'Directory Submissions, Bravenet Traffic Exchange and Obtrusive Obnoxiousness'

Directory Submissions, Bravenet Traffic Exchange and Obtrusive Obnoxiousness

By Wilbur Corncob at 07/07/08 12:24

I realize that the instructions are probably the last thing people who submit to our directories read. It also helps explain why since Mid March, 2008 we've approved 8,298 submissions and rejected 4,324.

Many of those sites we rejected would have been approved had the instructions been read and followed a little beter.

Now another problem has cropped up, and I don't think reading our instructions would have helped... we say "... and most importantly that our human wasn't subjected to a barrage of popups ... presentation that frustrate their ability to verify your listing."

Now, comes Bravenet and some Traffic Exchange / Exit Popup / Popunder. If you are using this service I bet you are not only frustrating out reviewers but your potential clients as well.

We have a solution and many may find it brutal, but much less so than the brutality of Bravenet

First, Bravenet claims on their website,

Exchange Window Displays Non-Invasively: Exchange windows are designed to appear behind the visitors current window as unobtrusively as possible.

What I've found is that several websites have been submitted to our directories that contain an embeded javascript that comes from http://exchange.bravenet.com/exit (you can go search for the full path and name yourself). What this script does is open a window that is the size of my screen, that means is covers up the task bar, operating system menus and has only the url line and no other browser controls (such as the X to close the window).

I don't think the word "unobtrusively" could be use anywhere in connection with a script that acts in that manner under any condition.

Today, we updated our review script so that any site which has a link, or other reference to exchange.bravenet.com will be automatically rejected from our directory. We will also scan our preexisting entries and remove any with similar links, references or javascript.

Any benefit such a system main gain you, whether from bravenet or anyone else will far outweighed by the annoyance factor. Do you want to build good client relations or act like you are a duck trying to nibble them to death?

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