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  1. #1
    Site Owner Golf Hall of Fame Inductee
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    Default OZgolf Negative Cash Flow :(

    Hi OZgolfers

    Unfortunately, the forum is currently running at a loss, where the amount of revenue gained from the Google Ads (Tapatalk ad revenue is negligible) does not cover the cost of hosting the forum on a monthly basis. There are a few other yearly costs, but the hosting fees are the main expense. The past few years saw a healthy bank balance for the forum which allowed me to donate money to charity with the extra gained. I always kept a few months of fees in reserve, but this has gone now. With significantly reduced payments from Google, and the weak Aussie dollar against the US, the forum can no longer afford the hosting fees on its own. At the moment, the gap is about $20 per month. Things may pick up again, as there have been drop offs before, but it may not, and I wouldn't count on it, asand it has never dipped to this extent.

    I don't want to shut the place down, like another forum that I frequent is proposing to do, so I have been considering options to keep the place running.

    The first, but not necessarily preferred, option that I have been looking at is having the forum hosted by Tapatalk; this would have no hosting fees, and be accessible via the Tapatalk app and via browser, just as it is now. I am currently in communication with Tapatalk about a preview. This has mostly finished, but I need to do a full review of it. The appearance would change, and I would assume some functionality would be lost, however all of our post history, members, and private messages would be retained.

    Other options that I need to look into include tweaking Google Ad settings, and maybe finding a hosting package or different provider with lower costs.

    What can you do? Well a donation would certainly be appreciated to keep things running in the meantime: https://www.ozgolf.net/misc.php?do=donate . Many years ago, we used to rely on member donations, but once I set up the Google Ads, the forum could look after itself.
    Also, if you have an ad blocker for this website, perhaps you could ad us to your whitelist to allow ads through. Any little bit helps.

    Anyway, I wanted to let everyone know what was going on, in fact I wanted to do it earlier, but you know, life and stuff. I'll keep you up to date on any other changes, and if the Tapatalk migration preview is fit for public consumption, I will provide a link.

    Thanks everyone
    Andy

  2. #2
    Senior Member Major Winner
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    Default

    Donation made to Andy's drinking account (ends in 739).
    You don't get me. I'm part of the Union.

  3. #3
    Site Owner Golf Hall of Fame Inductee
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    Default

    Thanks muchly, Dotty, although that won't buy me too many craft beers.

  4. #4
    Senior Member Touring Pro (Nationwide Tour)
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    Default

    I’ve just thrown a little in. Could maybe direct some champs Calcutta proceeds at it in Feb to buy some time to sort out other options also.
    Cinderella story, out of nowhere, former greenskeeper, now about to become a Masters champion..... It looks like a mirac.. It's in the hole! It's in the hole!


  5. #5
    Site Owner Golf Hall of Fame Inductee
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    Default

    Thanks Ron. I'd like as much as possible to go to charity, but let's see how we go.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by AndyP View Post
    Thanks muchly, Dotty, although that won't buy me too many craft beers.
    Many years of OzGolf donations to Beyond Blue and Toowoomba Oncology Ward would have already dented the beer budget.

    Remembered and appreciated.
    You don't get me. I'm part of the Union.

  7. #7

    Default

    Do we need to start up a 2020 punters club to redirect funds into hosting the forum?


  8. #8
    Senior Member Golf Hall of Fame Inductee
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    Default

    Out of curiousity, how much you paying per month?
    --
    Criticism doesn't bother me, as it means I am doing something and people are watching.
    Handy-Cap

  9. #9
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by backintheswing View Post
    Do we need to start up a 2020 punters club to redirect funds into hosting the forum?
    I'd be in

  10. #10
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    Default

    Just added a couple of $s to the fund

  11. #11
    Site Owner Golf Hall of Fame Inductee
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    Default

    Thanks for kicking in, guys. There is definitely a bit more breathing space now., if current revenue stays the same.

    Quote Originally Posted by markTHEblake View Post
    Out of curiousity, how much you paying per month?
    The hosting fees are US$49.45 per month with Hostgator, which is over AU$75 at the moment.
    This time last year, Google revenue was regularly over $100 per month, but it has nearly halved since then.

  12. #12
    Senior Member Multiple Major Winner
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    Default

    @ANDY can you PM the banking details and I'll throw in few $$'s.

    Thanks

  13. #13
    Site Owner Golf Hall of Fame Inductee
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    Default

    Here are the OZgolf bank account details:

    BSB: 064183
    Account number: 10264739

  14. #14
    Senior Member Multiple Major Winner
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by AndyP View Post
    Here are the OZgolf bank account details:

    BSB: 064183
    Account number: 10264739
    Thanks mate.

