NEWS Subscribe
June 17, 2009
The online ad formats that drive people away

Many marketers won't be pleased with a new report from Business Insider that pulls together a list of the 10 most hated online ad formats. Based on data from usability testing firm Catalyst Group, many of the most heavily used online ad formats have few fans on the user side despite their growing popular in advertising circles.

For good measure, Business Insider admits that it perpetrates a few of these unpopular units on its readers, but also points out that the average consumer hates every form of advertising, at least on the surface.

Here's the complete list of the most hated online ad formats:

  • Banner ads below headers
  • Ads that look like content
  • Dancing ads
  • Auto-expanding half-page ads
  • Banners next to logos
  • Billboards in the top right corner
  • Google text links interrupting content
  • Ads with hidden close buttons
  • Interstitials
  • Page take-overs

WHITE PAPER LIBRARY

View More Research »