Re: Launching a new browser window

From: Wolter Tjeenk Willink <wolter_at_tjeenkwillink.com>
Date: Wed 31 Jan 2001 10:40:51 -0500

Hi there!

In the previous issue of online ads digest Stefanie
Olsen got a reaction from Rob Frankel on her question
about launching a new browser window when a visitors
tries to leave a site.

I hope that launching new browser windows isn't going
to be a trend in online marketing. Of course it's a
pity when visitors try to leave the website you put so
much marketing effort (and budget) in, but is it really
necessary to pull your visitor back in in such an
aggressive manor?

Personally I think it's Ok to use this technique only
once per visitor, but not every time the site is
visited. If your bother the same visitor more than once
with 'that stupid pop-up window', he is more likely to
get annoyed, and that's not what your trying to
establish is it? Therefore, using this technique in
combination with a cookie placement on the visitor'
machine is OK. This way the browser can 'decide'
whether or not to show the pop-up window. If a cookie
is detected this means that this is not the first time
the visitor visits the page, and it will not show the
pop-up window, if no cookie is detected, the pop-up
will appear.

Just think of it this way: if your looking for a new
pair of shoes and you walk into a shoe store but decide
that they don't have what your looking for, would you
like it if the sales man pulled you by the arm begging
you not to leave? I don't think so.

My advise: if you have to use a pop-up, use it to thank
your target audience for visiting your site, and remind
them to bookmark it. Don't try to pull them in again.

Hope this will spice up the discussion about this
topic. I'd like to change thoughts with others on this
one...

Best wishes,

Wolter Tjeenk Willink
Tjeenk Willink Consultancy, Almere, The Netherlands
http://www.tjeenkwillink.com





Received on Wed Jan 31 2001 - 09:40:51 CST