Just building something that uses email as a primary channel of communication with users and have been pondering whether showing ads in the body of the email (text link or simple HTML ad, no Flash offensiveness etc) is worth trying out [edit: for the free tier].<p>Has anyone had experience of this, either as a publisher, advertiser or end user? Any advertising platforms worth looking at? A quick look at AdSense ToS suggests that that isn't gonna fly.
I don't think any end users will want them, and I don't think they're going to convert very well. But I don't think it would feel obtrusive if properly separated (eg. as an email footer or header).<p>This should be easy to test: create a new landing page, add a link to your emails ("10% off our pro package this month only!"), and track clickthroughs/referrals. If it does well, great. If not, you only spent a couple of hours on it.
It'd be acceptable to me if:<p>i) There was a clear expectation when I signed up
ii) You handle the ads; you're not giving my email address to anyone else
iii) There's a clear way to get ads turned off (paid upgrade is fine)
iv) Ads don't interfere or obscure with unsub links.<p>Be aware that I HTML email sucks and is evil. And email with images in is also pretty suck and evil. I'm aware that I lost that argument years ago, and so I can receive html email, and I can chose to view images.
If the ads were for the paid version of your application, as the end user I wouldn't be bothered in the least bit. In fact as a developer and business owner I would actually expect them there.<p>Ads for non-related products would only seem to me to be detracting from your future business for a small payout now. My guess is it is a poor long term plan.
I certainly wouldn't like ads in my emails and think you're only after the money. There are enough advertisements on the web, in my spam folder, in the letterbox, and lately one even arrived as a text on my phone. The more ads we print, the less they become worth. You might want to consider a real business model.