  15. #15
    Senior Member Order of Merit winner
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    Default

    Have deposited some cash Andy, will have the notation of Chappy
    Srixon 565 - 10.5 deg stiff Miyazaki
    Srixon 565 - 15 deg stiff Miyazaki
    Srixon H45 - 90gr Stiff Whiteboard
    Fourteen DI w/ SPB Stiff
    Bridgestone J15CB 4-PW SPB's Stiff
    Fourteen MT28 TS Spec 53 & 58 DG Spinner
    Piretti Cortino

    GOLF Link

    BENCH

    Drivers/Fairways/Hybrids

    Yamaha v202 9.5* - Tourspec x flex
    Sonartec SS-03
    V Steel 3wd
    V Steel 4wd Attas T3 8x
    Titleist 585h 19*

    Irons
    Mizuno MP33 3-P

    Putters

    Ping Anser, Anser 2, Scottsdale

    Wedges
    Cleveland 54
    Fourteen 48

  16. #16
    Site Owner Golf Hall of Fame Inductee
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by chappy1970 View Post
    Have deposited some cash Andy, will have the notation of Chappy
    Got it, Chappy. Thank you.

  17. #17
    Member Touring Pro (Aust PGA)
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    Quote Originally Posted by Toxic View Post
    I'd be in
    I would be interested in this , Boots would be as well I think

  18. #18
    Senior Member Touring Pro (European Tour)
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    Default

    Morning Andy,

    On behalf of Ozgolf SA Christmas Cup we have decided to donate our winnings plus an extra cherry to the Ozgolf cause, keeping this forum alive and kicking.

    $200 coming your way today. Please confirm when you have received it.

    Yours sincerely

    Ozgolf SA


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

  19. #19
    Site Owner Golf Hall of Fame Inductee
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    Default

    Thanks so much, guys. That is very kind of you.

    Due to the donations that we have received, we now have 7-8 months of hosting fees locked away, and that is without earning any money from Google.

    As a result, I have notified Tapatalk that we won't be going ahead with a migration to their platform at this stage. As far as the app goes, the trial migration looked pretty much the same as now. The browser looked a bit messy, and I didn't have the chance to see what controls I still had as an admin, but I think it is a viable option in the future, but not preferred.

    I've started doing some analysis on the Google earnings, and I think there might be a correlation between user visits and earnings. I'll have a look at it in more detail soon. The fact is, the forum doesn't earn any money via mobile browsing using Tapatalk at the moment, and only via browsing on a web page, so this may be something that I need to look at.

  20. #20
    Senior Member Touring Pro (PGA)
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    Default

    Andy, how much impact does using Tapatalk have on our income from Google ads?

    Is it more beneficial for bulk usage to be via the webpage?

    (I think I’ve asked this question before )

  21. #21
    Site Owner Golf Hall of Fame Inductee
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by BUSHY View Post
    Andy, how much impact does using Tapatalk have on our income from Google ads?

    Is it more beneficial for bulk usage to be via the webpage?

    (I think I’ve asked this question before )
    Essentially zero dollars from Tapatalk use, because they control the ads on the app. All income for the forum now comes from webpage viewing / ad clicking.

  22. #22
    Senior Member Touring Pro (PGA)
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by AndyP View Post
    Essentially zero dollars from Tapatalk use, because they control the ads on the app. All income for the forum now comes from webpage viewing / ad clicking.
    No worries mate, I’ll adjust my usage to suit.

  23. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by AndyP View Post
    Essentially zero dollars from Tapatalk use, because they control the ads on the app. All income for the forum now comes from webpage viewing / ad clicking.
    How much difference does ad clicking make? Happy to start clicking on them if it’s worth our while.
    Cinderella story, out of nowhere, former greenskeeper, now about to become a Masters champion..... It looks like a mirac.. It's in the hole! It's in the hole!


  24. #24
    Site Owner Golf Hall of Fame Inductee
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ron Burgundy View Post
    How much difference does ad clicking make? Happy to start clicking on them if it’s worth our while.
    Click if you are interested. Averaging between 40 to 50 cents per click at the moment.

    Google policy
    Invalid clicks and impressions
    Publishers may not click their own ads or use any means to inflate impressions and/or clicks artificially, including manual methods.

    Clicks on Google ads must result from genuine user interest. Any method that artificially generates clicks or impressions on your Google ads is strictly prohibited. These prohibited methods include, but are not limited to, repeated manual clicks or impressions, automated click and impression generating tools and the use of robots or deceptive software. Please note that clicking your own ads for any reason is prohibited.

    Encouraging clicks or views (non-rewarded inventory)
    Except for rewarded inventory, publishers may not ask others to click or view their ads or use deceptive implementation methods to obtain clicks or views. This includes, but is not limited to, offering compensation to users for viewing ads or performing searches, promising to raise money for third parties for such behavior or placing images next to individual ads.

    To ensure a good experience for users and advertisers, publishers participating in the AdSense program may not:
    • Compensate users for viewing ads or performing searches, or promise compensation to a third party for such behavior.
    • Encourage users to click the Google ads using phrases such as "click the ads", "support us", "visit these links" or other similar language.
    • Direct user attention to the ads using arrows or other graphical gimmicks.
    • Place misleading images alongside individual ads.
    • Place ads in a floating box script.
    • Format ads so that they become indistinguishable from other content on that page.
    • Format site content so that it is difficult to distinguish it from ads.
    • Place misleading labels above Google ad units. For instance, ads may be labelled "Sponsored Links" or "Advertisements", but not "Favorite Sites" or "Today's Top Offers"

  25. #25

    Default

    Seems pricey but I know how these things can be expensive. As well as being a nightmare to switch to a different server. Perhaps worth looking into changing though?


 

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