The most effective marketing tactics are cringeworthy for marketers.

You know when you learn a new word and you start seeing it everywhere? That's known as the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon. It happens in marketing too.

I remember the first time that I saw the Spin-the-Wheel popup.

Neil Patel. Notorious in the world of SEO for all of the wrong reasons. Primarily for stealing other people's content without remorse.

Then I saw the Spin-the-Wheel on a few other sites. Then a few more.

You know everyone 'wins.' You know you're getting manipulated. You can't help but judge the brands that choose to use the tactics on their site.

Marketers use tactics because they've been told they work.

You might hate a certain marketing trend because you're a marketer.

But invasive, aggressive marketing tactics don't always register as a bedbug infestation to non-marketers.

Which trendy tactics are some of the worst offenders?

Popups

Popups generate conversion rates of 3%.

Not all pop-ups are created equal. Does your popup appear right as someone enters your site? What? You don't provide an easy way to close it? You're a jerk and that's why nobody invites you to their birthday party.

No, you need subtlety, a quality offer, and an easy way to escape.

Gated Content

It's trendy to hate on gated content. Why should I give up my email address for a crappy eBook? It's a fair question.

If the content is valuable and the marketer does a good job of selling you on the value, why not give up your information for access?

That's the tradeoff.

Email Marketing

I absolutely hate the requirement to sign up for a newsletter from a brand in order to get 15% off my first order.

The same thing happens every time. I sign up. Get my discount. Make my purchase. I'm bombarded by a series of texts and emails that are obnoxious, extra salesy, and require a long cold shower.

I unsubscribe. I hate the brand. I leave. (Until I like their next product. Rinse and repeat.)

Segmented emails with valuable information that your audience care about can deliver repeat customers for life.

The problem isn't the tactic. It's the execution.

If you use the tactic incorrectly and don't understand your audience, you're going to tarnish the relationship with your customers.

Good content. Good value. Good selling propositions. They make the tactics effective. They can work for YOU.

Executing them well? That's not easy.

What tactics do you hate?