By Shad Super in Questions —

How Do Interstitials and Pop-Ups Affect a Website's Google Ranking and User Experience?

Summary

Interstitials and pop-ups can negatively affect a website's Google ranking and user experience due to their potential to obstruct content accessibility and disrupt user interaction. Google penalizes websites using intrusive interstitials that hinder user access to content, impacting their search rankings. Here's a detailed breakdown of how interstitials and pop-ups affect website ranking and user experience.

Impact on Google Ranking

Google's Mobile Interstitial Penalty

Since January 2017, Google has implemented a penalty for mobile pages with intrusive interstitials. This penalty affects pages where content is not easily accessible due to interstitials that cover the main content [Google Search Central Blog, 2016]. Examples of problematic interstitials include pop-ups that appear immediately upon navigating to a page or require dismissal before accessing the main content.

Core Web Vitals and UX

Google's Core Web Vitals, which measure user experience metrics such as loading performance and visual stability, indirectly impact rankings. Intrusive interstitials can disrupt these metrics, leading to poor user experience scores [Web Vitals, 2023]. A poor user experience can result in lower rankings in search results.

Effect on User Experience

User Disruption and Accessibility

Pop-ups and interstitials can disrupt the user experience by blocking content, slowing down the browsing experience, and causing frustration for users. This can lead to increased bounce rates and reduced engagement [Nielsen Norman Group, 2018].

Mobile Usability

On mobile devices, screen space is limited, and interstitials can obstruct a significant portion of the screen, making content nearly inaccessible. This can severely impact mobile usability and discourage users from continuing to engage with the site [Google Search Central Blog, 2016].

Best Practices for Using Interstitials

Non-Intrusive Interstitials

Use non-intrusive interstitials that do not obstruct content. Examples include legal obligation interstitials (like age verification) or login dialogs for sites with private content [Google Search Central Blog, 2016].

Timing and Frequency

Carefully consider the timing and frequency of interstitials. Avoid showing them immediately upon page load. Instead, consider delaying pop-ups until after the user has spent some time interacting with the content [Nielsen Norman Group, 2018].

Conclusion

While interstitials and pop-ups can be effective for certain campaigns, misuse can lead to penalties from Google and degrade user experience. Using interstitials judiciously and ensuring they do not interfere with content accessibility is crucial for maintaining positive user interactions and search rankings.

References