Irish Rail web site and google adds

Fredo

Good evening,
I'd like to know what people think of the google adds on the Iarnród Éireann
website http://www.irishrail.ie. I think there should not be any adds on semi states bodies websites? What do ye think?

PCPhoto

meh .... suppose like most businesses they looked at sources of revenue to keep money coming in and this might have been an easy option (ie. easy to set up and let the money come in)

covert

Fredo wrote: »

Good evening,
I'd like to know what people think of the google adds on the Iarnród Éireann
website http://www.irishrail.ie. I think there should not be any adds on semi states bodies websites? What do ye think?

How is it any different from them having ads on the DART? Why should private companies only profit from having busy websites?

Judgement Day

Presumably the Ads are being paid for so I don't see the problem. In theory them more revenue CIE brings in the less it costs the taxpayer. I have been chasing IE to include advertising - even for their own products - in the rail timetable for some years now. The 2008 effort did include more than usual.

Bluetonic

Fredo wrote: »

Good evening,
I'd like to know what people think of the google adds on the Iarnród Éireann
website http://www.irishrail.ie. I think there should not be any adds on semi states bodies websites? What do ye think?

No different than ads on their trains in my opinion.

Anything that generates revenue and isn't offensive is good.

richardjjd

Fair play to whoever in IR is responsible for it... good to see that there's some proactive fundraising going on!

dowlingm

My main visual objection would be to the ads on top - the corporate logo should be top of the page.

Here in Canada, VIA Rail (long haul/interregional) has a frequent traveller programme which has a portal where you earn points by spending at Apple, Dell etc. as well as a Package page on the main site promoting all-inclusive trips.

The main issue with Google ads is that there's nothing stopping Aircoach links or Aer Arann or Ryanair popping up there - IE's competitors.

Judgement Day

richardjjd wrote: »

Fair play to whoever in IR is responsible for it... good to see that there's some proactive fundraising going on!

Yep, whoever it is will go far.....probably find themselves driving a schoolbus in Castletownbere before long as CIE has a long established system for utilising talent in the best way possible.

L1011

dowlingm wrote: »

The main issue with Google ads is that there's nothing stopping Aircoach links or Aer Arann or Ryanair popping up there - IE's competitors.

You can block specific advertisers/adverts through Google Ads.