A few weeks ago I wrote about my dislike for Pop-ups on blogs. I was surprised, most of you all agreed. Here’s what some folks had to say:
I have to agree with you that I hate pop ups. Many blogs are using the Aweber Lightbox after being recommended by top bloggers that it will increase subscription rate. But it just simply turns me off. Hope to see less of such pop up cases in the future. Support this advice that you are giving to bloggers.1
More comment reactions to that post.
I can’t stand pop ups and will click off a site if it’s one of those pop-ups that keep coming back. I wish more people using them would take advantage of frequency of how they pop up. They can be set for every 4th time you visit etc.2
They have so many followers that they don’t care if they lose a few of them due to pop-ups. Even though I am an Aweber user, I also don’t think of using pop-ups on my blog. On the other hand, all bloggers who used pop-ups telling that they increased their mail list within a very short period of time. But I also agree that you can not risk your regular readers for the sake of growing your mail list.3
However, I’ve seen plenty of blogs, especially those ran by the apparent big boys or self proclaimed gurus, they love pop-ups because it helps increase either their subscription count or email list.
Pop-up ads or popups are a form of online advertising on the World Wide Web intended to attract web traffic or capture email addresses. –4
So, they look good but at the cost of annoying readers and forcing them to sign up for various offers and so on. They don’t care if a few readers are lost.
Discover creative ways to market products and services without throwing it in our faces. I’m not against promoting products and services (unless they just plain suck), but we’re sick of distasteful landing pages that are up one day and gone the next.
Before people start overreacting, notice, I said a specific kind of landing page not all landing pages because some serve useful purposes.
So, here’s the beginning of a long series called Blogging Ethics.
Many of the points are from an ebook I’ve been working on. These ideas and views come from what I’ve observed throughout the year.
If you have any ideas about what should be added into this guide book, feel free to let me know because I want to be sure to cover all sorts of relevant areas. I’m use there’s something I’ve missed but that’s where you come in.
Don’t act like you didn’t hear me- this is an invitation to sound off about what most bothers you about the blogosphere.
Help Name My Next Ebook
Here’s what I came up with:
Blogging Ethics Guide
The Ultimate Bloggers Ethics Handbook
- Wei from A Blogger Blog [↩]
- Robin from Whole Food and More Blog [↩]
- Mert from Search for Blogging [↩]
- Wiki [↩]
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Very good initiative Miguel. We can create a better name for your ebook. Let me think about it
Mert Erkal’s last blog post..Consider These Before Paying For Your Custom Blog Design
Mert
Awesome, thanks for your help! I’m open to feedback- hey let’s try to catch up via gmail chat.
There is simply more and more blogs using the concept of pop-ups. My guess is that Aweber got a nice boost in income from the recommendation of gurus for the lightbox feature.
I like the 2nd name – The ultimate bloggers ethics handbook. Sounds cool. Good luck with it. Is this going to be a freebie?
Wei Liang
Wei Liang | ABloggerBlog’s last blog post..Lesson 21: Blog Carnival
Wei
Really, I see, that certainly must be taken into account. Thanks for your support and feedback. Yes, it will be a freebie!
Hey Wei, what feature do you have installed that allow both you and others to respond to specific comment on your blog?
Cheers, thanks for visiting.
-Mig
Yes, popups are one of the most annoying things on the web today. However, they are proven effective, which is why people still keep using them.
And while I dislike them and refuse to use them on my own websites, I do think that there is indeed an art to using them. For example, I can deal with one-time lightbox style popups. I can also deal with popups that I opt to see, or popups that are indeed useful.
…I’ll be eagerly anticipating your eBook.
Shirley’s last blog post..Don’t Get Hacked: 6 Ways to Secure Your WordPress Blog
Shirley
Hey, Welcome! You’re a first time visitor!
Sadly, you may be right about their effectiveness but for who? My guess, high profile bloggers that could care less about bothering readers. There may be an art, of sorts but why be artistic and only pester new visitors?
It’s about intentions at this point, force new potential readers to sign up for or buy whatever it is their offering, in the end- the blogger continues to maintain both his ego and image. Why? because his shiny subscription count continues to rise. This is just an example, I’m not talking about a specific blogger.
Hey Shirley, thanks for leaving a quality comment.
You didn’t do a hit and run, that’s just simply spammy.
-Mig
Re: Popups and all that stuff… They work BUT, only once you’ve built up a certain amount of “social capital.” For example:
- when you come across a new blog and see that the feedburner count says 12 readers, do you develop a certain perception about that blog? C’mon, don’t lie… If the person is a self-proclaimed “expert” and yet has 12 readers, you’re probably not going to read his/her work let alone subcribe…
- when someone “follows” you on twitter and has 12 followers but is following 1,000 people, does that shape your perception about the person behind the twitter account? Of course it does!
Popups work for the established bloggers because they’ve already built the right amount of social capital for themselves. It doesn’t work for the newbie blogger because he/she hasn’t hit that tipping point yet.
