Pick up the mobile, turn on the wifi or cellular data and then punch in a query on Google, Tada! The information is right there. Click it and oh no, the app banner ads. Not again! It is like the phone is under a blanket, can’t see anything other than the ad. How to get rid of it? The x button or maybe I can simply close the website and never come back again, Arghhhhhh!
Relax, you will soon get rid of the very annoying app install interstitials as Google has decided to take matters into own hands. It has also been in the news lately that every 2 out of 5 mobile internet users, fell prey to this. Finally a rescue from this mishap.
Over the years Google has been very generous in serving information on the mobile devices, it has also put an effort to make both apps and mobile-friendly websites an easy find. According to Google, information can be present even in apps, therefore even apps must be found easily by the users. However, first preference is given to the users’ convenience. The app install interstitials can be painstakingly annoying and Google very well understands this. It will punish the websites that has app install interstitials that causes the users to download their app prior to viewing their site. The search engine rankings of such websites will start to fall down dramatically, starting from the first of November. So, make sure your website is mobile-friendly.
Will all the app install interstitials be considered non mobile-friendly?
Luckily, no. Only certain types of app install interstitial that hides a significant amount of contents should be avoided. The less frustrating app banners are no threat to the website. Google has already updated its Mobile- Friendly Test. Take your test today. The webmasters will be able to see the no. of pages that has issues, with the help of the Mobile Usability Report. To be on the safe side, take the test today. Browsers provide numerous other ways to promote an application that are both search engine and user friendly. Meaning the app install interstitials are not an ultimate resort.
App install banners are supported by Safari and Google as Smart Banners and Native App Install banners respectively. These have consistent interfaces where the users are more in control of the ad. Anyhow, as long as the app install interstitials gives full control to the users without hiding a great deal of information, the webmasters can employ their own implementations.
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