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Google Will Soon Start Punishing Mobile Sites that Use Annoying App Install Ads

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Re: Google Will Soon Start Punishing Mobile Sites that Use Annoying App Install Ads

#141

Post by tacticus »

s3r3nity wrote: post #30
ianphughes wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am not sure I agree with your first point. It seems the most frequent case is that a user wants to access content right away. Regardless of how much "better" the native experience might be, its a lot of hoops to jump through to fulfill the immediate need. I certainly can't argue that it does yield positive business results under certain scenarios, but for the average user it seems to injure common web experiences.

Sure -- that makes sense. I find that it depends upon the category or space that the company is in. For eCommerce, this type of interstitial is a no-brainer: users have an easier time feeling more secure purchasing through an app vs. Safari or some other mobile browser. (Especially if it's Apple Pay enabled!) For content heavy sites, it might be that the opposite is true: faster access to content can be used to hook…

> feeling more secure purchasing through an app

Considering the security of most of the "apps" out there this is really depressing.

Re: Google Will Soon Start Punishing Mobile Sites that Use Annoying App Install Ads

#142

Post by dizzyviolet »

cm2187 wrote: post #134
thrownaway2424 wrote: post #69

What ad network is it that serves up ads that actually open up the iOS App Store, without having tapped on anything? That's super annoying.

My personal solution is to install the app, give it a very bad rating with the reason why I am pissed off as a comment and delete the app.

Ohhh. I like that idea. I'm going to start doing that.

Re: Google Will Soon Start Punishing Mobile Sites that Use Annoying App Install Ads

#144

Post by prawn »

zorpner wrote: post #90
toomuchtodo wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Do as I say, not as I do."

Relevant: https://twitter.com/danbarker/status/439125570115223552

Also somewhat relevant: https://twitter.com/lutherlowe/status/638843261860343808

Re: Google Will Soon Start Punishing Mobile Sites that Use Annoying App Install Ads

#145

Post by prawn »

serge2k wrote: post #56

You know, at some point (and we are around that point) Google does cross a line where they are abusing their near monopoly on search. This is a pro consumer move, but it's another instance of Google saying do things our way or we punish you.

And where does it end? With them dictating design? Demote sites they think are ugly? Or that don't validate?

Why only this type of interstitial and not those pushing newsletters or paywalls or surveys? "I know you've only just arrived and read all of one sentence but CHECK OUT OUR NEWSLETTER!"

Re: Google Will Soon Start Punishing Mobile Sites that Use Annoying App Install Ads

#146

Post by bbcbasic »

profinger wrote: post #111
bbcbasic wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They are probably already subscribed (to test it works). Better to enter a duff@emailaddress.com which will mess up their stats.

I always enter something along the lines of @ . . My hope is that they'll waste money on trying to email it and then get a bounceback that the email failed to be delivered.

It wont cost them money if they have a double opt-in. But you will punish those without the double opt-in by pushing them up to the next tier in the payment plan sooner. The amount of money they waste one one dodgy email address is minuscule though. What is more funny is that they will see @. when scrolling through their list, and you could even send them a 'message' this way. E.g. WhyTheHellYouMakeMeSignUpForThisRubbish@fakeemail.com.

Re: Google Will Soon Start Punishing Mobile Sites that Use Annoying App Install Ads

#147

Post by buckbova »

alkonaut wrote: post #114
saidajigumi wrote: post #41

Ugh, maybe this will finally push forums to burn those infernal Tapatalk interstitials. Forum owners: I'm looking for one piece of information from a web search, not a whole dumb app that will completely ignore my search goals.

Tapatalk splash is a sure sign of a phpBB forum, meaning I won't find what I'm looking for anyway. Close tab. I can't believe those forums don't just migrate to Discourse.

I still search old car repair threads all too frequently. I'm okay with the phpBB.

Re: Google Will Soon Start Punishing Mobile Sites that Use Annoying App Install Ads

#148

Post by huskyr »

jacquesm wrote: post #37

Does that mean they'll block youtube? Try playing a video on a phone that does not have the youtube app installed, it's just about impossible to get it right, it's a roulette that's rigged with more than half the links going to the youtube app page on google play. Highly annoying since there is no reason why the youtube page of some video should even have that app installation link at all.

Same thing for Google Calendar. You'll have to hunt for the tiny 'I'm one of those people that is perfectly happy with the website, please skip this crap' link somewhere in a tiny font in a hidden corner of the interstitial.

Re: Google Will Soon Start Punishing Mobile Sites that Use Annoying App Install Ads

#149

Post by skeletonjelly »

lucidstack wrote: post #139
thrownaway2424 wrote: post #69

What ad network is it that serves up ads that actually open up the iOS App Store, without having tapped on anything? That's super annoying.

Ultimate Guitar, I'm looking at you. The worst.

Their push to install the app is horrendous. It just keeps getting worse too!

Re: Google Will Soon Start Punishing Mobile Sites that Use Annoying App Install Ads

#150

Post by roasm »

neoCrimeLabs wrote: post #71

This is a little curmudgeonly, but this is how I feel... If your developers are not capable of making your website mobible friendly in 2015, any app they develop is likely worse. This is especially true when your app demands access to everything on my phone even though it doesn't need any of it to function.

You're suggesting that you can make something as usable on a mobile browser as you can with a native app. That's just not true; if it were, there wouldn't be any native apps.

For many use cases (games, highly interactive experiences, camera or microphone using app, etc.), a native app may just be better, and guiding users there might be a better experience and a better conversion funnel.

Yes, you can make a website mobile friendly, but that doesn't mean it will be as good as the native app.

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