Popups test
From SiteRay wiki
| SiteRay Test | |
|---|---|
| First appeared: | Sitescore 1.0 |
| Applies to: | All versions |
| Type: | Individual test |
| Scored: | Always |
What does it do?
Checks whether self-opening popup windows exist on the website. These are popups which appear automatically when a user loads a page, usually without their consent.
In contrast, user requested popups are windows which open after the user clicks something within a page, and are usually intentional.
Why is it important?
Popups are consistently identified as a top annoyance for web users. Accordingly over 70% of all web users now have one or more popup blocking tools enabled. The latest versions of all the leading browsers also block popups by default. They not only annoy users: in the majority of instances they aren't even visible to them any more.
Example results
How is it measured?
Sitescore checks for certain Javascript which typically opens a popup window. The score is penalised heavily for each use of a popup throughout the site, proportional to the size of the website.
Technical explanation
The signature Javascript is "window.open". Sitescore attempts to evaluate whether this script is called via user request (e.g. a link) or other event (e.g. loading the page).
Common problems
Sitescore cannot possibly simulate the actual execution of the Javascript that would go on every webpage (this is fundamentally impossible). Accordingly, it is vulnerable to some false positives and negatives, such as:
- Complex methods to open popups are invoked by user behaviour. In particular, if these don't use links, but some other element (e.g. a DIV with an onclick event).
- Self-opening popups are obfuscated by exceptional methods.
- Javascript can be concealed through layers of encrypted eval statements, and other trickery. Such methods are impossible to detect.
These limitations will affect any popup detection, but client side tools (such as web browsers) have the advantage that they can block them on run-time events.
How to improve this score
Remove self-opening popups from the website. If popups are essential, ensure that they are opened by the user (i.e. click here to open this window), as these are much less likely to be blocked automatically.
How to use this test effectively
Ensure that self opening popups never exist on your website.
Future developments
Browsers are increasingly blocking all forms of popup window by default, even user-requested popups. The trend appears to be towards in-page windows, i.e. lightboxes.
We're observing the situation and may consider penalising for any form of popup in future.