Just my two cents…
Good luck on the ebook Miguel! I’ll be sure to make an announcement for contributors
Ricardo Bueno’s last blog post..[Dear Readers] What Do You Want to Learn?
Ricardo
Right now brother! I appreciate the announcement- you’re a good man.
You’re right now my friend, those blogs that haven’t hit the tipping point can’t afford to use pop-ups.
So, the aim of this ebook is for both newbies and experienced bloggers but when it comes to this area (pop-ups), especially for new bloggers- certainly not a wise decision. I respect your input Ricardo and thanks again for visiting and showing love.
For me, pop-ups are spammy- like when someone drops a comment on your blog or writes a guest post to only promote their work, success and blog. It says, I want the attention- it’s more about receiving than giving without strings attached.
Great concept, especially for small biz and start ups looking to make an impact with a blog. One thing I think happens once people start getting to the “Guru” status level is that they almost don’t really care about what they are a Guru of. Not saying it’s an active thing, but once you reach a certain status level and you start making money preaching about your topic your motivations change.
What I find funny is often times with clients they talk about how they “hate” certain aspects of web work (especially Flash intros.) Then in their next breath they try to convince me how their site with a Flash intro will be different. Always good for a chuckle.
I too like the second title. Might suggest rearranging the words maybe “Ethics: The Ultimate Blogging Guide.” might have a little more pop.
Jay Johnson’s last blog post..Autoplaying sound & video:Traffic Road Block
To be honest popups do not bother me, and their is a setting in your aweber account when setting them up that lets you choose to only display them on the first time someone visits yours website.
It is a small inconvienince to your regular readers, but all they have to do is close it once and they will never see it again – and I have found it to greatly increase my conversion.
Tom – StandOutBlogger.com’s last blog post..SMART Goal Setting For 2009
Jay
Thanks! Small biz, start ups and new bloggers will benefit but I promise not to forget about the experienced or advanced bloggers.
You’re right about motivations changing- we don’t have to look hard to find plenty of examples in society. We can also examine our lives and recall the times we’ve changed because of money.
Your point is well taken. Folks make money, become overly excited which causes them to become unstable or double minded. The things they stood against are thrown out the window. Jay, thanks for suggesting the rearrangement! I like it, both the name and the pop!
Tom
Not cool. Hey, you’re certainly entitled to using pop-ups but if something is an inconvenience, why not remove it? Allow a smooth flow- no small inconveniences or interruptions to worry about. 
Hey Tom, thanks for sharing with us and continued success at Standout blogger.
Yeah, talk about funny timing- I’m visiting your blog- I’m not a first timer and I am being hit with a pop-up at this moment.
-Mig
Another point is often times it comes down to patience. I blog every day on my business site (Well not every day…I only added the business blog about a week ago..so every day since then) and though I am interested in a higher conversion rate I know it will eventually come. I could put a pop-up to increase that rate faster but I’d much rather build the reputation (or lack of a reputation) for user experience. I certainly have no problem with anyone that uses pop-ups but will admit it does impact my return visit rate. So there is that point.
I also have a personal blog (that gets updated less frequently..always has) where again its just me talking about, well whatever, so I know that I’m not going to necessarily build an active following because my topics range from Football to video games to politics to the weird pussy scab on my big toe (ok, that last one I made up but you get the point). I would think that from a business standpoint driving traffic quicker to your sites would be more important than a personal blog.
Jay Johnson’s last blog post..The two most useful letters in a client vendor relation are N and O.
Jay
Yes, user experience… most new or for that matter, returning visitors to a Best Buy or other establishment dislike being confronted as soon as they enter the door. Again, this is at least true for me and of my experience with others.
No one enjoys a environment where the sales person is constantly pestering you. I like to think of pop-ups in the same regard.
Those silly sales people, leave me alone- don’t come to me, I’ll come to you if interested in your product. Allow ones work to speak for itself.
Thanks again Jay for your feedback.
-Mig
I’ve noticed a few fo the big boys using popups and yes it is frustrating to have them there but I think, and rightly so for most of them, that they can get away with it because of their popularity. I bet you 10-1 that they would be the first to leave if they enocountered in on someone elses blog.
Title, Blogging The Ethical Way
Sire’s last blog post..Being The Perfect Blog Host
I am one of many who find pop ups to be a little bit annoying! and If you decide to use them atleast choose only to display them on the first time someone visits your website/blog.
Salwa’s last blog post..Blog Marketing Scams and What You Should Be Aware of
How about, “A Better Breed of Blogging”?
Writer Dad’s last blog post..Running Dialogue
@ Writer Dad,
Wow, it works! I love it. Thanks for visiting- to what do I own this honor? I feel like this is the first time you’ve dropped comments at SB.
I appreciate your comments and input. A Better Breed of Blogging- well done.
-Mig
Stumbled on this blog while searching for articles on pop up stands lol. For me pop up ads are a major NO! As soon as a see one on a website, I’m out of there.
When so may people find them so frustrating and annoying, I can’t help wonder why anyone would employ them. I mean, who the hell clicks on them anyway??