Google-powered survey about sports on a Sporcle quiz page

[ZYX]

I received an email telling me I'd got a new challenge. I clicked on the link to the quiz but when that tab opened what I saw was a Google-powered survey asking about my interest in sports. The text said (I think) that I had to answer the questions before I could see the webpage. I have no problem with this and it was a very short, simple survey which held me up for about 10 seconds, but can I just check that it was a Sporcle survey and not some random intrusion by Google? Thanks!

[Matt Ramme (Matt)]

Hey ZYX, 

Yes, this is something we're experimenting with as an alternate way of having users support the site.  We think it's a pretty quick and painless, and glad you agree.  As a note, this currently is only showing up for users who have chosen to use a 3rd party plugin to prevent normal ads from showing up on Sporcle.com.  The use of these 3rd party blocking tools is definitely making it harder for Sporcle.com to stay free to use.

Cheers, 

Matt 

[ZYX]

Fair enough! Thanks for clearing that up.

[serial_thrilla]

Thankyou for the update, Matt. I've been getting these Google survey ads popping up recently too, and I'll happily support Sporcle if this is the case and they aren't some third party forcing their way into Sporcle.

I only resorted to using AdBlocker because the ads that were appearing on Sporcle pages were becoming too intrusive, with forced-play videos sucking bandwidth and pop-ups appearing in the middle of gameplay.

Filling out a quick survey before the occasional quiz seems like a fair way to support the website.

[myitbos]

This survey continues to pop-up even after I select "skip survey". I must have checked the skip option a half dozen times and it still reappears before the next quiz.  Is this now going to be the norm. Must I participate in the survey?

[Marie]

Hi, myitbos - You do need to answer the survey question for it to go away. That's the difference between the survey and ads - we get revenue from the survey when people participate, not simply when people see it.

After answering the 1-2 questions in the survey, you will not see it for at least 24 hours. Hope this clears things up.

Marie 

[myitbos]

Are you kidding me?! Now I can't even skip the damn survey! I have to sign in or something? This may be good bye Sporcle.

[Marie Kiekhaefer]

The wording is a bit confusing -- if you click 'sign in' option, then click the big red button, you will be taken to our blog post explaining why we have the surveys. Then the survey will disappear as it did before. 

Or you could disable ad-block. 

Marie

On Saturday, September 12, 2015, myitbos <mi...@escamillas.net> wrote:

Are you kidding me?! Now I can't even skip the damn survey! I have to sign in or something? This may be good bye Sporcle.

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[babymonkee]

For me , having to put up with a few banner ads or the odd survey to keep Sporcle free to use is a small price. To be honest I wouldn't begrudge having to pay a modest sum to join or subscribe but I think that would have a devastating effect on the number of users. So for me Sporcle needs to do, what It needs to to keep itself afloat. 

[Margaret Glover]

I agree, and I speak as someone with an adblocker in place. I bought a Sporcle T-shirt (lovely, by the way!) in the hope that it makes up a bit. The surveys are really no bother at all - take about 5 seconds to do. It's a shame a subscription would devastate user numbers, as I would be more than happy to pay. 

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[RobPro]

'Are you kidding me?! Now I can't even skip the damn survey! I have to sign in or something? This may be good bye Sporcle.'

Then why don't you go now? The survey takes literally less than 20 seconds and it helps Sporcle.... If you want no ads, then its a pretty good compromise.

[Zachary Huffman]

As much as I believe Sporcle should have the right to make money, a lot of people won't see it is way. I would never leave Sporcle because of a survey, but some will. If they are going to do stuff like this, people will leave. They have every right to do this. So if Sporcle wants people to take this survey, they will have to face the consequences.