The Viability of Modals Causes Controversy Among Web Experts

In a recent article published on Medium about designing for the modern web, the author makes a snarky remark that 'research has shown that modals that cannot be closed have the best conversion rate'.
Modals are in-page pop-ups that appear when viewing a website; some of them activate when the site detects you are about to exit. It almost always requires a user action to make it go away.
Some modals, by design, use large proportionally sized call-to-action buttons alongside exit buttons that are too small or obscure. A few websites don't even bother with exit buttons at all – forcing visitors to assume that clicking outside the modal window will close it.
Let's not forget the kind of modal you can dismiss but remain sticky on the side of the page, sometimes obscuring the content itself. And just how many times do visitors have to endure endless requests for feedback surveys? Cookies, anyone? If we got a real cookie for every cookie notification that pops up, well... we wouldn't complain.
With the proliferation of ad-blockers and websites that block content when it detects its usage, modals are also used as a means of delivering advertising.
This is sketchy UI at best, but at worst it's a burden for visitors using tablets or phones. Sometimes, the only way to escape the rogue modal is to use the back button on the browser or closing the browser tab itself.
These practices are the surest way to high bounce rates and damaged brand credibility.
A badly designed modal may hold a visitor captive for a few more seconds, but is that the best way to win over a subscriber or customer?
An ideal modal is a means to offer visitors something above and beyond their immediate browsing experience. It should offer something of real value in exchange for a conversion.
It can be something informative, useful or entertaining: a link to an e-book, an online coupon code or an exclusive video download.
In an increasingly crowded webscape, the value of a conversion is not just a sign-up, but establishing a trusting relationship. For more information click here https://medium.com/commitlog/how-to-design-for-the-modern-web-52eaa926bae2?source=friends_link&sk=74828fa5c51e051238ae1f986c72186d.