2KAD Blog

When arriving at a website, like a growing majority of Internet users, if the content isn’t visible promptly I’m off somewhere else. I’ve heard all sorts of times quoted as the threshold before people click to the next site, everything from 5 seconds to 30, but there seem to be an increasing number of sites out there who display a full page advert, either instead of content or overlaid over the content for 10-20 seconds when you first arrive at their site. I hate that, but more importantly I’m hating it more and more. I now find that if I visit an site and cannot see the site because of a commercial, if there is no “Skip” button I’m gone. If I don’t see the content I’m not going to bookmark the site, send the link to my friends or vote for it on any social bookmarking systems.

There are lots of methods to monetise your site, to show adverts, promote sponsors etc., but as soon as you start losing a growing number of visitors because of it then you are doing it wrong. Interstitials and overlays are simply irritating, and any business which uses them takes a PR hit every time they annoy some one. They may be good for short term income but in the long run you are killing your site.