Delaying page load except for ads

[Teshka]

More and more I'm coming across sites where the header/logo and Adsense ads load, but the rest of the page doesn't come up for a few seconds. Now, I can certainly see why the publishers would do this, but it's a bit annoying as a surfer. I usually hit the back button and just look for another site.

I wonder if Adsense has a policy on this sort of thing? Should there be? Do you guys think it's a good idea or too irritating to visitors?

I don't plan to implement it either way, but I'm curious how others feel.

[Rodney]

Some webmasters may not know better or know how to stop it from happening.

As an "on purpose" tactic to try to earn more as a publisher, I wouldn't recommend it.

[david_uk]

I agree with the OP. If I do a search on a topic of interest, I expect to see the content, and might look at the ads. If the ads loaded, then there was a delay in waiting to see if the site was interesting, I'd click the back button too. If they had done anything to stop me using the back button then I'd never visit them again!

It's not an adsense policy to have the ads loaded first - that's down to the webmaster. In my case, the content is loaded first, the navigation bar next, then the ads and other graphic elements last. I deliberately load the content first, as that's what I like to see in a site myself. And it has to be said that I do OK out of adsense :)