Pop Ups Aren’t Always Pop-ular

Although banner advertisements continue to get a bum rap, they are still the most prevalent form of online advertising there is. As a result, advertisers are constantly looking for ways to improve upon this lumbering beast, and one innovation getting more attention of late is the pop-up window.

Pop-up windows (also known as “daughter windows” or “interstitials”) are browser windows that are generated by a form of web site programming called JavaScript. The coding commands the user’s web browser to launch another window on the screen. Dependent upon the coding, the window can be different sizes, pop up at different times (upon loading or exiting), in front or behind the site the user is currently on, and with or without navigational tools. They can be used for web site polling, subscribing to newsletters, on-site promotions and off- site advertisements, to name a few.

Using a pop-up window for promoting a product or directing a user to another site is a controversial subject. Unlike banner ads which use “pull” strategy to try attract interested users and and draw them to click, pop-up windows use “push,” which can be seen as annoying and intrusive. Moreover, when a pop-up window directs an unknowing computer user to a site that they do not intend on visiting, this can lead to a negative response to both the promoted site and the pop-up window’s host site.

As a example of the kind of negative reaction these pop-up windows can cause, consider Engage Media (an online advertising network formerly known as Flycast), which has recently begun implementing a method of embedding a JavaScript pop-up window command into the banner ads they serve on sites within their network. This action has led to some bitterness towards network, predominately because many advertisers didn’t understand why these ads started appearing on their site and nor did they want them. (want to know how to disable these Flycast pop-up ads? Just send a blank email to Web Ad.vantage tips)

On the other hand, pop-up windows can also be successful tools for promoting a product or web site, especially since their “in your face” approach can yield larger response rates when done appropriately. The key to strong response rates is relevancy — if a pop-up window were to appear on the Web Ad.vantage site, asking visitors to subscribe to our newsletter, for example, that would likely be far more tolerated than if it were an ad for ladies pantyhose.

Below we’ve provided you with some example uses of pop-up windows:

* 4FreeStuff.net This site features a “pop-under” window — one that is programmed to pop-up behind the site that you’re currently visiting. It’s much less intrusive, but can also be confusing — the ad doesn’t appear until the user closes their browser screen, and they’re likely not to know why or how that window appeared in the first place.

* WebPositionAdvisor Features an on-site promotion in the form of its “Merry Christmas” limited time offer pop-up window.

* FreeWebMaster.com Generates multiple pop-up windows to deliver sponsor messages to site visitors. A promotional pop-up window is delivered only once to each user, however; if you visit the site again in the same day using the same computer and browser, the home page pop up window will not be served (unless you have your browser set not to accept cookies). Upon exiting this site, you will also be served two different pop-up ads: one for a product and one directing you to another site.

We’d love to hear your opinion of pop-up ads. Please take our online poll and also view what others think of them.

For more information on pop-ups and JavaScript, visit:

Free Java Help
Big Scripts.com
The JavaScript Source

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