27 Sep Guide to Maximizing Pop-Ups on Your Website

Pop-ups have attracted bad press in the past. A decade ago, pop-ups had a strong association with suspicious sites, known for bombarding website visitors with tons of unrelated spam. As a result, most websites turned off their pop-ups to avoid being tagged as containing harmful malware. 

However, much has changed on the internet in recent years. Still, a large number of people fail to maximize their use of pop-ups. For most, the reason could simply be misinformation. Most website owners simply do not know the significant benefits of using pop-ups on their website. One of them is increasing conversions. 

History of Website Pop-Ups

The first pop-up advertisement ever conceptualized was an ad for a business service, which targeted college graduates. Unfortunately, the pop-up appeared on a website that the advertisers did not want to associate with. To address this issue, Ethan Zuckerman developed the idea to make the ad appear in a separate window so it would not disrupt the visitors while browsing the site. However, this innovation was exploited, and later on became even more disruptive. Most pop-ups used intrusive auto-opening techniques, while some had malware that posed harm to the visitors’ computers. 

Today, pop-ups have become a useful tool as long as they are applied properly. When people well-versed with websites talk about pop-ups now, they talk about something that has tons of benefits. Pop-ups are no longer disruptive but rather helpful for both website owners and visitors. 

Why Use Pop-Ups on Your Website

Pop-ups can never erase their negative past, so it is pretty surprising to think that they serve as a valuable marketing tool nowadays. When used properly, pop-ups can improve email opt-ins and increase conversions. Pop-ups have a significantly higher click-through rate when compared with other ad types. Note that this is only possible if you use your pop-ups wisely and craft them with website visitors in mind. 

Additionally, you can fashion different pop-ups to serve your purpose. It could be to offer a user a gift, a subscription box, or a download link. You can also customize your WordPress site to make the pop-up appear at a more convenient time rather than upon loading. You should also make sure that your pop-ups are related to your site or overall website theme.  For example, pop up ads for eLearning companies are most effective when used along with WordPress education themes. 

Creating Effective Pop-Ups

To make pop-ups work for you, here are some of the critical details you must consider:

Timing

As mentioned, don’t make your pop-ups appear as soon as the visitor lands on your site. You can use the exit intent pop-up, which only appears when the cursor goes on the top of the browser. This cursor movement will indicate that the user will leave the page. Make them stay by making the pop-up appear. You can do this by customizing your website and adding a Sumo plug-in. You can incorporate a coupon code, gift, or a limited-time deal. 

The pop-ups can also appear if they have spent a good time browsing through your website or when they have scrolled down towards a specific area of your site. 

Convenience

When incorporating pop-ups on your website, always consider the convenience of the end-user. You don’t want to frustrate them with too many and intrusive pop-ups. Make sure the pop-up isn’t hard to close. You need to ensure that the pop-up will not obscure the content they are trying to read, particularly for websites optimized for mobile use. 

Your website pop-up is meant to serve your interests without causing too much nuisance to your visitors. Once you achieve this, pop-ups will surely bring you more traffic.