Re: Launching a new browser window

From: Kim Brooks <kbrooks_at_bardo-brooks.com>
Date: Tue 06 Feb 2001 15:30:06 -0600

STEFANIE OLSEN <stefanieo_at_yahoo.com> WROTE:
> Is anyone noticing that a lot of sites are starting to
> trigger a new browser window when you leave the site? I
> noticed this on the Jobsonline.com site and it seemed
> like the technique porn sites use to keep you at the
> site? Can anyone talk about this technique?

TO WHICH ROB FRANKEL <rob_at_robfrankel.com> REPLIED:
> Didn't realize it was a trend but I always have advised
> clients to do this as defense against losing visitors.
> After all, if you work that hard to get people to your
> site, why would you give them an easy escape? A new
> browser window allows them to come back if what they
> clicked disappointed them.

Oh my. I so strongly disagree. Aside from the
irritation presented to your customers, let's try to
reason this through...

Banners failed because of the core problem on the
internet: noise. There are too many choices in the
way of news sources, search engines, retailers... So
consumers tend to pick the sources that they trust the
most, and the rest become just noise to ignore. That
is, they end up picking the most familiar brands and
ignore new possibilities. So web banners rarely draw
people to click. They are just too noisy.

Rich media and interstitials and exit-pops may improve
click-through rates nominally and temporarily by
a)forcing people to pay attention; b) sparking some
curiousity or novelty. But both the distraction effect
and curiousity effect are short-term solutions because
they don't address consumers' basic cynicism and
fatigue. None of these "trends" will address the core
problem that killed banner ads.

Of all the danged distraction tactics there are, exit
pops are just about the worst. Jakob Nielsen once
described user reaction to interstitals: a rapid,
often violent click to close the window as rapidly as
possible, preferably before it loads. I can personally
testify that I click my mouse as HARD and QUICKLY as
possible when faced with Interstitials or exit pops.
When I encounter an exit pop in particular -- I
generally resolve to never visit the site again because
I resent someone trying to control my destinations, I
don't have the time to deal with several extra actions
to kill off the trap, and I associate being tricked
with unethical marketing (e.g., porn sites).

Exit pops are the ethical equivalent of a telemarketer
calling you back several times after being told no &
hung up on. They are the equivalent of a salesperson
standing on your doorstop and knocking repeatedly after
having the door slammed in their face. They are the
equivalent of a store attendant chasing you out to the
parking lot after you've left the store. Just because
the web is a different medium doesn't make exit pops
any more ethical, attractive or effective than any of
the above harrassment techniques. Don't care? Just
want to increase your danged CTR? Then fine, go ahead
and destroy customer trust and your brand at the cost
of a few extra clicks.

Kim Brooks





Received on Tue Feb 06 2001 - 15:30:06 CST