Google Ads
Has anyone noticed that the Google ads are gone? If found them increasingly intrusive and irritating. I've also reduced the number ads running throughout the rest of the site. My Google ad revenue is down substantially, but it is worth it, at least for now.
Basically, I let Google put ads anywhere they wanted and they really took advantage of the site. They would have full screen ads pop up as you went from one page to the next, The would out two or three ads (often the same ones) right in the middle text you are trying to read.
If I put ads on my site, the way Google inserted them, Google would bury their search results, for providing a bad experience to visitors.
Amazon Links
For several years now I have been anti-Amazon going as far as dropping virtually all links to Amazon's site. However, I have decided to link to Amazon's Kindle store to sell ebooks. I used an alternative vendor to sell eBooks, but the problem is no one buys ebooks from the vendor's site. Amazon has created an effective monopoly on eBooks. So rather than not sell eBooks I have decided to just link to where people will go anyway.
I actually don't like this, but it is a pragmatic decision that I hope I do not end up regretting. I really have no choice today if I want to profit off the sale of eBooks.
As always, I'm open to comments.