Google has just introduced expandable ads — and the best part is that they’re not annoying like the ones you may be familiar with. Personally, I love this idea because it gives the advertiser more real estate for the ad without taking up a bigger footprint on the page. When a user clicks on an ad (I wish it expanded upon rollover) it expands into a larger size, displaying more information and larger pictures without taking the user to a whole new page. Google’s new AdSense expandable ads can even show a video clip. That’s pretty sweet.
I don’t get it, if it’s not the expand-on-rollover that’s “annoying,” then what is “annoying” about normal expandable ads?
Expandable ads are not annoying when done this way since the viewer controls the expansion, either with a click as in this case, or by rolling over the link, which is not how google ads are currently handling this but is what we wish for.
The old way that most people see expanding ads — and are annoyed by — are the ads that expand automatically when you visit the site, forcing viewers to close them to see what they went to the site for in the first place. It’s a little like having a commercial start when you clicked on a video.
As advertisers, we appreciate the many ways we can deliver our message. But we are consumers too, so we’re also interested in ads that don’t make us do anything unless we want to. Our job is to get someone to click because the message catches them, rather than forcing a message on someone who will click off it right away because they are there to see something else.
I agree with you. I think these ads are a nice way to get your message out without being pushy. I feel like with Google ads you are forced to click out of them and because they are so “in your face” you are instantly annoyed with them and you don’t even notice what they are for. By giving the user the option of seeing or not seeing your ad you are going to advertise to a crowd that actually is interested in what you have to say and not just anyone who comes to the page.
Rollover triggers for the ad WOULD be annoying, all it would take is to place the ad in a conspicuous position on the page and the user would accidentally rollover the ad, thus triggering it. I know because I experience this all the time. Clicks are the way to go.