“…when used properly, consoles are too effective to be ignored, because they can add substantially to your bottom line…”“…when used properly, consoles are too effective to be ignored, because they can add substantially to your bottom line…”

Love them or hate them, consoles are a ubiquitous fact of life on the adult Internet, and they are becoming more prevalent on mainstream sites as well; and while they may be despised by surfers, they’re greatly loved by webmasters… Why? Consoles make money.

At the outset I must tell you that excessive use – or misuse – of consoles will alienate surfers and keep your page from getting listed on most link lists, top lists, and TGP’s, and their use often violates a sponsor’s terms and conditions. Like JavaScript bells and whistles, a little goes a long way when using consoles, and the worst thing that you can do is loop them in an effort to circle-jerk the viewer. That being said, when used properly, consoles are just too effective to be ignored, because they can add substantially to your bottom line.

In this “Console Cookbook” I will present four different types of consoles, some of which you may be familiar with, others you may not have seen before. They are enter and exit consoles, stealth consoles, and my infamous “rat bastard” console.

The thing to remember when using consoles – especially the more “advanced” versions – is that since they are implemented using JavaScript, their performance can often be “unpredictable.” Netscape in particular seems to choke on a lot of consoles. Still, they’re worth using.

Similar Structures, Different Uses

While all consoles perform basically the same function, providing you with another shot at turning your prospect into a customer, their design and deployment varies with their application. For instance:

OnEnter Consoles are generally designed to “pop” when a surfer first enters your site, hopefully sending him straight to your sponsor before he consumes any of your precious bandwidth.

OnExit Consoles generally pop when the surfer leaves your site, providing you with one last chance to make a sale. This is the most common use of a console.

Stealth Consoles are some of my favorites. Generally popping when the surfer enters your site, they “hide” behind the main window, and are usually only visible once the main window is closed.

Multiple Consoles are just that; several consoles that pop simultaneously. In most configurations (where you pop several individual windows) this is ill advised. I however, have an effective solution.

Back-Button Re-Directs are essentially exit consoles that load in the main browser window rather than in a separate window. I often prefer this style as it is less intrusive, and while surfers often immediately close those familiar pop-ups, this one often gets noticed.

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The “Rat Bastard” was named after what a disgruntled surfer called me for using it. I hesitate to give this one out, because it is a powerful “secret weapon” when used properly – but the underlying code structure can be used for a variety of less “evil” designs. Use this with care, because most sites won’t link to you if they see it, and you will never make a sale on the site you link to. But for sending traffic to a blind link sponsor or a top list, this little gem is hard to beat! ;^)

Reader Comments on this Article:

Comment by:Summary:
StephenA Console Cookbook
OzJeezus.
StevenAdding to the bottom line..
KiVery good keep going, wonderful art…
Shiprekdbeware: some wysiwyg editors don’t….
SBThank You!!!
James JonesJust What I have been Looking for
ThorHow do kill the “back” button