Pop up ad on home page

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by John Stevenson on 22/06/2015 09:56:52:

Whilst this was going on I, as a moderator took the time to lookup all the people who had complained against the subscribers list.

Guess what? The vast number of people who complained were not members.

So this popup was aimed at the same exact people that were complaining.

.

Not Guilty

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 22/06/2015 11:18:29

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 22/06/2015 09:12:20:

I should have more sense than to revive this discussion, but it seems that traffic on the website increased by 5% last week!

Perhaps we should bring the pop-up back

Neil

.

The obvious Question: How is 'traffic' measured ?

Number of Visitors ?

or … Number of Clicks ?

MichaelG.

[Gordon WParticipant @gordonw]

When the pop-up first appeared I could not get rid of it. So switched off and tried again. Will this count as extra visit?

[Ketan SwaliParticipant @ketanswali79440]

I was having similar problems as Michael G.

Pop-ups are good tools if used in the correct way. I believe that is where the idea fell apart in the case of MTM.

Ketan at ARC.

[Ketan SwaliParticipant @ketanswali79440]

Posted by Gordon W on 22/06/2015 12:03:59:

When the pop-up first appeared I could not get rid of it. So switched off and tried again. Will this count as extra visit?

You are right ……if they really do an 'in-depth' analysis, for which they have the tools, it will reveal a lot more, including a higher bounce rate.

Ketan at ARC.

Edited By Ketan Swali on 22/06/2015 12:29:18

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Michael,

Across all the usual metrics. The number of visits (users, sessions, page views) for pre-popup users increased noticeably, but the number of new visitors barely changed.

Numbers of pages viewed per session and length of session were not significantly different.

I doubt we can attribute this increase in activity by existing users solely to the po-up – or can we?

Gordon,

yes an extra visit, but an awful lot of people would have had to do the same.

John Mc,

Of course it is the erudite content of these forums that keeps folks coming back, even despite John S making every attempt to frighten them off

Neil

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 22/06/2015 12:23:40:

Michael,

Across all the usual metrics. The number of visits (users, sessions, page views) for pre-popup users increased noticeably, but the number of new visitors barely changed.

Numbers of pages viewed per session and length of session were not significantly different.

I doubt we can attribute this increase in activity by existing users solely to the po-up – or can we?

.

Thanks for the clarification, Neil

… I felt obliged to ask

MichaelG.

[paul 1950Participant @paul1950]

what pop ups am i missing something!

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by paul 1950 on 22/06/2015 12:41:17:

what pop ups am i missing something!

.

Been, gone, all sorted, lessons learned.

Previous posts should explain all.

MichaelG.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

R.I.P.

.

 

Edited By Neil Wyatt on 23/06/2015 15:39:26

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

But not the offer…

**LINK**

I was rung up yesterday by a new subscriber who had clicked on the popup having finally been spurred to go for it!

Neil

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 23/06/2015 15:40:50:

But not the offer…

.

Sorry, Neil … I did not mean to imply requiescat in pace for the offer

I see that it has found an appropriate home in the right-hand sidebar.

MichaelG.

[I.M. OUTAHEREParticipant @i-m-outahere]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 17/06/2015 19:36:05:

I think the main problem was that this particular pop-up was poorly executed, and therefore behaved differently on different browsers. Some of us suffered major irritation, others almost none. … This was clearly not the intention, and the Marketing Team very quickly did 'the right thing' and replaced the pop-up with something more appropriate [and giving, one would hope, a consistent user exeperience].

As the first complainant [on the 'what did you do today 'thread]; may I also be the one to suggest that this discussion has run its course?

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 17/06/2015 19:36:46

I agree and maybe one of the Moderators could lock this thread or it might keep popping up – pun intended !

Ian.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

> maybe one of the Moderators could lock this thread or it might keep popping up

If every time it pops up it reminds forum users they can subscribe to Model Engineer or Model Engineers' Workshop for just £1 for three issues, why should I be concerned

Neil

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 23/06/2015 20:02:46:

why should I be concerned

.

Common decency , perhaps.

[I.M. OUTAHEREParticipant @i-m-outahere]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 23/06/2015 20:02:46:

> maybe one of the Moderators could lock this thread or it might keep popping up

If every time it pops up it reminds forum users they can subscribe to Model Engineer or Model Engineers' Workshop for just £1 for three issues, why should I be concerned

Neil

Because the offer will soon end but newcomers may still reply to a long dead thread and they will keep messaging you !

If you want to advertise that offer in a thread then create one and i'm sure the many of the forum members along with myself will be happy to keep bumping it to the top until notified otherwise.

I originally only created this thread ( didn't see the what have you done thread )as i was concerned that there was something awry and i don't know about you but when I see a popup with some unbelievable offer i get suspicious , i have just gone through the hassle of credit card fraud i thought it may be something dodgy.

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

Neil,

At your/company's peril ()

Geoff – Well in the mood for this morning

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Neil,

For what it's worth: XD 351 and I came at this from different angles, but our recommendations are the same.

