A solution for integrating ads in (Qt) applications

Question

Hello!

I'm working on a software that I would like to offer for free in charge with advertisement banners inside the application. Something like the banners in Spotify or the banner in the MS Live Messenger Contact List. Something like the iAd system that integrates in iOS-applications.

Are there any solution for this? I'm programming a multi platform C++ Qt-application. Of course I can have a web browser frame and use a web-based advertising system, but that would be very easy to block for the user. Therefore I would prefer a system that also would work offline in some way.

Answer 1

Doesn't QT have something like a KHTML webbrowser control ?

Then you could simply embedd a web-page with a google add in a HTML page.

Answer 2

As you all have pointed on; it's very difficult to imagine a system that will run even without a network connection. As I mentioned in the question, the best solution would be to have a WebView and depend on the network. And I think so too, but I was interested IF there was something geneous solution out there that I couldn't find.

In addition I think I can display a banner for the company or something like that when there are no connection. My application does not need Internet connection for any other functions, so it would be very easy to click "no" when the windows firewall asks for permissions for the program.

But I still want the advertisement to be annoying enough to give the paying users a good advantage. (I personally hates other programs doing so, and the alternative for me is to release the software Open Source, but I think I have a good idea, and if I ever finish and release something, I would like to see if it is possible to get any money out of it.)

Answer 3

I suggest offline banners as well. Just you should organize a smart mechanizm in order to have your banners in a safe place, because user can just find the banner folder, and delete all banners and put there just a blank image with a fixed color and your ads are done :).

Also you should update the banner folder content whenewer the user has an internet connection and you should do that in background! This is the main idea.

If there are improvements of this idea, I would like to discuss with great pleasure as this question interrests me too!