Good article, Doc. Ads are bloody intrusive, they're designed that way. Like throwing rocks at people passing by a store to get their attention. Having Ads at the bottom is pleasant for the reader and gives them a chance to ignore them = low results. If you had banner ads and pop-ups embedded in the content would it have worked better? I don't think so because your site brings readers who are interested in the content. Websites and webpages that are filled with EXCITING AND SALACIOUS content aren't attracting readers but lookers - they'll do much better with Ads. In the last 20 years we've "bred" online readers with very short attention spans. Reading a 5 minute post is like swimming 10 laps - they won't do it. The Ads and content that works with them and delivery systems that run it all are creating a ecosystem designed to get people to react almost involuntarily to ads - it's kind of sad and scary.

I found on Newsbreak when I write articles that I think are cool and on point and show a "crack in the system" I get almost no response. When I write the equivalent of one guy throwing a bucket paint on another because of who they voted for - I get 10K views. It's what people expect. Drama, chaos and ill-temper. Good content creators have to maintain production to offset this glut of enmity. Keep the faith - do what you do - we need it!