|
www.wired.com
Apple and Google are cracking down on obnoxious online ads. And they just might change the way the web works in the process. Last week Google confirmed that Chrome …
|
The New Chrome and Safari Will Reshape the Web – WIREDCame across this article today while doing some research on claims that some websites will deny you access if your using the browser’s ‘reader mode’. There are already many sites that will block you if you are using an AdBlocker type of extension. There are even some that will not allow you to access the site if you are using Private Browsing or Incognito mode. Not sure yet if this has been implemented yet in either browser. However, I have to wonder how ‘those sites’ re going to handle this. Are they still going to detect it as an AdBlocker and deny you access until you disable or pay to subscribe. Technically it is still an AdBlocker, it just a built in feature instead of an add-on.
I don’t mind ads, if they are small, unobtrusive and not obnoxious. A simple static ad (either vertical or horizontal) that is around the content (not in the middle) is fine. However, the moment these banners start becoming animated, follow you as you scroll down the page or on some news sites are the entire side margins then I have a problem. Worse yet are the ones that play sound as soon as the page is loaded and follow you as you scroll down the page. That is the kind of ads which both of these browsers are going to start blocking automatically. It also seems these ad developers have found a way to bypass the browser’s pop-up blocker as I run into certain sites that will pop-up a full screen ad just as soon as you start reading the content. People are blocking these ads not only because they are highly annoying, but in many cases they are on a capped data plan (with their mobile provider and/or ISP) and they don’t want ads eating into the limited amount of data they have.
I understand that these websites need to make money after all hosting and bandwidth are not free (or cheap). However, gignorums. noisy, flashy and intrusive ads are just going to drive visitors away from your site. So much for those ads paying for themselves. But wait, if you subscribe you won’t see any ads and it only $$ per month. If that monthly price is more than a Starbucks cup of coffee (or in my case tea) then I am really not interested. Especially, if I only visit the site a couple times per month. That flawed subscription business model is the same one that is likely going to mean the end for Photobucket. Â Again, my theory is offer a subscription for a few dollars a month and you’re more likely to get much more revenue than you would at the current over-inflated subscription fee. Oh and don’t even get me started on the ‘Your content will start after this ad…’. Guaranteed I won’t ever be coming back to your site ever again!
