forum_ad_keywords);
} else {
$forum_ad_keywords = 'home';
}



// Parent forum inside thread pages
if(isset($threadid)) {
$getforuminfo=$DB_site->query_first("SELECT forum.title FROM forum,thread WHERE threadid='$threadid' AND forum.forumid=thread.forumid");

$forum_ad_keywords=strtolower($getforuminfo[title]);

// Replace generic words
$forum_ad_keywords = str_replace(" and ", " ", $forum_ad_keywords);
$forum_ad_keywords = str_replace(" the ", " ", $forum_ad_keywords);
$forum_ad_keywords = str_replace(" with ", " ", $forum_ad_keywords);
$forum_ad_keywords = str_replace(" or ", " ", $forum_ad_keywords);
$forum_ad_keywords = str_replace("/", " ", $forum_ad_keywords);
$forum_ad_keywords = str_replace(" & ", " ", $forum_ad_keywords);
$forum_ad_keywords = str_replace(" for ", " ", $forum_ad_keywords);
$forum_ad_keywords = str_replace(" i ", " ", $forum_ad_keywords);

// Replace spaces with commas (for phpAdsNew OR keywords)
$forum_ad_keywords = str_replace(" ", ",", $forum_ad_keywords);
}

// END HACK

[cnczone]

Where do I install it?

[Dejan]

It is the same hack, only add on is for putting keywords of parent forum inside thread pages.

In global.php, find:

// figure out the chosen style settings

Below that, add:

// BSB - HACK - Need to populate foruminfo for targeted ads
if(isset($forumid)) {
$getforuminfo=$DB_site->query_first("SELECT title FROM forum WHERE forumid='$forumid'");
$forum_ad_keywords=strtolower($getforuminfo[title]);

// Replace generic words
$forum_ad_keywords = str_replace(" and ", " ", $forum_ad_keywords);
$forum_ad_keywords = str_replace(" the ", " ", $forum_ad_keywords);
$forum_ad_keywords = str_replace(" with ", " ", $forum_ad_keywords);
$forum_ad_keywords = str_replace(" or ", " ", $forum_ad_keywords);
$forum_ad_keywords = str_replace("/", " ", $forum_ad_keywords);
$forum_ad_keywords = str_replace(" & ", " ", $forum_ad_keywords);
$forum_ad_keywords = str_replace(" for ", " ", $forum_ad_keywords);

// Replace spaces with commas (for phpAdsNew OR keywords)
$forum_ad_keywords = str_replace(" ", ",", $forum_ad_keywords);
} else {
$forum_ad_keywords = 'home';
}



// Parent forum inside thread pages
if(isset($threadid)) {
$getforuminfo=$DB_site->query_first("SELECT forum.title FROM forum,thread WHERE threadid='$threadid' AND forum.forumid=thread.forumid");

$forum_ad_keywords=strtolower($getforuminfo[title]);

// Replace generic words
$forum_ad_keywords = str_replace(" and ", " ", $forum_ad_keywords);
$forum_ad_keywords = str_replace(" the ", " ", $forum_ad_keywords);
$forum_ad_keywords = str_replace(" with ", " ", $forum_ad_keywords);
$forum_ad_keywords = str_replace(" or ", " ", $forum_ad_keywords);
$forum_ad_keywords = str_replace("/", " ", $forum_ad_keywords);
$forum_ad_keywords = str_replace(" & ", " ", $forum_ad_keywords);
$forum_ad_keywords = str_replace(" for ", " ", $forum_ad_keywords);
$forum_ad_keywords = str_replace(" i ", " ", $forum_ad_keywords);

// Replace spaces with commas (for phpAdsNew OR keywords)
$forum_ad_keywords = str_replace(" ", ",", $forum_ad_keywords);
}

// END HACK

I am using old version of phpAdsNew and Remote Invocation with JavaScript. For that, in header template put:

<script language="JavaScript" src="http://www.your.path.to.phpadsnew/adjs.php?what=$forum_ad_keywords,+468x60&target=_blank">
</script>

Change 468x60 for the banner size you are using.

[cnczone]

Thanks for your help, now once I put the code in how do I call a banner to a fourm, do I use the forum name?

[Dejan]

Yes, just use forum name as keyword.

[cnczone]

but the banner has to be the right size right? I can just use any banners of different sizes correct?

[Dejan]

PhpAdsNew is powerful application, you can us any banner and any size of banner. Look in phpAdsNew user-guide for banner invocation code statements and adapt it for your needs.

[Imprezer]

Ok, so I copy pasted the code from Dejan's post below the "// figure out the chosen style settings".

Then I added key words for banners replacing space in forum name with a ,.

It doesnt work.

I got banners all over the site. It doesnt seem to be looking at the keywords.

What am I doing wrong?

[Imprezer]

Nevermind.

I figured it out.

Works like a charm.

[Imprezer]

Hmm, it works, but I need help.

I have 2 forums.

FOR SALE BY VENDORS
FOR SALE BY MEMBERS

How can I type in the keywords, so that when I type: for,sale,by,vendors since there is "by" in the forum title #2, the banner would only show up in the the vendor forum and not the member one.

Thanks!