---
title: Guide on avoiding intrusive interstitials and dialogs to improve user experience and SEO
description: "## What Are Intrusive Interstitials & Dialogs? - **Interstitials:** Overlays that cover the entire page, blocking access to content. - **Dialogs:** Smaller pop-ups that block part of the content. - Typically used for promotions, app installs, or sign-ups. ## Why…"
url: "https://fsidm.in/knowledge/seo/avoid-intrusive-interstitials/"
updated: "2025-09-28"
category: SEO
---

# Guide on avoiding intrusive interstitials and dialogs to improve user experience and SEO

## What Are Intrusive Interstitials & Dialogs?

- **Interstitials:** Overlays that cover the entire page, blocking access to content.
- **Dialogs:** Smaller pop-ups that block part of the content.
- Typically used for promotions, app installs, or sign-ups.

## Why Avoid Intrusive Interstitials?

- They frustrate users by blocking access to content immediately.
- Make it harder for Google to crawl and understand your page content.
- Can harm your search rankings and user trust.
- Users may avoid your site if it’s difficult to use.

## Best Practices for Non-Intrusive Dialogs:

### 1. Use Banners Instead of Full Interstitials

- Use banners that take only a small portion of the screen (e.g., app install banners or newsletter sign-ups).
- Banners allow users to see and interact with your content without interruption.
- Examples: Smart App Banners (Safari), Chrome in-app install prompts, small HTML banners.

### 2. Use Standard Libraries and Plugins

- Use CMS plugins or standard dialog libraries (e.g., WordPress plugins for newsletter signups).
- This helps Google better recognize and handle dialogs, improving SEO.

### 3. Avoid Common Mistakes

- Don’t cover the entire page with an interstitial unless legally required.
- Avoid redirecting users to a different page for consent or input (e.g., no separate consent page).
- Allow users to access content immediately without forced actions.

### **Handling Mandatory Interstitials**

Some sites must show interstitials for legal or safety reasons (like age verification for casinos). In these cases:

- Overlay the content with the interstitial rather than blocking it entirely.
- Don’t redirect all traffic to a single consent page—this can remove your content from Google’s index.
- Serve full content to **Googlebot** without triggering the interstitial, so Google can crawl and index your content.

### **Summary**

Focus on **non-disruptive, user-friendly dialogs** that let visitors access your content easily, and avoid full-page pop-ups unless absolutely necessary. This approach improves user satisfaction and helps your SEO.