Pop-ups, effective or annoying? What is optimal?

“The guy who wrote the code for the first pop-up ads says he's sorry for creating them,” CNN Money reports.

Pop-ups are almost always rated as one of the most hated marketing techniques. Many surfers disregard and close them without bothering to read the advertisement while some may simply leave the site. There are also users who choose to have pop-ups totally blocked.

So, should marketers still use pop-ups?

Nevertheless, pop-ups can do the job, according to studies. Where do we draw the line, then? Let’s jump right into the answer:

The pop-under – a window temporarily hidden, which becomes visible when the visitor leaves the site

Consider showing the pop-up window when the user exits your site instead of entering. This way, the user would be able to get the information they came for and would probably leave your site with a positive impression. Since the user is happy that their initial objectives are met, they are more open to other ideas.