What Is Mouse Trapping?

What Is Mouse Trapping?

Mousetrapping is one of the most extreme marketing tactics on the Web. The goal is to extract maximum value from one-time visits, typically by bombarding visitors with a never-ending supply of traffic-exchange banners and pay-per-click links.

Mousetrapping is a technique used by some websites to keep visitors from leaving their website, either by launching an endless series of pop-up ads or by re-launching their website in a window that cannot be easily closed. Many websites that do this also employ browser hijackers to reset the user's default homepage.

A technique that forces a user to remain on a specific Web site by not allowing the user to leave the site. Whenever the user tries to leave the site by closing the browser window or going to a new URL, the site that is mousetrapping will automatically open a new browser window with its URL or not allow the browser to go to the new URL.

The use of browser tricks in an effort to keep a visitor captive at a site, often by disabling the “Back” button or generated repeated pop-up windows.