6 ms·

Thank god, I stopped clicking twitter links due to this crap

dmix 4y ago
Reddit and Instagram is even worse. Besides cookie boxes (which all have different UIs and rarely a good no button) it's probably the most annoying thing on an ad-blocked internet. How do the designers who work at these tech companies not understand that repeatedly annoying non-user visitors doesn't make them want to sign up? Nor incentivize others to link to it?
- AlexandrB 4y ago
  I think these things come about because of A/B testing. The metric being optimized is probably "app installs" or "account creations" and the negative side effects of driving a bunch of users off are not considered/measured.
  - dmix 4y ago
    Indeed, short term metrics vs long term hatred. I know how it happens, I've designed many a KPI. Something so fundamental and important as the default non-user first-exerpience (not just a 'signup flow') should be evaluated more holistically than just looking at numbers. But I guess when you have layers of middle managers it's safer to point to a spreadsheet than make hard choices.
- quintu5 4y ago
  This is why I never touch new reddit or visit the site on mobile. It's old reddit + ublock origin on desktop and a third-party app on mobile every time.
  - tmh88j 4y ago
    Try using i.reddit.com on mobile, it's a bit more tolerable.
- mdaEyebot 4y ago
  Considering where their revenue comes from, have you considered that they may not want people who run ad-blockers to sign up? They'll tolerate you if you produce content to help keep the paying users engaged, but plenty of businesses choose not to pursue customers who are unlikely to generate profit.
  - dmix 4y ago
    What do ad blockers have to do with invasive sign up modals? They show up regardless. I think you missed the point.
- DeltaCoast 4y ago
  Agreed. I've noticed instagram and reddit over the last year have really tried to squeeze the last bit of growth it can by blocking non registered visitors from using the site past a couple of clicks. I get that it's their server resources I'm using up but for some reason the way they do it just aggravates me.
- delecti 4y ago
  Non-technical non-users are not dissuaded, they sign up. Technical non-users using adblock aren't profitable conversions anyway, so "who cares?" is an entirely reasonable decision for the PO/PM who made it.
- criddell 4y ago
  When a sign-in-to-see-the-thing-you-just-searched-for shows up, I take it as a sign that the company isn't doing very well. If you've ran out of good ideas for driving growth, you start considering the bad ideas.
- drewbeck 4y ago
  Do you have numbers for the claim that this behavior doesn’t incentivize sign up? I’d guess that for most folks it indeed does — at some point you get annoyed enough to go through with the sign up process. These sites never log you out so it’s a one time thing. I personally am not inspired to sign up in these situations but I’d guess the numbers show that I’m in the minority.
- ok_dad 4y ago
  Even fucking Google keeps putting a half-page pop-up on my iPhone saying "WANT TO SIGN IN, OR JUST KEEP SEARCHING 'ANONYMOUSLY' LIKE A CHUMP?" or something just as fucking annoying.
  - noizejoy 4y ago
    The Guardian does something similar.
    - ok_dad 4y ago
      Yea, and the annoying part about Google is that you know that they know you're user X, just not logged in. They know I am logged in to several different accounts from this IP, they know I search for similar stuff under those accounts as I do when not logged in, etc. I feel like it would be more honest for Google to write something like, "Hey, ok_dad, we know it's you, just log in so we can save your porn searches to your account properly, rather than having to do data mining on your nasty habits."
- Railander 4y ago
  > repeatedly annoying non-user visitors doesn't make them want to sign up? It absolutely does, and that is precisely why they keep doing it. It doesn't work for the kinds of people that browse hackernews, but that's not their core audience anyway. It's like saying ads don't work because you and me never click them because we use an adblock. Clearly they do work, and quite well...
malermeister 4y ago
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/breakthrough-twitter-loginwall/ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/breakthrough-... Enjoy :)

dmix 4y ago

Reddit and Instagram is even worse. Besides cookie boxes (which all have different UIs and rarely a good no button) it's probably the most annoying thing on an ad-blocked internet. How do the designers who work at these tech companies not understand that repeatedly annoying non-user visitors doesn't make them want to sign up? Nor incentivize others to link to it?

AlexandrB 4y ago
I think these things come about because of A/B testing. The metric being optimized is probably "app installs" or "account creations" and the negative side effects of driving a bunch of users off are not considered/measured.
- dmix 4y ago
  Indeed, short term metrics vs long term hatred. I know how it happens, I've designed many a KPI. Something so fundamental and important as the default non-user first-exerpience (not just a 'signup flow') should be evaluated more holistically than just looking at numbers. But I guess when you have layers of middle managers it's safer to point to a spreadsheet than make hard choices.
quintu5 4y ago
This is why I never touch new reddit or visit the site on mobile. It's old reddit + ublock origin on desktop and a third-party app on mobile every time.
- tmh88j 4y ago
  Try using i.reddit.com on mobile, it's a bit more tolerable.
mdaEyebot 4y ago
Considering where their revenue comes from, have you considered that they may not want people who run ad-blockers to sign up? They'll tolerate you if you produce content to help keep the paying users engaged, but plenty of businesses choose not to pursue customers who are unlikely to generate profit.
- dmix 4y ago
  What do ad blockers have to do with invasive sign up modals? They show up regardless. I think you missed the point.
DeltaCoast 4y ago
Agreed. I've noticed instagram and reddit over the last year have really tried to squeeze the last bit of growth it can by blocking non registered visitors from using the site past a couple of clicks. I get that it's their server resources I'm using up but for some reason the way they do it just aggravates me.
delecti 4y ago
Non-technical non-users are not dissuaded, they sign up. Technical non-users using adblock aren't profitable conversions anyway, so "who cares?" is an entirely reasonable decision for the PO/PM who made it.
criddell 4y ago
When a sign-in-to-see-the-thing-you-just-searched-for shows up, I take it as a sign that the company isn't doing very well. If you've ran out of good ideas for driving growth, you start considering the bad ideas.
drewbeck 4y ago
Do you have numbers for the claim that this behavior doesn’t incentivize sign up? I’d guess that for most folks it indeed does — at some point you get annoyed enough to go through with the sign up process. These sites never log you out so it’s a one time thing. I personally am not inspired to sign up in these situations but I’d guess the numbers show that I’m in the minority.
ok_dad 4y ago
Even fucking Google keeps putting a half-page pop-up on my iPhone saying "WANT TO SIGN IN, OR JUST KEEP SEARCHING 'ANONYMOUSLY' LIKE A CHUMP?" or something just as fucking annoying.
- noizejoy 4y ago
  The Guardian does something similar.
  - ok_dad 4y ago
    Yea, and the annoying part about Google is that you know that they know you're user X, just not logged in. They know I am logged in to several different accounts from this IP, they know I search for similar stuff under those accounts as I do when not logged in, etc. I feel like it would be more honest for Google to write something like, "Hey, ok_dad, we know it's you, just log in so we can save your porn searches to your account properly, rather than having to do data mining on your nasty habits."
Railander 4y ago
> repeatedly annoying non-user visitors doesn't make them want to sign up? It absolutely does, and that is precisely why they keep doing it. It doesn't work for the kinds of people that browse hackernews, but that's not their core audience anyway. It's like saying ads don't work because you and me never click them because we use an adblock. Clearly they do work, and quite well...

malermeister 4y ago

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/breakthrough-twitter-loginwall/ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/breakthrough-... Enjoy :)