I would be fine with ads, but I'd rather have the option todo a paid membership. For example, if you use Steemit for free, you'll see ads. But if you're on the subscription plan you can have three choices:
Monthly subscription for $10 a month
Yearly subscription for $60 a year
Lifetime subscription, a one-time payment of $150
Paid subscribers will be able to use Steemit ad-free and become a verified user (like a golden star next to their name or something) since they're contributing monetarily. I would buy the lifetime subscription in a heartbeat.