Yesterday I wrote about how overlays can be annoying, and here’s more proof that they’re not immune to hype and misuse.

Business Management Daily, the subject of this week’s Case Study on Subscription Site Insider, uses a variety of free information products for lead generation for premium content sales. The site recently tested the best format for presenting lead gen offers using a pop-up ad, an overlay and a sidebar display ad.

Obviously, the pop-ad performed poorly — audiences have been finding those annoying for years. But what’s surprising is that the overlay offer only got “middling” results, according to Publisher Adam Goldstein. Instead, a display ad interspersed amid content on the page performed best.

Which just goes to show — the rules are still being written when it comes to web design and conversion.

Read more about Business Management Daily, including their unique conversion model that ties trial subscriptions to one-off Webinar trainings, on Subscription Site Insider.