Are you tired of all the seemingly endless pop-ups on websites? I know I am! To me, one thing that will make me absolutely give up on visiting a website is if I encounter more than one pop-up within the first 30 seconds of a visit. It doesn’t matter if it is an ad, a notification, or other tangential information pertaining to the site itself. Two pop-ups of any kind and it’s over. Sometimes I wonder: does anyone else notice this but me? Do other people give up on websites that trigger pop-ups when scrolling?

If not, then great! I am the crank. However, if it does bother anyone other than me, there is a pretty high likelihood it is widespread. This means potentially millions of site views, purchases, appointments or other interactivity lost due to too many lousy pop ups. What a waste.

I understand that web developers are under the orders of their clients or employers to add the content they are told to add. It is also reasonable to want to “prod” visitors to sign up for newsletters, promotions, and sales. However, perhaps it is time to rethink this aspect of the user experience from their perspective. From my own perspective as someone who visits many websites on a daily basis, I don’t have patience for more than a single pop-up on any given site. If there are potentially millions of others who feel the same way, that is a huge number of people being irritated and frustrated by their web experiences every day.

Developers and designers need to be ready to explain to their clients that more than a single pop-up on a site is a recipe for a negative user experience, driving away potential customers and visitors. Part of the overall website aesthetic needs to be more minimalist when it comes to overt advertising and self-promotion. Strike a balance with your clients to integrate the advertising with the overall design and feel of the site, and avoid tacking on pop-ups whenever possible. Maximize the “ call to action” buttons and drive visitors to the contact page so it is easy to get more info. The end result will be a more pleasant user experience for anyone who visits the site.