Ethan Zuckerman, a developer for Tripod.com back in the late 1990s, is often credited as the creator of the pop-up ad. This type of ad, now so infamous, actually began as a well-intentioned solution for advertisers. At that time, Tripod and other websites relied on banner ads for revenue, but these ads were becoming less effective due to “ad blindness” — users were simply ignoring them. Pop-ups were meant to solve this issue by creating a way to separate ads from the main content of the page.
The idea for the pop-up ad was born when a major car company got worried about their banner ad appearing on a webpage with unexpected content. They feared the placement might reflect poorly on their brand. To solve this, Zuckerman and his team developed a way to load ads in separate browser windows, allowing brands to show ads without directly associating them with specific pages. “I wrote the code to launch the window and run an ad in it. I’m sorry. Our intentions were good,” Zuckerman later admitted.
The Essence of Pop-Up Ads
Pop-up ads were initially seen as innovative and effective because they appeared in new windows that demanded users’ attention. Unlike banners, which blended into the background, pop-ups were hard to miss. Advertisers loved this because it put their message front and center, making it nearly impossible for users to ignore. The format was a breakthrough in ad visibility, and it seemed like a win-win — users didn’t have ads directly in their content, and advertisers got the exposure they wanted.
However, pop-up ads quickly became a double-edged sword. While they achieved the goal of capturing attention, they also began to annoy users who felt disrupted by the frequent appearance of new windows. Some websites started using multiple pop-ups, and the internet soon became a landscape of constant interruptions. Pop-ups went from being a fresh approach to an irritating nuisance.
The Good, the Bad, and the Deceptive
Not long after pop-ups became mainstream, some developers took things a step further by adding tricks to keep users engaged or trick them into clicking. They created misleading “close” and “cancel” buttons that, instead of dismissing the ad, would open more ads or even trigger downloads. Other pop-ups would play loud sounds or animations, catching users off guard and making it hard to escape the ad without clicking on it.
This deceptive behavior only worsened the reputation of pop-ups. The user experience was being sacrificed for the sake of clicks, and people started to lose trust in these ads. As frustration with pop-ups grew, major browsers eventually added pop-up blockers, which helped users browse without constant interruptions. By the early 2000s, these blockers became a standard feature on the internet, and the traditional pop-up ad began to lose its footing.
Pop-Up Ads Today: Less Annoying, More Strategic
Despite their bad reputation, pop-ups didn’t completely disappear. They’ve just evolved. Many websites today use pop-up-like elements in ways that are less invasive, often in the form of “lightbox” pop-ups. Instead of opening in a new window, lightbox pop-ups appear within the page itself, allowing users to close them more easily. These ads are often used for email sign-ups, discount codes, or special offers and usually only appear once or after a user has shown interest by scrolling through a page.
There’s also a newer, more polite version of the pop-up known as the “exit-intent” pop-up. These ads only appear when the user is about to leave the website, often offering a last-minute discount or prompting them to complete a purchase. Exit-intent pop-ups are designed to be less disruptive and more strategic, aiming to engage users who are on the fence rather than interrupting those already browsing.
The Impact of Pop-Ups on Modern Advertising
Pop-up ads changed the course of online advertising, paving the way for various strategies that aim to capture user attention. Although the original pop-ups were short-lived in popularity, they demonstrated the power of directly engaging users. They forced the advertising world to think about the balance between visibility and user experience.
Today, the influence of pop-ups can still be seen in the way advertisers try to engage users. Many sites now use interactive overlays that encourage people to sign up, subscribe, or access a discount. Unlike early pop-ups, these newer elements are typically designed with user experience in mind, aiming to add value rather than create frustration.
What’s Your Take?
So, pop-ups have had a rollercoaster of a journey. From their rise as a solution to “ad blindness” to their downfall as one of the most disliked ad formats, pop-ups have left a lasting mark on the digital ad landscape. Now, as we see more user-friendly formats emerge, pop-ups have found a second life in forms that engage rather than disrupt.
What’s your take on pop-ups? Do you think they still have a place in digital advertising, or do you avoid them in your campaigns?
