NaturalNews - Final Mystery Solved
The mystery about why pictures on NaturalNews are so tiny has finally been solved.
Web Development on NaturalNews
From a Web Development point of view, one of the distinctive features of NaturalNews desktop computer display layout design that sets them apart from most other Web sites is their use of a tiny picture that is placed in the top upper most left-hand corner, which are usually exactly 150 wide and 100 pixels tall.
The explanation is very simple. NaturalNews posts are all about generating the maximum amount of ad revenue possible, among a few other things. Yes, despite the massive amounts of positive spin that NaturalNews puts out; these people are only playing their loyal following of visitors.
Most of NaturalNews posts are NOT remotely about natural health. They always seem to be on very inflammatory topics designed to attract the maximum amount of traffic and shares on what these money-minded people view as mere wallpaper to display advertisement on. Unbelievably, solving the mysteries of health for the benefit of visitors to their site is NOT a consideration at all. Whenever one of their articles does manage to cover an important health issue that is correct in its content, it is more of a coincidence, than anything else.
Websites like NaturalNews are selling virtual real estate where it is all about location, location, and location. On a given post, it is ALWAYS about their above the fold (ATF) impressions. Alternatively, the amount of virtual real estate that is theorized to fit on the desktop monitor display that they are targeting. See one possible ATF mock-up of NaturalNews, shown immediately below.
They have given up trying to sell advertisement on their page header, since most people simply ignore ads that are placed at that location.
Their tiny picture size manages to fit tightly to the left of their sentence long, double line, Page Title. Which gives them just enough room to squeeze in the publish date and author byline. Since none of this display real estate is generating any revenue for them, they want to keep it as small as possible. In other words, NaturalNews considers the picture just wasted space. Thus, they are intent upon minimizing its size.
They use a Google Adsense leaderboard ad, as well as an Adsense rectangle on the left side of the post. These Adsense ads generate revenue based upon a per click basis. NaturalNews does NOT bother with placing a third Google ad, since they apparently make more money selling display ad space, directly to their sponsors. Sponsor is code that stands for SPAM advertisers who would like nothing better than to rob everyone blind of their money.
In the Google Adsense ad department, the Natural Health Perspective is starting to follow suit. When in Rome, do as the Romans do, as they say. Our site has to pay bills, just like everybody else does. Generating an income stream from our articles is definitely a consideration. We simply prefer to post quality over quantity, most of the time. In addition, the Natural Health Perspective has its own Wellness program which we are sticking to, when by selling out we could make considerably more money. Furthermore, our primary objective is to publish postive articles that will actually improve the public's health. As long as Google rules the search engine results world, doing business's with them makes a lot of sense.
In their right sidebar, they apparently are selling advertising space directly to individual advertisers. On the very top, there is some type of a video / audio setup whose technology does NOT work at all on my desktop computer setup.
Below that, the first six displays ads are ATF. Thus, these sponsors are paying a premium for these coveted locations. Of course, the joke is on them since on my computer setup, I generally do NOT see their right sidebar at all.
In short, no matter what site on the Web that you are talking about, visitors from a Web Developers point of view see at best the first three or four paragraphs of text, before giving up on it. Due to their Ad placement locations, many visitors will accidentally click on a Google Ad. Further, any type of image or display ad attracts the attention of visitors a lot more than reading boring text, ever will.
It is sad but true, that most visitors will not ever bother to page down on long articles and posts. Why are NaturalNews articles so long, then? Why, the better to sell more virtual real estate to their sponsors, of course.
NaturalNews - Final Mystery Solved Comments:
