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.

[mvigod]

I don't think it would be very hard...check out www.ezonemag.com as I think they do it.

as far as targeting to forums I would imagine it's much of the same procedure although I don't have vbportal so not 100% sure.

[rinkrat]

Where can I get VBRandomX?

I need some random numbers!

[SAWolf76]

can someone please update this hack? I would like to install it but its kind of confusing and old....

[Dejan]

Thanks ...

But how to show ads taken from parent forum inside thread pages?

[PurpleCow]

Hello,

If anyone is using this hack, kindly reply.

I seriously want this hack in working condition for my new vB ver2.3.0.

Any changes in the code..??

Thanks for your help

[cnczone]

Any new info on this subject?

[PurpleCow]

I am also interested in this...!!

Does it work with 2.3.0 ??

Thanks much

[trafix]

I have just removed phpadsnew from my server.... its to confusing and takes ages to add a new banner, whatever...

click on >>--ARROW ADS--> in my sig.

hope this helps

[cnczone]

I got it to work find but I what to use the hack in this thread, to target forums. here is my site using phpadsnew http://cnczone.com

[PurpleCow]

[QUOTE]Today at 10:09 AM trafix said this in Post #18
I have just removed phpadsnew from my server.... its to confusing and takes ages to add a new banner, whatever...

click on >>--ARROW ADS--> in my sig.

hope this helps