You are browsing a website and interested in a certain topic, bam! Out of the blue, a new window opens, declaring that you should subscribe, a discount is waiting for you, or you must answer a survey.

Indeed, we are discussing pop-up notifications, perhaps some of the most valued and disliked tools.

Remember, there are various popup options; not all are the same! 

In the remainder of this article, we will try to understand popups and analyze their effects on user engagement. We will also give valuable tips on how to set up popups so that guests will not flee like the jack from the light.

What Is a Popup?

A popup is a dialogue box shown on the screen in front of the existing content of a particular page. It often overlaps the content of the webpage.

Their objective is to ‘sell’ the user something, whether that is a product or their attention geared toward a certain e-mail list. Such popups include coupons and code offers, notifications, time counters, feedback and opinions, and spins.

Popups can take various forms, including:

• Light Box Popups: Unlike other popups, which only occupy part of the screen or appear in small windows, these popups expand across the entire screen and force the user to focus on the message they convey. They are usually employed to announce major events, subscribe to newsletters, or address issues requiring ID proof.
• Slide In Box Popups: This type of popup covers only a certain area on the right or left side of the screen and is less irritating than fully-screen popups like Side Bar. It is most applied to the chat boxes, sharing buttons, and contact lists.
• Sticky Bar Popups: Sticky Bar popups are located at the top or bottom of the webpage. Disregarding a simple-looking animation, they catch the reader’s attention slightly intrusively. They can be used to notify users about cookies they must agree to under GDPR or for anything temporary, like half-term offers.
• Embed: To make the change possible, capturing the following points about OptinAble’s embed campaign is important. Incorporating them within the general website context enhances the user experience and enables improved interactivity.

“Popup” Or “Pop-Up”?

Now, before I immerse you further into the realm of popups, there are some things about which I must confess. What is the correct spelling? Is there a hyphen in it, such as “popup” or “pop-up”? Both are correct if you are talking about computers and technology, but “popup” is used in contemporary language.

The term ‘pop-up’ derives from the first element ‘, pop’, which can be related to something quick or sudden and the second element ‘, up’, which alludes to the fact that the display is on top of another. But gradually, the full term ‘popup’ has lost its hyphen and become the most common form today.

Are Popups Annoying?

Well, it depends. Traditionally, popups were considered an annoying and invasive method of sharing information with users, popping up with messages that were of no importance to them.

Now and again, when the Internet was first popularized, popups were an annoying pest that interfered with the users’ browsing and caused anger.

Yet, the efficiency and simplification of these elements remained advisable and dependable over a certain time.

Did you know?

This is because 10% of mobile pop-ups recorded the highest % conversion rate of 9%. 28%.

Thus, no matter how much you love or hate popups, they work great and are good if used properly!

Why Are Popups Important- 4 Benefits You Shouldn’t Miss Out On

Here are the four most convincing reasons to use popups that hit the highlights of this type of advertising.

1. Lead Generation

Popups act as a medium to collect information from the visiting leads by offering them something they would find valuable, such as eBooks, online courses, or guides.

Furthermore, with many popups with lead magnets, there is a higher sign-up turnout of over 100%.

Using pop-up ads that open automatically after some time or are activated when, for example, the user clicks on a Call to Action button or a given image helps minimize disruptions and ensures that only interested individuals will be affected.

2. Reduced Bounce Rate

The problem with abandoning visitors is that they do not give any reason why they have to call it quits, thus leaving visitors guessing. Well, this is where website popups come in handy!

It is equally possible to entice your leaving visitor with a beautiful coupon or considerably lower the price, which seems to leave your visitor high and dry. Still, you have an equal chance to ask why your visitor is leaving in the first place.

All that is required is to get yourself an exit-intent popup tool to send messages to the visitors when they attempt to leave.

3. Personalization

Besides, popups are very advanced in targeting and segmentation. They can be personalized according to the user’s preferences and behavior. Using data about users, for example, what they like, where they are, or what they have already bought, you can create popups with versatile offers based on these.

For instance, when a user praises a particular category of products, a special pop-up that indicates a certain percentage of a discount on the products of a similar category will be applied.

4. A/B Testing

The practical application of A/B testing often plays a key role in enhancing the efficiency of popup performance. Using A/B testing on popups means you display different popups to users and find out which has the best design, content, or timing to lure them into engaging with the website.

For instance, they can switch color schemes, message copy, or CTA buttons to see which variation provides the best result.

