I’ve noticed a rise of banner ads that trick you into clicking on them. Just today, I accidentally clicked on a couple. Here’s an example from the CNET download site. I was trying to download the AVG anti-virus package, and clicked on the fake download button for some “Advanced registry optimizer” that was made to look like the CNET download button:
The reason these ads exist is because they (at least seem to) make economic sense: Advertisers pay a fixed price per impression, and so it is in their interests to increase the click-through rate per ad as much as they can.
The problem is that this is really a fallacy. Increasing the number of click-throughs this way will not help your overall conversions. If I wasn’t looking for your product to begin with, being tricked to visit your site isn’t likely to make me want it any more. In fact, it may just make me hate your brand with a vengeance. This is like a new breed of pop-up ads, only more insidious.
I’m expecting a backlash against this sort of behavior. People hate being tricked, and will take out their frustrations on the most likely target: The advertiser.