Use Pop-ups Effectively for You and Your Customers
Pop-ups are an effective marketing tool and can generate more email subscriptions, sales, and a higher level of interaction with your brand. However, when misused, they can have the alternate effect of scaring away a potential customer or negatively impacting SEO through higher bounce rates. Don't risk losing out on a potential sale with a poorly placed pop-up.
Effectively use pop-ups in the following ways:
Timed: A timed pop-up will only appear after a predetermined number of seconds. For example, 10 seconds and it's based on user activity. If the user is still on the page after 10 seconds, there's a good chance that they're starting to engage with the content.
Scroll: This is an action-based pop-up indicating the user has chosen to engage with the website. For example, if the user has scrolled down 50% of the page, the pop-up appears.
Page-based: These types of pop-ups will be triggered when the user has visited a set number of pages in their browsing session or because they have visited a specific page in their browsing, such as pricing. For effectiveness, this can be combined with a timed pop-up.
On-click: This pop-up is triggered by an action such as a user requesting information or signing up for a newsletter.
Placement: Pop-ups can be shown in many ways. One of the most common (and jarring) is a full-screen pop-up. While these can work, they do interfere with the browsing experience. Better options would include a modal centered pop-up (not full screen), a banner at the top or bottom of the website, or a slide-in option from the lower left or right corner.
Exit Intent (Use carefully!): An exit intent pop-up is still quite an annoying experience for someone who has chosen to leave a website. It can undoubtedly win back customers with the right message but must be used sparingly and with great caution. This type of pop-up is best used for a limited-time promotion.
Let us help you strategize your pop-up pages for an optimal user experience. One of our experts is ready to help!
Jason Bass is a marketing strategist, community builder, and founder who turns bold ideas into real momentum. At the helm of Jason Hunter Design, Pixel Partner Digital, and The Citizen, he brings clarity to chaos, structure to startups, and firepower to brands ready to scale. Known for his visionary thinking and down-to-earth leadership, Jason helps businesses grow — not just in revenue, but in purpose and impact.