The axe is ready to drop as Google is done with large pop-ups on mobiles and it will fall on the heads of websites who will not adhere to the new, loosely called, regulations. The era where browsing the internet with your phone was a nightmare is now over with the advancement of technology.
Smartphones nowadays have better resolutions, bigger screens and much faster processors, which allows us to casually use the web without a hitch. For the most part. However, many of us have been bombarded by the full-screen advertising banners that all but demanded us to download their app.
Studies have shown that, at that particular point, 69% of users instantly close the app, the browser, the search engine, turned off their phone and tossed it in the thrash, renouncing their use of smartphones ever again. Or at least a more reasonable, milder reaction than the one described. They will at least close the browser and the app.
It does ring true that full-screen advertising banners have become of an annoyance of the experience, with a low 9% of users actually clicking the download button. Google is now taking measures to fix the problem, and letting out a warning for advertisers, content creators and publishers that it will not be accepted any longer.
According to Daniel Bathgate, a Google software engineer, the huge banners that take up most of the screen lessen the user experience, by featuring their search result with an impairing banner ad demanding their attention. It blocks the actual content they were looking for and it becomes frustrating .
Google will thus ensue another “Mobile Friendly Test” upon all websites on November 1st of this year, which will essentially affect every single one who features large pop-outs that cover the majority of the content. All those who will not make a change will be ranked lower within Google’s search results. They will no longer be considered “mobile friendly”.
And when Google is mad at you, you really should listen.
However, the tech giant is not being entirely unreasonable to a highly profitable industry. Third parties will still be allowed to feature their advertising banners after using the search engine, only smaller ones on a side of the screen that doesn’t take a lot from the content.
Furthermore, they will be still be permitted to show full-screen pop-outs, just not right after the search result, which will improve user experience, and, yes, it will benefit Google as well, considering users will be less inclined to become distracted. It’s a win-win.
Image source: tydalwavecreative.com
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.