Google's argumentation about not clicking to open a new window

[Erik Geurts]

I've tried to get some meaningful exchanges of points of view with Google regarding my request to be able to open a advertisers site in a new window instead of replacing my site with the advertiser's site. Google says they will not discuss it. They say that: (1) it is agains their policy to open new windows on click, and (2) their advertisers don't want it.

My points now are: (a) The larger publishers (I saw it on NYTimes.com) do get to open the advertiser websites in new windows, (b) Google uses the 'new window' a lot themselves, for instance in the AdWords member site and (c) I'm and AdWords advertiser myself, and I woulnd't mind one bit if my site was opened in a new window, so the visitor isn't annoyed to have 'lost' the referring site he/she was spending time at.

What do you think?

Erik

[FILExt]

The New York Times appears to qualify for the AdSense Premium Service and with that you get customized ad placement and the like -- probably to include opening a new page for ads.

We peons (less than 20 million page shows/month) have to take the standard formats. :)

[Bobette Kyle]

Of course I'd rather keep the traffic on my site, but I can see the logic in not having a window open. There is enough to contend with in the fight against click fraud. If they started letting sites open in a new window, seems like it would require a whole new level of monitoring.

[GaryB]

Wow! I didn't know there was a rule against opening a new window.
In the code, how do you change it so it doesn't open into a new window? :confused:

[FILExt]

Simple, DON'T CHANGE THE CODE. That, also, is a violation of the terms of service.

[Erik Geurts]

Wow! I didn't know there was a rule against opening a new window.
In the code, how do you change it so it doesn't open into a new window? :confused:
The standard code you get from Google opens the site in the same window. There is no way to change it to open in a new window, and, as said, it is not allowed to change the code.

But anyway, I don't think Google's point has anything to do with fighting click fraude.

So for, nobody made any real dents in the three points I mentioned in my original post that started this thread (except a remark about premium publishers like nytimes.com).

[Joel Comm]

I believe Google has several reasons for this...

1) A visitor is more likely to stay at a site if it is in the same window. If the window pops, it is easier to close it and go back to where you were. That serves the publisher, but not the advertiser.

2) Pop up blockers are becoming more efficient. Today's pop up can become tomorrow's click to nowhere.

3) The pop ups Google uses on their site keep you within their site.

That's my dos centavos...

Joel

[Erik Geurts]

OK, these are potential reasons, but not very convincing in my opinion.

When someone clicks an ad, I guess he/she is really interested in the subject but also in the site the ad was on. In that respect, I feel it's valid to open the advertiser site in a new window, so both sites remain open. The visitor and the publisher have needs too.

It annoys the hell out of me when I am diverted to a new site and (possibly) loose the old site without being told in advance. But then, I always use Shift-click, which opens the link in a new window no matter what.

Google has a rule in their "Don't be evil" guidelines that forbid them to open sites in a new window (which is in my view something altogether different from a popup), but they allow new windows from their search results and use it a lot on their AdSense and AdWords pages. So why not allow a link to open in a new window when it is an ad?

[OttawaAdsense]

I find that kinda stupid myself and wish they would also put their search results, the same little icon yahoo uses in their search results to open in a new window.

Anyone can open the link in a new window, so I don't understand the argument at all. I will constantly open in new window when I come across interesting links in articles or whatever, then come back to the article and look at the new windows when I am done reading it.

D