WashingtonPost.com deploys Apture link overlays
Cory Bergman April 16th, 2008
Two WashingtonPost.com blogs are experimenting with a technology from Apture that pops up related information and photos (even video clips) when you mouse-over selected links. On the blog Celebritology, for example, I moused over this link of Madonna…
I’ve always been a little mixed about link overlays (like Snapshots, for example), because of the potential to clutter the user experience. But when used sparingly, I think they can add value. Your thoughts?
8 Comments Add your own
1. Anonymous | April 16th, 2008 at 9:18 am
No no no always no! Nothing is worse than links that POP-UP commercial, possibly unrelated, possibly inappropriate content beyond your control. Mom and pop home users do not understand the difference between your intentional links (to sections of your site or related stories) and these automated links. The vast majority of your users will assume that YOU put those links in there that trick you into thinking their simple links but really give you POP-UP spam ads that you weren’t expecting. I seriously can’t believe you think these have value to a business. Make a few bucks via deceptive practices today, lose half of your previously loyal visitors tomorrow. Get real. No no no always no!
2. tdc | April 16th, 2008 at 9:32 am
better put down that drink… “thinking ‘their’ simple links…”????
hey, if cory can’t drink around here, then no one can.
but on the subject matter- if they were links to numerous sources (yes, outside your walled garden), then yes yes yes always yes!
3. Steve | April 16th, 2008 at 11:17 am
How long before a Firefox plugin gets developed to block that kind of thing? God bless NoScript, Nuke Anything and Adblock.
4. Amanda E. | April 16th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
Not only no, but hell no.
NYT uses those popups in a similar feature on their stories if you accidentally double click on a word. In the NYT case, its to provide definitions and etymologies on the word you clicked on from answers.com
Quite frankly I do not need the definition and etymology of various words such as “the”, “any” “school”, etc., and if you really think your audience does, get off your high horse and quit insulting and belittling your audience’s education. You are just digging yourself deeper into the hole of irrelevancy when it comes to the brave new world of online media.
5. bongobutt | April 16th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
Hello!!! Did any of you notice that the Washington Post put those links there, that they are NOT automatic pop-ups, that they are NOT ads. Get off your beer soaked couch and actually look at it. You might learn something! LOL!!!
6. Michael Gay | April 16th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
I actually like these. As Bongobutt points out, these are editorially chosen, and they each provide more information about the subject. They aren’t ad links to offsite, which I would agree are disruptive.
I sure feel like I learn more about the post topic when I can mouseover items to get details.
By the way, Amanda - Why would you double click on a word anyway? I’ve never accidentally double-clicked anything.
7. Anonymous | April 16th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
Ads (worse) or not (photos), popups triggered by a simple mouseover are still going to annoy your audience. Just moving your mouse from one part of the page to another accidentally pops up with something which blocks your view and you have to click to close it, even though you didn’t have to click to open it in the first place. I agree that this mouseover popup technology has much more downside than upside.
8. Foxy | July 4th, 2008 at 8:52 am
like these
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