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Google Has Started Penalizing Mobile Websites with Intrusive Pop-Up Ads

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Re: Google Has Started Penalizing Mobile Websites with Intrusive Pop-Up Ads

#261
post #47

What's really stupid are sites from which you can buy things, but then pop up an ad for something else. Fandango, which sells movie tickets, does this. As you're trying to get to the "buy ticket" page, they shove movie trailers for other movies in your face. I mentioned a site earlier today which sold plumbing supplies.[1] They pop up a "gimme your email" box which 1) cannot be dismissed , and 2) isn't even theirs, i…

> These outfits have lost sight of what their web site is for.

Their web site is for them to make money and considering that these practices exist, I have a feeling that they make more money by ad-sales than by actual sales of their actual product.

Long-term this is obviously a bad strategy, but who knows whether they even are interested in a long-term strategy.

Re: Google Has Started Penalizing Mobile Websites with Intrusive Pop-Up Ads

#262

Earlier quoted context omitted.

" I don't care if it hurts somebody's conversion rate. All I care about is the quality of my browsing experience" In the short run, it won't matter, but in the long run, it may likely affect your browsing experience on the whole. Google doesn't do anything well but search. So you are trading a slightly better search experience - which may cost you the death of several brands that provide much more than search outcome…

> Google doesn't do anything well but search. I beg to differ too. It's increasingly difficult to use google search effectively - it has no concept of content vs sidebar/nav, so searches (particularly technical) often turn up a plethora of unrelated* top ten list blog posts. They're still the best in the game - but that doesn't mean they're still doing it well. Just better than the competition. * "term A" is in the b…

I really wish Google offered some way to indicate that you wanted a strong spatial correlation between two or more words that wasn't just the "I need this phrase verbatim" of quotes and allowed them to still do the smart stuff with synonyms/different forms of the words.

Re: Google Has Started Penalizing Mobile Websites with Intrusive Pop-Up Ads

#263

Most users hate these pop-ups and cheer this move from Google. But let me add a little context to why these ads are so prevalent and why some companies view this move as Google abusing their power. If you visit to any "guide" website like TripAdviser, Yelp, etc, these days on a mobile browser, you'll notice that the sites often barely let you do anything without downloading the native app. They all but refuse to let…

> But like anything complicated, this isn't a simple black and white move to benefit users.

It is to me. Any page that greets me with large pop-ups and "Download our app" messages can sink into obscurity, for all I care. I'm not going to download just any app and trying to force me by making your site deliberately shitty will only make me angry at you. I realy hope this move from google includes sides that slide in a ("get our app!")-banner after a few seconds, just right so I accidantely click the banner instead of the link I wanted to click.

Re: Google Has Started Penalizing Mobile Websites with Intrusive Pop-Up Ads

#264

For me, the most annoying thing while browsing on mobile is the vibration ads/fake alarms. It's horrible. I haven't even seen a single good use of this vibration API, as it is only ever used for things like "Your phone haz virus click here now". Why isn't there an option to disable it in Chrome is beyond me.

Is that an Android thing? I have never experienced this on iOS. I didn't even know browsers could trigger vibration on mobile.

Re: Google Has Started Penalizing Mobile Websites with Intrusive Pop-Up Ads

#265

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wow didn't know this. Is this also why many e-commerce sites beg for your email every time you visit?

Marketing teams are usually data driven rather than user experience driven. How does one counter the argument that "anecdotal evidence suggests people who sign up with us are 2x more likely to convert, so let's force more sign ups to increase revenue".

Do these people ever consider that they might have their causation backwards?

Re: Google Has Started Penalizing Mobile Websites with Intrusive Pop-Up Ads

#266
post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why do cookie warnings have to be a popup? Not to mention that the vast majority of times these warnings come up cookies are in no way required for the site.

They don't. The websites can insert a small hyperlink anywhere on the home page linking to the cookie policy and that counts as notifying the user.

Notification with a possible opt-out is not always sufficient, some countries require consent / opt-in.

Re: Google Has Started Penalizing Mobile Websites with Intrusive Pop-Up Ads

#267
post #8

What's about intrusive cookie warnings? (They are apparently mandatory in the European Union and Google made them part of the Adwords rules some time ago.)

They are explicitly permitted. From Google's own statement on this ( https://webmasters.googleblog.com/2016/08/helping-users-easi... ): "By contrast, here are some examples of techniques that, used responsibly, would not be affected by the new signal: Interstitials that appear to be in response to a legal obligation, such as for cookie usage or for age verification."

Thanks!

Re: Google Has Started Penalizing Mobile Websites with Intrusive Pop-Up Ads

#268

How about Google let me install extensions on Chrome in Android?

I don't think that's possible, I'm not a programmer so I can't be sure but I read somewhere that the way Chrome is built it can't be done.

interesting...I'd like to know more about the technical reasons why not. I should note that Firefox on Android is able to run desktop plugins.

Re: Google Has Started Penalizing Mobile Websites with Intrusive Pop-Up Ads

#269

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think that's possible, I'm not a programmer so I can't be sure but I read somewhere that the way Chrome is built it can't be done.

interesting...I'd like to know more about the technical reasons why not. I should note that Firefox on Android is able to run desktop plugins.

I found this article from 2015: “There are no plans to add extensions support on mobile. We haven’t been able to implement these on mobile and still have it be a good user experience.” http://www.omgchrome.com/chrome-android-extensions-not-plann...

Chrome FAQ currently says: "Chrome apps and extensions are currently not supported on Chrome for Android. We have no plans to announce at this time." https://developer.chrome.com/multidevice/faq

Re: Google Has Started Penalizing Mobile Websites with Intrusive Pop-Up Ads

#270

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think that's possible, I'm not a programmer so I can't be sure but I read somewhere that the way Chrome is built it can't be done.

interesting...I'd like to know more about the technical reasons why not. I should note that Firefox on Android is able to run desktop plugins.

Clarificaiton: Add-ons that work with desktop Firefox do not automatically work in Firefox for Android, but according to https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/Add-ons/Firefox_for_Andr... there are only a few things a plugin dev needs to be aware of.
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