intrusive interstitials

Ask just about any mobile user, and the answer will probably be the same. We could all do without those intrusive pop-ups that block content and ask us to click one of two choices that go a lot like, “Yes, I want to know more about…”, or “No, I don’t like free stuff.” And more recently developed in the marketing sphere, what about the pop-ups out there now that downright insult our intelligence, revenue and status? This screenshot of ad opt-out choices was pulled from a leading content marketer’s site: Sucky, that last choice! Back to the main point of pop-up ads as a whole. Overall, the truth is, no one likes to be interrupted. Most of us are taught from very early on to say “excuse me”, or at least wait our turn before speaking. So, why is it okay for us to be interrupted when we visit a mobile site? Turns out, it is NOT okay anymore. In mid-January, Google launched the intrusive interstitial-killing algorithm update, and it is going to have an impact on content marketing efforts and our attempts to reach our audience with relevant content. Read on for all the details. Intrusive Interstitials 101 Intrusive interstitials are a fancy way to describe pop-up ads, those page-covering, content-blocking images on mobile and desktop sites. These ads can be almost as annoying as a line-cutter on Black Friday (no one likes them). Intrusive interstitials block the intended destination, forcing Google searchers to go through a process before proceeding. Interstitials can cover an entire page, making it especially frustrating for mobile users. The poor experience can make content less accessible to a site visitors by: Covering a page with a popup Displaying an interstitial that must be dismissed before proceeding Delaying the show of content a user was originally trying to access Thanks to Google’s new algorithm, webpages where content is not easily accessible may now not rank as high. Google is currently only looking at those popup ads that appear when a user initially arrives at a mobile website; as announced during a Google+ hangout, the goal is to look for interstitials that show up between the time when a user searches and sees the intended content. The Good, the Bad, the Popups: What Won’t Be Penalized vs. What Will So, what does this mean for content creators? To put it simply, if it’s annoying, bothersome, or frustrating, it risks being de-ranked. This change may not impact those popups that are for more helpful purposes, like in the case of a live chat box. Here are examples-in-action to demonstrate the good vs. bad. The Good, Non-Penalized Pop-Ups: Defining & Example Obviously, having a user-friendly mobile site right from the beginning is the first step in appealing to the growing population of mobile-only web visitors (our EW team learned about this way back in November when they traveled to New York for the SEJ Summit). These types of pop-ups are permissible and will NOT be penalized: Banners that are easily dismissible and use up a reasonable amount of screen space. While what is “reasonable” may be open to interpretation, Search Engine Journal recommends keeping it at 15% or less. Interstitials that are used for legal reasons, like age verification. In cases where an interstitial is in place for ethical or legal reasons, no penalty will be dealt. Login dialogs on sites not publicly indexable, like in the case of email and other private sites. Here’s an example of a GOOD, effective ad we’re doing for our Content Shop. It’s a tiny banner at the top, meets the 15% or less rule (“Start your New Year with great content! On any of our services, check out with an instant 5% savings with code five 2017″), doesn’t block significant content on mobile (we tested, it works), and offers a code that customers can simply checkout with–no additional clicking, email signup, etc. needed. It works, too: 100% of the inbound leads that don’t need a sales call have been using it. The Bad Pop-up Examples We did turn off our live chat popups that blocked content on the lower-right hand corner of our site (no example to show: it’s gone). Irrelevant and uninteresting content that is preceded by intrusive pop-ups is a recipe for low conversion rates, not to mention those Google ghosts lurking around the corner. Never do the following types of ads with an opt-out phrase that insults intelligence or status. Just don’t. We love you Neil, but really? How do you know we don’t like our traffic stats as they sit? Are you some omnipotent presence instead of a mere marketer? Dear lord how insulting. No, I’d prefer my prospects convert today, thank you very much, and luckily for me, not you, they are. 😛 And last but my top favorite…a pop-up from MarketingProfs suggesting we read an article called “Your Pop-Up Ads are Annoying Your Prospects.” It’s so ironic, it’s funny. 😀 😀 3 Types of Intrusive Interstitials that Will Be Penalized Three interstitial types are currently at risk for being penalized by Google. Knowledge is power: 1. Regular Popups These windows block the content of a page and often dim everything else on the screen. They often look like this: 2. Full-screen interstitials Full-screen ads often stand alone and sit above the header of the website, forcing the user to scroll before viewing the intended content. 3. Standalone interstitials These full screens block all content with no opportunity for content preview. Remember, anything that covers over 15% of the page content, as an ad, is at risk of being penalized. While Google continues to focus on the user, the company also recognizes that corrections need to be made every so often in order to improve how sites perform. This includes smacking down on mobile pop-up ads and other algorithmic changes geared toward providing an optimal web experience. Are Pop-Up Ads Worth It? Pop-ups work, but only if you do them right. Companies continue to include them on sites because they have the potential to provide a certain level of effectiveness. Unless, of course, they shove their way in like … Read more