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F*** those popups – signing up those who deserve it

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Re: F*** those popups – signing up those who deserve it

#51

Post by JoeAltmaier »

gk1 wrote: post #36

In case you're wondering why anyone would use these _obviously_ annoying popups, here's why: If done right, they actually work. Here's a real example: In March I added a delayed popup to my blog to invite people to subscribe for future updates about user acquisition. It was on a delayed timer so that the reader has a chance to at least get part-way through the post. Also, if you closed it out once then you wouldn't s…

There's no way I finish reading anything that pops up halfway through. That's just more callous manipulation of my browser. I leave instantly. If the back button doesn't work, I kill it.

How many of those 11,848 people didn't finish your article? Do you care?

Re: F*** those popups – signing up those who deserve it

#52

Post by sukilot »

pjc50 wrote: post #24
thom_nic wrote: post #7

I've definitely noticed a trend in technical blogs/ newsletters (some of which have been featured on HN) throw up a "like this article? Sign up for our newsletter" popup after you start to scroll down the page. "I don't fucking know if I like this article, you're interrupting me while I'm still in the middle of reading it!"

The tragic thing is that getting that email address to spam you is the primary purpose of the page, and the actual content is just a sort of bait.

Which is why the popup is actually a timesaver to tell you the content isn't worth reading.

Re: F*** those popups – signing up those who deserve it

#53

Post by probably_wrong »

wesbos wrote: post #30

As much as I hate this tactic - and I dont use it - it's really attractive because it works _so_ well for collecting emails / signups / likes / whatever. You might piss off one person, but 10 more sign up. You decide if it's worth it or not.

> You might piss off one person, but 10 more sign up. You decide if it's worth it or not.

The current top post says he has a 1.96% success rate.

So it's more like "piss off 98 people, sign up 2". I'm not convinced that's worth it.

Re: F*** those popups – signing up those who deserve it

#54

Post by sukilot »

gk1 wrote: post #36

In case you're wondering why anyone would use these _obviously_ annoying popups, here's why: If done right, they actually work. Here's a real example: In March I added a delayed popup to my blog to invite people to subscribe for future updates about user acquisition. It was on a delayed timer so that the reader has a chance to at least get part-way through the post. Also, if you closed it out once then you wouldn't s…

How many of those 232 have generated revenue?

Re: F*** those popups – signing up those who deserve it

#55

Post by JoeAltmaier »

sukilot wrote: post #52
pjc50 wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The tragic thing is that getting that email address to spam you is the primary purpose of the page, and the actual content is just a sort of bait.

Which is why the popup is actually a timesaver to tell you the content isn't worth reading.

Sadly, sometimes it IS worth reading.

Re: F*** those popups – signing up those who deserve it

#56

Post by alyx »

gk1 wrote: post #36

In case you're wondering why anyone would use these _obviously_ annoying popups, here's why: If done right, they actually work. Here's a real example: In March I added a delayed popup to my blog to invite people to subscribe for future updates about user acquisition. It was on a delayed timer so that the reader has a chance to at least get part-way through the post. Also, if you closed it out once then you wouldn't s…

"I realize the price to pay for this is mildly annoying the other 98%."

To me this does not make sense, and is exactly the reason I avoid annoying users in my applications (advertising or otherwise). Because you definitely have numbers to back up the effectiveness of the popup (although I would argue it is not effective). What you don't have is of the 98% you annoyed, how many will not return because of the annoyance (by choice anyway).

Or to put in another way,

Would you implement a feature in your software that only benefitted 2% and annoyed the 98%?

Seems like this kind of approach hints at a deeper issue here and that's effective targeting.

Re: F*** those popups – signing up those who deserve it

#57

Post by notdanariely »

remarkEon wrote: post #47
gk1 wrote: post #36

In case you're wondering why anyone would use these _obviously_ annoying popups, here's why: If done right, they actually work. Here's a real example: In March I added a delayed popup to my blog to invite people to subscribe for future updates about user acquisition. It was on a delayed timer so that the reader has a chance to at least get part-way through the post. Also, if you closed it out once then you wouldn't s…

Honestly, most of the time when I'm reading something and I get a half-way popup like that, or a popup after I click the 2nd page of a multi-page article, I just leave. I find it almost disrespectful to the user.

I don't say this to criticize anything you said, but to offer the perspective of a company.

If they produce content for the sake of conversions, does it really matter to them if you hit back as soon as you see the popup? You've self-selected to indicate you aren't interested in doing business with them based on their popup practices.

From their perspective, this could be a bonus. Not that server resources are that scarce, but sales resources can be. Now they don't have to have someone call you, don't have you in their denominator lowering their conversion-to-sales rate, etc.

Perhaps it's just a way for both reader and publisher to see if they're a match.

Re: F*** those popups – signing up those who deserve it

#58

Post by rokhayakebe »

rokhayakebe wrote: post #18
astazangasta wrote: post #8

I've never understood this design. Someone came to your website to do something. Why is the first thing you do is give them a bad experience?

Because it works. I had a small deals aggregator site which got most of its traffic from Google. When users landed I knew they were interested in the content, and I showed it through a semi-transparent background and forced them to enter their emails before being able to click through. I remember conversions going from 10-20 new emails per day to over 100 emails per day.

@ak39, @waqf, @pjc50

I never got around to emailing the leads, but I know the lock screen did not stop people. Assuming 50% were invalid, that is still an additional 50+ new leads daily.

I think we (people similar to the HN crowd) care about things many people don't care about. Things such as Design, UX, etc...

Re: F*** those popups – signing up those who deserve it

#59

Post by JoeAltmaier »

Alupis wrote: post #49
rfrey wrote: post #23

I'm struggling with this now and I could use some insight. I absolutely share OP's loathing of these pop-ups. On the other hand, I'm just starting to try to drive traffic to my physical-product website (through PPC ads, facebook marketing, etc). I KNOW I need to try to collect some contact information. But I cannot find a way to do it that isn't appalling. - Collect on landing page? How do they know if they want to s…

You find them annoying, but your customers probably wont. Remember you are not the best case when deciding what is effective at capturing your audience. You are more "internet savvy" or whatever... Popups, email marketing, retargeted ads, et al are very, very effective means of capturing an audience online.

Don't fool yourself. Everybody finds them annoying. Like the frog in the frying pan who sits as the heat is turned up, folks have begun to believe its the price of visiting the internet.

Re: F*** those popups – signing up those who deserve it

#60

Post by sukilot »

ivraatiems wrote: post #29

The only pop up window I really hate is Quora's, because in order to remove it without signing up for an account I have to go into the developer tools and delete its enclosing div. Quora, I don't want to sign up for your site, and I don't want to "complete" an account I don't have. I just want to see the answer to the question you were somehow the top search result for.

If the google search result isn't readable,google intends to delist the page. File feedback.
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