GRRRRRRRRrrrrr!!!!

[aygabtu]

Don't people know that popups when you try to leave their site is complete and utter stupidity!?!? It is 100% counter productive and very annoying!!

[JeanneLynn]

I agree. I refuse to go back to any site that tries to prevent me from leaving with a pop-up. I would never buy from someone who uses shady tactics like that. I think it's unethical.

[aygabtu]

Originally Posted by JeanneLynn

I agree. I refuse to go back to any site that tries to prevent me from leaving with a pop-up. I would never buy from someone who uses shady tactics like that. I think it's unethical.

What's sad is the latest one I came across was an advertiser on here! Go figure!

[tylerjaysen]

ah ha...yeah they're annoying for sure....and google adwords frowns on using them for sure on your landing page. However, they work. There have been studies on this topic to find out whether exit splash pages work...and the numbers always tell the same story....that those pages do work in getting email lists and clicks.

[dburk]

Originally Posted by tylerjaysen

ah ha...yeah they're annoying for sure....and google adwords frowns on using them for sure on your landing page. However, they work. There have been studies on this topic to find out whether exit splash pages work...and the numbers always tell the same story....that those pages do work in getting email lists and clicks.

Just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should.

What most of those studies do not reveal is how much your reputation suffers as a result, and how your long term results are seriously harmed.

[kokopelli]

Yep, hate that too - my browser and plugins block most popups, but there's always the "But wait! If you order now ..." exit popup that tries to get you back to the site ... I'm already leaving, why would I want to stay?

[jinx1221]

I would probably use them to tell or remind the visitor on what they may be missing (bonus offer, etc) to get them to stay.. its when they say "Dont leave, buy now and save 40%" that I think is unfair.. I mean, why should someone get rewarded a deal for exiting a site, when others pay full price for staying? Well, I guess the bottom line matters most for some site owners

[Mike Hutton]

haha yeah i agree with ya too, although sometimes if your going to actually buy the product anyway i would sometimes X the screen to get the popup as sometimes you'll find the popup offers you a discount on the product and loads a discount page in the background but yea they are annoying in most cases

[yukon]

Originally Posted by aygabtu

Don't people know that popups when you try to leave their site is complete and utter stupidity!?!? It is 100% counter productive and very annoying!!

But, it worked in 1998, it's not working now?

I bail on those sites, I also bail on the 2 mile long squeeze pages. If you have something to sell, tell me what it is, I don't need 32 fake testimonials to convince me to buy. If I see even 1 fake testimonial I'm gone...

[packerfan]

I'm certainly not a fan, but they should certainly be tested. If it improves conversions, well...

And considering some of the sites I've seen them on (big clickbank products that split test alot) at least in some cases they do improve conversions.

Again, I agree they are annoying, but the bottom line is if they improve your conversions you should use them. (I'm talking about a site that actually sells something here, just fyi).

[crismacana]

Originally Posted by kokopelli

Yep, hate that too - my browser and plugins block most popups, but there's always the "But wait! If you order now ..." exit popup that tries to get you back to the site ... I'm already leaving, why would I want to stay?

Yeah, I hate it as well. But for advertising sake, it is a good strategy. Though it is annoying especially if what you are looking is not the one that is popping out.

[TheBigShow]

Pop ups, shadow boxes, or those sites that wont let you use your back arrow. I make it a point not to buy from those sites that think if they make me see this ad I might buy LOL

[Lucid]

You shouldn't need a pop-up to remind someone of what they just read. If you have to remind them, maybe your sales letter needs to be improved.

There's a reason Google penalizes advertisers if they have pop-ups. People complained, just like the OP, that it's annoying and contributes to a poor user experience. So seems strange that some say it increases conversions.

[Paul M]

Originally Posted by aygabtu

Don't people know that popups when you try to leave their site is complete and utter stupidity!?!? It is 100% counter productive and very annoying!!

I think a good number of marketers might disagree with you..

One should never judge marketing tools or techniques by your own personal preferences or emotions.

Your personal feelings about exit popups are irrelevant and makes no difference to the effectiveness and profitability of using them in the marketplace. It is the market that decides if exit popups are counter productive and stupid. You are not the market.


-Paul

[aygabtu]

Originally Posted by Paul M

I think a good number of marketers might disagree with you..

One should never judge marketing tools or techniques by your own personal preferences or emotions.

Your personal feelings about exit popups are irrelevant and makes no difference to the effectiveness and profitability of using them in the marketplace. It is the market that decides if exit popups are counter productive and stupid. You are not the market.


-Paul

I am sure if we take a poll here, the vast majority would agree with me. Does that mean I am the market? No. Never said I was. Do sites use bad techniques, bad SEO, and other bad methods? Yes. Does that mean they are effective? No. Will they continue to? Yes.

Also, just for the record, my comment was more directed at sites that you can't hit the X in the corner to close it. You have to hit the 'ok' otherwise another popup shows up. It's almost like it is an infected site, which uses deceptive practices to get you to download or do something you are not willing or interested in doing.

[Paul M]

Originally Posted by aygabtu

I am sure if we take a poll here, the vast majority would agree with me. Does that mean I am the market? No. Never said I was. Do sites use bad techniques, bad SEO, and other bad methods? Yes. Does that mean they are effective? No. Will they continue to? Yes.

Exit popups can be good and effective in the right situations. Equally they can be bad and alienate the marketers target market when used in the wrong way or in more jaded markets.

My point was - it doesn't matter if you, me, or even a majority of people polled here dislike exit popups. The fact that some people hate them and some marketers find them ineffective or vulgar is still irrelevant to their effectiveness when used in the right situations. You cannot simply assume that popups are a bad technique for everyone just because you don't like them.

All we can do is test the popups ourselves if we choose too, and measure the results and reactions of our own visitors in our own markets. Some will find popups an appropriate marketing tool and others will not.

Originally Posted by aygabtu

Also, just for the record, my comment was more directed at sites that you can't hit the X in the corner to close it. You have to hit the 'ok' otherwise another popup shows up. It's almost like it is an infected site, which uses deceptive practices to get you to download or do something you are not willing or interested in doing.

Exit popups come in different forms and functions. The popups I tend to think of are those which ask a question or make a statement and then allow you to close them immediately and leave the site. I think this is where I may have misunderstood you. We're both thinking about different types. D'oh. I personally feel the same way as you do about the more aggressive popups, but they may still be useful in some situations and how I feel about them doesn't change that.


-Paul

[UMS]

As marketers, we have a pretty good understanding of the various techniques and methods used and we can generally spot a scammy sales pitch from a mile off.

However.....

as Paul has already mentioned, just because we personally don't like various marketing methods, it doesn't mean they aren't effective. If they were really that bad, most marketers would stop using those methods.

[strategic seo services]

Originally Posted by UMS

As marketers, we have a pretty good understanding of the various techniques and methods used and we can generally spot a scammy sales pitch from a mile off.

However.....

as Paul has already mentioned, just because we personally don't like various marketing methods, it doesn't mean they aren't effective. If they were really that bad, most marketers would stop using those methods.

Excellent point. Although I find this marketing method to be annoying, I've used it on some of my own sites and it does work.

[yukon]

Exit pop-ups are for people that can't create content that their traffic likes.

I don't care who promotes exit pop-ups, there for desperate IMers only.

Create something worthwhile & you won't need those types of gimmicks.