This weeks UseIt post is interesting. It's filled with interesting usability insights as always, but there's a moral component.
I've [Jakob Nielson] been reluctant to discuss one of the findings from our eyetracking research because the conclusion is that unethical design pays off.
....
A specific ad may or may not be ethical, depending on how closely it masquerades as content. I caution against going too far, because it can backfire and mislead users. Unethical ads will get you more fixations, but ethical business practices will attract more loyal customers in the long run.
Now the truth is out. As far as I'm concerned, speaking the truth is my highest ethical calling, and it's better that the facts be known to everyone than that they remain a secret abused by a few.
Ultimately, the fact that online ads get viewed more when they match surrounding content is a strike against the tendency to build advertising networks. If advertising spots are simply auctioned off, then you can't design an optimized ad for each placement.
Very interesting. Going after ad networks while supporting contextual ad placement. Sounds a lot like Google to me... Read the article.
Comments