It may seem obvious that annoying your website’s visitors is a bad idea; nonetheless, countless websites engage in annoying marketing campaigns that appear incredibly short-sighted. Here are some thoughts from an experienced ad broker about why its important to stay in the mindset of a surfer when you design and build websites for a living.
As a surfer, you know you hate popups. You hate interstatials, and know that girl from your city doesn’t really want to talk to you. So if this is all true, then why would anyone ever annoy their surfers like this?
What is really more important? Making more money from your website, or keeping your visitors happy?
Its easy to get caught up in short term gains, and a quick buck. Every day I see websites so cluttered with ads from every ad network imaginable that its actually difficult to find the content. Its also difficult to find a reason to come back. Then there are the websites that have multiple popups, an interstatial, and then a fake “Instant Messenger” ad that pops up from the bottom. You’d think that the average surfer was under attack by the people running these websites… and in a way, they are.
Those with the experience and long-term vision know that these tactics are more hurtful than helpful. The reality of the situation is that in the long run, websites that use excessive advertising slowly drive away their visitors. The great thing about the internet is, for every page about a topic, there are a million more on the same topic. They can (and do) go elsewhere. Conversely, when people find a website they love, they come back again and again.
In a recent study, web surfers indicated that they find “interstatial ads” 3-times more annoying than banner ads. If you are not sure what Interstatials are, these are the full page ads that take over your screen and require you click the ad, or click a “skip ad” button. Both advertisers and webmasters are quick to point out that they are lucrative. If used on a limited basis, these are a great way to monetize individual pages or data that is being provided for free. Too often, however you will see webmasters add these to their index pages which open immediately. Surfers are immediately splashed in the face with an option to go somewhere else, before they have even had a chance to view the current site’s contents.
How to avoid losing touch with your users:
- Its easy to lose your “surfers eyes” and forget what its like to surf the web as a regular joe. Take a moment and review your website, think about it, ask other people to surf your websites and ask for their feedback.
- Don’t expect your visitors to do anything you wouldn’t do.
- Don’t annoy your surfers. There is a fine line between monetization and making your visitors upset.
- Never trick or mislead your visitors. Creative marketing is one thing, but knowingly lying to your surfers or tricking them is quite another.
Its a myth that more ads equals more money, as the more ads that are added to a website, the less each of those placements earns. Ultimately I can’t tell you how to run your website, but you should always consider the surfer as a person, not as a revenue stream that needs to be pushed until it breaks.
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One Response
Great article Jay. With so much short term gain mentality going on out there, not only is annoying the surfer detrimental to ones own sites, but it is a potential turn off to get money from that surfer again… anywhere.