I shouldn't need to recite the story, because it's clear from the thread[s], but perhaps I should just mention why I think that 'common decency' should encourage you to lock this thread:

• The MTM Marketing Team had a concept … a pop-up message to promote a special offer.
• It appears that this was intended to be a 'once-per-visit' event [which would seem reasonable]
• Their design was, however, badly executed and insufficiently tested; resulting in different behaviour on different browsers …
• Despite some heckling from those who 'couldn't see the problem' … the Marketing Department was alerted to the fact that they had a 'loose cannon' and they responded promptly and correctly, by aborting the pop-up, and placing an advertisement in the right-hand sidebar.
• So far, so good … We who had been troubled by the pop-up thanked them, and that should have been the end of the matter.
• However: By allowing this thread to keep re-surfacing, you are causing your colleagues further embarrassment.
• The lessons were learned, and appropriate remedial action was taken; so I think it would be 'decent' for you to let the matter rest.

Sincerely

MichaelG.

[jaCK HobsonParticipant @jackhobson50760]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 23/06/2015 20:02:46:

> maybe one of the Moderators could lock this thread or it might keep popping up

If every time it pops up it reminds forum users they can subscribe to Model Engineer or Model Engineers' Workshop for just £1 for three issues, why should I be concerned

Neil

I don't disagree with keeping the thread open. I don't think the web site maintainer should be embarrassed about this – in fact they have gained my respect, for what it is worth… not much. There are some quite mature features on this site – cookie policy is very well impelemented (a feature that no one really cares about, can be very annoying, but it's the law). Good job!

As a marketing idea… well, personally I think the whole concept of a popup was dodgy.

It may be worth keeping a thread open so we can discuss what would make people subscribe and what stops them now. Seems like people like talking about anything, not just engineering, and you may get some useful insight: I don't see the offer quite like you summarise. 3 issues for a pound, but you have to pay by direct debit with a minimum duration of 12 months. There is a catch. I don't like any whiff of a catch. (I don't like to realise I'm being done-over by marketing – you got to find a way where I don't notice.)

I really don't like lots of locked threads. Over moderation can be as off-putting as anything else. Good job on the moderation.

Edited By jaCK Hobson on 25/06/2015 08:23:11

Edited By jaCK Hobson on 25/06/2015 08:24:01

[jaCK HobsonParticipant @jackhobson50760]

Don't you sort of make cash even from unsubscribers by renting advertising space? So I don't think I should be made to feel too guilty for not subscribing?

I like your advertising policy. I only see engineering ads. If you handed complete control over to google then I'd get the same ads I see all over the internet. I'm afraid google is targeting me incorrectly at the moment… I guess someone has been surfing dodgy websites on the same browser (not me honest),

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Michael,

Were you really replying to your own post – what about 'letting the matter rest'?

Surely there's nothing indecent about not wanting to hide criticism of one's own company? Surely, it's up to the critics to decide when it's decent to let the matter lie?

As for my colleagues, I'm guessing they won't mind me posting this:

"It’s quite good to read through the comments that have been made" … "I’ll treat it as a learning experience and see if we can rethink our approach and come up with something different and to include some of our international users at the same time. "

Locking a thread, or deleting it, is is a big step and should be avoided wherever possible. Deleting is hiding something (ideal for defamatory or offensive material) and locking something is trying to forget about it (useful where a discussion starts to undermine the spirit or purpose of the forum).

It didn't work, we put it right – promptly – so where's the shame in that? One aspect of this forum is for discussion of the magazines and (assuming that the vast majority of forum members want to see the magazine and forum continue to be) getting the right approach to attracting new subscribers is in our collective interest.

Finally, thanks for your support, Jack, but you do say:

3 issues for a pound, but you have to pay by direct debit with a minimum duration of 12 months. There is a catch. I don't like any whiff of a catch.

No catch! See the terms and conditions:

Your subscription will start with the next available issue. Please continue to buy your magazine until you receive your acknowledgement letter. Initial 12 month non-refundable contract applies except for special trial offers.

(MY emphasis)

Neil

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 25/06/2015 10:15:00:

Michael,

Were you really replying to your own post – what about 'letting the matter rest'?

… Surely, it's up to the critics to decide when it's decent to let the matter lie?

[jaCK HobsonParticipant @jackhobson50760]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 25/06/2015 10:15:00:

 

No catch! See the terms and conditions:

 

Check the big red I for information next to the Direct Debit  just before you click 'buy it now'…

See, I got that far!

I don't think your terms and conditions are easily discoverable when needed. Maybe all becomes clear after filling in all my personal details? 

And there is a catch. I know I'll be too lazy to cancel.

All of that put me off. I clicked the same link as the pop-up wanted me to and I still wasn't converted. I probably am one of your key targets. Keep trying.

Edited By jaCK Hobson on 25/06/2015 19:18:52

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

I've asked for clarification, Jack. I won't get it until the 9-5 team are back in the office

Neil

[jaCK HobsonParticipant @jackhobson50760]

I assume you can cancel and was confident of that at the time. I, myself, don't need clarification. But, if you want to get more conversions from people who view the offer to people who take up the offer, then take a good look at the process from the position of a grumpy, old, not-going-to-get-suckerd-by-that-again.., too-good-to-be-true, don't-want-to-type-in-personal-details-until-I'm-sure type of person. Not me of course. How did you know I was also in the office?

 

Edited By jaCK Hobson on 26/06/2015 09:15:00

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