4 Alternatives to Using an Intrusive Interstitial
August 14, 2017
Google is continuously trying to prove their commitment to the mobile-first marketplace. They have been making both major and minor changes to their algorithms to better suit the behaviors and preferences of the user and one thing is for sure, users don’t like intrusive pop-ups. Brighthaus previously wrote an article about Google Cracking Down on Pop-Ups on websites that use intrusive interstitials on their mobile sites and what counts as “intrusive”.
So if your site currently uses, or you were thinking about using, what is deemed an “intrusive” pop-up, what can you do instead so that your webpage doesn’t get demoted? Here are a few alternatives you can use:
Switch to an exit-intent interstitial
Google has made a few exceptions to their penalty list for mobile pop-ups and use of an exit-intent interstitial is one. These pop-ups appear when it appears that a user may be getting ready to leave a website. Gleam has an article where you can learn more in-depth about Why Exit Intent Pop-ups are Awesome.
Use a small banner
Develop a smaller banner that does not take up as much space and can be easily dismissed by a user. This type of banner should only take up to about 10-15% of the screen like the ones here on wonderlandorganics.com:
Website screenshot: https://www.wonderland-organics.com/
Use an enticing CTA near the top of your content
Instead of using a pop-up at all, use a call-to-action that is placed near the top of your content to help a user complete a desired action. Here is an example of one of these CTAs on shoppigment.com that reads “Need a last minute gift? Give an e-gift card”.
Website screenshot: https://www.shoppigment.com/
Use an app banner
This mobile-friendly alternative will drive users to install your app and it is super easy to implement.
Website screenshot: https://weather.com/
By using these alternatives to intrusive interstitials, you can possibly increase users time-on-page, pageviews per visit, and lower your bounce rates. With Google constantly working to improve search experiences for users, it is important to pay attention to changes they are making for evaluating websites and make sure your website is not affected.
Contact Brighthaus today to learn more about how you can improve your websites visibility and ranking!