Can Using Explorer Destroyer Actually Destroy Your Profits?

Jul 12th, 2007 by David Murphy-Colonna | Scroll down for comments

Explorer Destroyer is a project, (more like a movement), that lets web publishers and bloggers, make money through Google Adsense by making Internet Explorer users switch to Mozilla Firefox browser. Although I am a huge fan of Mozilla FireFox and think it is way better then Internet Explorer, there are many downsides to using Explorer Destroyer to make a few bucks.

The main goal of Explorer Destroyer is to promote Mozilla Firefox and rid Microsoft of its monopolizing of Internet Explorer. This is a great goal and I support it totally, but it may not be able to make you as much money as you think, in fact it may even hurt you in the long run.

The way Explorer Destroyer works is that it gives you a $1 dollar through Google adsense for every person you convert to Mozilla Firefox through using their ‘script’ on your website. Take a look how Explorer Destroyer works:

Three settings: Gentle, Semi-serious, and Dead-serious

When you install the script on your site, you can decide how much force you want to use to convince your users to switch away from the dark side:

Level 1: Gentle Encouragement Rating: $$
Visitors using IE see a message encouraging them to download Firefox (with a download link) running across the top of the page.

Level 2: Semi-serious Rating: $$$$
Visitors using IE get a friendly splash page encouraging them to download Firefox. There’s a download link, and a link to continue on to your site.

Level 3: Dead serious
Level 3 will not allow people using IE past a splash page. This level is very useful for sites that are not IE6 compatible. And there’s never been a more important moment to switch people to Firefox. Can you handle it? (At least try it for a day to see how good it feels.)

This seems like a great idea right? Force your users to make the better move to Mozilla so they can fully use your site, and the dollars will start rolling in. Could happen but likely not. Look at it this way:

The Problems

Say you get 400 Unique Visitors a day, do you actually think they will all switch over just to view a site they have never seen before? Chances are no, especially if you are dealing with an older audience who are way less willing to change.

You can use Level 2 of Explorer Destroyer (not 1 because users can ignore Level 1 and continue to use the sight and be annoyed) and can make $20 (not saying this is bad), but you may want to look at it in the long run.

Those other 380 people who didn’t want to switch over, will probably never come back to your site again knowing they had a bad first experience. You have just lost out on those people who could become regular use users and click your ads daily and spread your reputation costing you $$$.

Especially if you are starting a new site or blog I do not recommend using Explorer Destroyer because I don’t think most people will waste their time downloading FireFox if they don’t even know if your site is even worth it.

If you want to try this I suggest you give your site some time to develop and audience that trusts you and wants to come back regularly and then try putting Explorer Destroyer (Level 1 or 2) up for a week and see how it affects your traffic. If it declines take it off, if not and you make some serious cash leave it up for another week.

Lightening Tip: Also we have to realize that we are trying to make our sites as appealing as possible, and having pop ups that cover the screen nagging you to download something is not a commodity that people will keep coming back for. Buttons are more classy even if they won’t make you as much money, it will be more appealing to the eye.

So overall, I think Explorer Destroyer will definitely hurt your site and profits in the long run. If you already have a decent fan base I would maybe try Level 1 or 2 for a week maybe just to see how it goes, who knows you may make a few dollars.

But if you are skeptical and you try it just be aware of the possible consequences. We are here to make you money, not lose it so beware of the Explorer Destroyer.

Tell us what you think! Leave us a comment about Explorer Destroyer and your experiences with it. Do you agree or disagree that it could hurt your profits? Is it worth the loss of traffic to your site to make a few bucks early on? If you try it, good luck and keep making that money.

David Murphy-Colonna posted this article under General News on Thursday, July 12th, 2007 at 10:48 pm You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment or trackback from your own site. View Technorati Linkbacks.