My browser setup is totally vanilla, relying on Firefox and common plugins like Flash. However, I frequently come across websites where the Flash banner ads appear on top of key navigational elements, or the ads expand to cover the page and there’s no way to close them. Sure, there are Firefox extensions that block ads entirely, but most people don’t know how to use them. If my experience is typical, a whole lot of people are getting a poor web experience due to malfunctioning Flash ads.

As a webmaster or site owner, it’s your job to test your site, including any third-party components that you place on it. If you’re using an ad network to fill the ad space, make sure their ads aren’t getting in the way of site navigation, article content, etc. Some ad networks may never test the ads before inserting them into your site. So if you’re not careful, you may end up frustrating your customers and forcing them to go elsewhere. Remember, without a loyal audience, there’s nothing to monetize with ads in the first place.