As far as programming goes. I'm not an expert, but I think using memos to exchange ads is stupid.
Steemit doesn't have experience with ads, so they should partner with a large firm that knows what their are doing.
You will need trained staff, that can tell the difference between a McDonald's promotion, and some Ebook author running a scam.
The Steem community won't have the professional training to handle the approval of advertising, so we should outsource this responsibility to another company that has professionals.
I'm a stock photographer, so when I submit photos to istockphotos.com, one of their employees takes the time to look at it, to make sure they aren't blurry, overexposed, etc. Some of my photos only make a dollar, yet they have an efficient approval process, so they can still make a profit.
We need to rewrite Steem code, so we can embed ads into posts, and there can be a view counter, and statistics collected for advertisers. I guess you call it a hardfork.
We might need a separate blockchain to handle ads, and be embed in Steem posts, but I want that money going towards boosting the Steem price. The main thing i'm bullish on, is getting large corporations to run ads on here. If we have to partner with an ad company, and share profits, it's better than doing nothing, and seeing growth stall.
Do what you got to do, and try and bring proposals to Steem Inc. If we actually pull this off, and Steem goes to $10, you're going to be a millionaire.
Lets get the whales to fund an ad proposal contest, and create a buzz, so Steem Inc, knows the platform is ready for ads. Lets create an incentive so people write detailed proposals.
Even with a hardfork, counting views and tracking data across all UIs is not possible.
Some of the ideas you suggest are good, but they are very lofty goals. I don't have the resources to make them happen, and I don't know of anyone in the community who does either.
I know you feel overwhelmed, but there are some moves you can make. In my opinion, start organizing some contests, and have the brightest minds to submit proposals for advertising. Then eventually, we can merge our ideas into a plan of action.
Maybe we can have 100 Steem top prize, or 500, if we partner with whales, and explain the value behind the contest. Once we get inspirational proposals, Steem Inc, won't be able to ignore the momentum.
You got to believe in yourself. You're make a huge difference to the platform. As I said at the beginning, you're not going to be able to do everything, but you can be a contest organizer, and get this snowball rolling.
What would be the goal of the contest?
To inspire the brightest people, to come up with formal proposals to include advertising in the Steem economy. If there is a large prize, they will take the time to write good proposals. Someone is going to think of a brilliant idea, and it might make us rich.
Create a movement, to push for advertising on Steem, so Steem Inc, takes notice, and they us seriously. Steem might take the time to read a few of the proposals. and get inspired.
Make sure thousands of Steemers know about the movement, and not just your followers.
The momentum will die, unless we keep pushing on, and take this to the next level.
We need to develop enough critical mass, to get this implemented.
I can get in contact with people at Steemit if needed. Getting their attention is not an issue. They aren’t going to spearhead this though. For it to actually happen, someone needs to do more than propose a good idea. We need people to actually do the work of making it happen. That means contacting the advertising agencies, working out agreements, and writing code to integrate it into websites.
A problem with a contest like that is it is easy to think of ideas, but it is much harder to get them implemented. We need someone who can make things happen, and a 150 STEEM contest isn’t going to come close to incentivizing someone to do that.
Ok, I leave it your hands. I need to take a break because of health issues. Excessive migraines, and this has been a bad week. I love what you're doing, and I want you to keep the momentum up. There is always a path forward. Just look for the hidden opportunities. I believe you can make some difference. Never give up.
Maybe talk to Steempeak instead of Steemit. If you come across naysayers, ignore them, and reach out to the most passionate individuals who want to see progress.