What Makes a Good Popup- 8 Essential Traits

As stated above, popup meaning is crucial, and popups can be of immense value if used appropriately; therefore, the factors explaining what constitutes a good popup that users will not consider invasive are as follows.

1. Relevance

Ultimately, the essential idea that should guide a popup is relevance. Guarantee that the copy used in the popup makes sense regarding the user’s expectations and the webpage they visit. Thus, a popup related to the content on a given page would be regarded as informative rather than disturbing.

2. Timing

Timing is everything. If the popup appears at the wrong time, it may be irritating if it appears too early or too late and thus does not attract the user’s attention.

According to a study by Drip, its clients showed that displaying popups when a visitor stays on their website for 8 seconds proves effective.

3. Clear Call-to-Action (CTA)

Your popup should also have a persuading call-to-action statement. Whether the CTA is for subscribing to a newsletter, claiming an offer, or starting a chat, it should not be complicated but informative and persuasive.

4. Simplicity

Please keep it simple. It is advisable not to write text or include too many elements that would make your popup look cluttered. Understanding the appreciation of order, tidiness, and neatness, a clean and clear design will attract users more than a messy one.

5. Display & Targeting Rules

Activate the pop-up based on user activity and where you want it to appear. Show popups at the right time with the help of such trigger points – exit-intent or scroll-based popups.

6. Well-Optimized Design

A good-looking popup with a nice color combination and great graphic design would appeal to the user without irritating him. Ensure the layout works for various devices, as the audience may reach you through computers, tablets, smartphones, and wearables.

7. A Clear Close (X) Button

People accept being shown a popup but also would like the opportunity to get out of it if they are not interested. Lastly, ensure that the popup under consideration has a visibly clear and easy-to-locate close (X) icon or button that users can click to close the popup.

8. Page Load Speed

Lastly, ensure the popups do not take time to open and fill up the webpage when loading. This should be done to avoid other issues from the popup code, such as the site’s loading time.

Hence, by embedding these aspects in your popup, you will attune the popups to the website and improve the site’s usability and experience.

Popups – Good & The Bad

As with any regular marketing strategy, popups have advantages and disadvantages. Let us examine

Pros:

• Popups get the point across: They are obtrusive—heck, they want you to notice them, and given how they are structured, it isn’t easy to overlook them. This is why you can increase your popups’ compatibility with any message and strengthen your audience’s confidence.
• They help capture data: Popups are not just tools for providing coupons and discount codes. Polls can also be integrated into pop-ups, and collecting data from the audience will be easy. You can compile your users’ contact details by adding specific fields.
• They can boost conversion rates: Popups are likely to yield better conversion indices than most marketing techniques since they compel a specific section of the website viewers to focus their attention anywhere within the website. For instance, a properly designed popup announcing the availability of an offer to buy the product on the website can sometimes persuade the visitor to return to the purchase process that he or she was in the middle of.
• They help notify visitors: You can also use popups to convey new notifications and messages to visitors regarding bugs and errors in the site. Designate your popup according to the message you wish to convey and then set it to appear as soon as the user arrives on the site or is connected to some event.
• They reduce cart abandonment: In this case, popups can be particularly helpful for encouraging users to complete the purchase by presenting special offers like a lower price on a product or free shipping when consumers begin to leave the checkout page. Such attention-getting messages can help jog customers’ memories about their decision to buy and encourage them to purchase before leaving the website.

Cons:

• Their reputation precedes them: Where we stand now, they are not unknown to the fact that popups are disliked by people worldwide. This is why they generate a holo perception among the visitors. If we see a popup, it isn’t good. Once the mind works in this fashion, the value the popup might have added to the sites is not considered.
• They are not safe from ad blockers: Arguably, one of the biggest disadvantages of popups is that most ad blockers are known to block the script that launches or delivers popups on the website, and this is something that one cannot bypass. First of all, millions of people employ ad blockers, so there is not much one can do about it.
• Poorly designed or ill-timed popups can irritate and drive users away: Popups that appear frequently may overlay a page, disrupt the user flow, or appear to get user experience. Suppose the site’s visitors tend to experience frequent pop-ups with little substance or those that are difficult to close. In that case, the user will likely become irritated and quit the website immediately.

The critical thing about popups is that the advantages are much bigger than the disadvantages. This is why most business establishments use popups when developing their online marketing strategies.