Re: UKNM: Why Jakob Nielsen hates banner ads

[Steve Mynott]

On Wed, Jun 23, 1999 at 07:16:06AM +0100, Steve Johnston wrote:

> I have a lot of time for Jakob's input but I struggled to finish reading

> this short piece. The reason being that I don't recognise the

> generalised web user in his opening sentences - extracted below. People

> are at times very goal-driven online, however they also do a lot of

> 'grazing', enjoying the hyperlinked possibilities. So whilst I tend to

> agree in general terms about the prognosis for banner ads, I think to

> generalise banners as a 'distraction' may be over-simplifying it.


I agree.  Sometimes you want a particular piece of info.  Other times

you simply go where the web seems to take you.


Having said that clicking on banner ads is never part of my browsing.

Very rarely have I seen one that is interesting and thinking now I can't

even think of one as a typical example.  Can you?


Last time I checked click through rates were something like 2% so I

guess most feel this way.


If you are actually trying to read text having continously looped GIF

animation visible is very distracting and decreases your reading speed

(try a banner ad killer and see how much more effective your browsing

is).


I think conventional banner ads have failed, although simple static

graphics with brandnames does keep your company name visible as being

'internet aware'.


-- 

1024/D9C69DF9 steve mynott

stevetightrope [dot] demon [dot] co [dot] uk

 http://www.pineal.com/

substitute "damn" every time you're inclined to write "very"; your

editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be.

        -- mark twain 

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