So, what exactly am I talking about? You know when you find what seems to be an interesting article online (at least interesting enough to get you to click it and check it out) and then you go to the site where it's located to read it?
When you get to said article, there are some sites which will suddenly display either popup ads or a popup newsletter subscription form. These things will just suddenly show up, and you won't be able to read the article because it will be kind of grayed-out, so you have to close those popups (or sign up for them or something, but who'd do that?) first before anything else.
What do you think about that? Do you like those popup ads or those popup newsletter subscription forms? For me, I don't like them at all (totally an understatement, by the way). Seriously, doesn't anyone find these annoying?
And also, don't you think they're really kind of intrusive? I mean, you arrived at that site to read an article and not to sign up for some random newsletter or click on some ad or something. Isn't this kind of tactic really irritating?
Or does it actually make people want to sign up and subscribe? If they'd placed these on the sidebar or footer of their site, it would be less intrusive, and I wouldn't mind them at all. So, what about you? What do you think?
Here are some of the comments from this article, back when it used to be posted elsewhere:
MsBiz wrote on January 28, 2015, 11:32 AM:
I typically don't like any email newsletters in general. If I want the information, I'll go to the website and look it up myself. Being forced or even pressured to subscribe really annoys me.
FreyaYuki replied to MsBiz on January 29, 2015, 4:17 PM:
Same here. I prefer to just go to the site if I want the info. I especially hate it when a popup ad or email subscription form suddenly shows up like you're being forced to sign up before you can read the article.
arthurchappell wrote on January 28, 2015, 11:32 AM:
The newsletter often turns into email alerts on every slight change on their website - best ignoring most of them.
FreyaYuki replied to arthurchappell on January 29, 2015, 4:25 PM:
Yeah, this is why I don't really sign up for online newsletters.
maxeen wrote on January 28, 2015, 11:38 AM:
I loathe them and it turns me off the original article I was reading.
FreyaYuki replied to maxeen on January 29, 2015, 4:30 PM:
Yeah. Same here. I find those popup ads or subscription forms really annoying. I wonder why sites do that. Are there really some people who don't mind suddenly getting popups when they're trying to read an article?
Bensen32 wrote on January 28, 2015, 12:26 PM:
I know exactly what you're talking about and hate them with a passion, I usually just close the whole page and figure I don't need to read the article after all. It is annoying though, I wonder how many people are like me and just close the whole page.
FreyaYuki replied to Bensen32 on January 29, 2015, 4:34 PM:
Yeah, I have to wonder the same thing. If there are lots of people like us who hate these popup ads and subscription forms, then how come some sites are still using these methods? Are there actually some people who don't mind getting ads and forms suddenly popup while they're trying to read something?
j2jworkz wrote on January 29, 2015, 3:22 PM:
I find them annoying as well! I prefer a sidebar option.
FreyaYuki replied to j2jworkz on January 29, 2015, 4:36 PM:
Yeah, I think the sidebar is a much better place for ads and subscription forms so at least they're not getting in the way of the content. After all, the people arrived at the site to read the article, not to see some ad or be forced to sign up for some newsletter.
Porcospino wrote on February 1, 2015, 1:01 PM:
The popups that you can close are annoying, but the popups that you can't close if you don't subscribe to their newsletter are worse. I usually get so annoyed that I just leave the site without reading the article.
FreyaYuki replied to Porcospino on February 1, 2015, 3:52 PM:
Yeah, I hate the popups, but at least you can close them. The ones that can't be closed are the worst. If I get annoyed enough, I don't even bother anymore and just quickly leave that site. I wonder if they even get any subscribers if they are being so forceful by shoving their sign up forms right in readers' faces? Wouldn't that just annoy lots of people?
AliCanary wrote on February 4, 2015, 3:37 PM:
Not fond of pop-up ads, and REALLY not fond of being forced to do stuff, so no, and no.
FreyaYuki replied to AliCanary on February 7, 2015, 9:46 AM:
Me too. I hate those popup ads and the popup subscribe to the site's newsletter ones. I have to wonder if there's someone who likes them though. Is that why these sites still bother to make use of these annoying popups?
AliCanary replied to FreyaYuki on February 7, 2015, 2:29 PM:
I guess it's like telemarketers--everybody hates them, but there have to be SOME people buying, or they wouldn't call! 😟
bestwriter wrote on February 5, 2015, 12:59 AM:
Honestly I have enough on my plate both offline and online that I hardly do justice to what is already there. So. No thanks 😃
FreyaYuki replied to bestwriter on February 7, 2015, 9:47 AM:
😃 I'm also really busy with a lot of stuff lately.
*Notes:
- This was previously published on Persona Paper on January 28, 2015, 11:25 AM
- Image is by GraphBerry (CC:BY-SA) from deviantArt
