Don't pop-up ads on websites annoy users?

[Fabios]

Recently, I’ve noticed that I quickly close pages when an ad immediately covers the text after I click through. At the same time, though, I understand that website owners need to generate revenue from their traffic. How do you feel about pop-ups? Are they an acceptable way to showcase an offer, or are they a reason to leave the site? Does your reaction depend on how well the ad matches the page's topic?

 

[Fabios]

I'm interested in situations where some visitors can't use a website's main service due to their country of residence or the website's rules. Would it be less annoying to see an alternative offer instead of a message stating that access is blocked in such cases? Would it be acceptable for such a window to appear only after a specific user action, such as declining to register, rather than while the user is reading the content? Which of the following conditions is most important to you: a prominent close button, no repeated displays, ads relevant to the topic, or the ability to decide whether to open the offer yourself?

 

[Robin3]

It seems to me that the problem isn’t so much the pop-ups themselves, but rather when and why they appear. For example, on a small informational website that I helped a friend with, we tested an ad pop-up that covered the text immediately after an article was opened. Users started complaining more often, so we had to change our approach. Later, I came across ReTarget.gg. The service offers a Geo Popup for visitors from restricted regions and a Decline Popup for situations in which the platform blocks a user after verification. I like the idea of providing an alternative to a dead end, but even targeted ads can be annoying if they interfere with viewing content. That’s why I’d test these ads separately and track not only clicks, but also bounce rates. Would you stay on a site if a pop-up ad offered a relevant alternative?