Using pop-ups can help make your website more engaging. But you need to be very careful on when, how, and why you’re using them because they can scare away visitors just as easily as they can keep them on your website. They can be confusing for many website owners, but if you know how to make pop-ups work, they can benefit you AND your visitors.
Pop-ups were first seen almost 20 years ago. It was used for sponsored ads back then, and now they can be found almost everywhere. However, it didn’t take long for it to become distracting and disruptive. That’s why many people get annoyed by them… if they aren’t used carefully.
So how do you use them well? There are ways of using pop-ups as a seamless part of your user’s experience. Using them correctly can help you capture your visitors’ attention and keep them engaged on your website. If you use them in an abrasive and annoying way, it will send your visitors scurrying for the exit!
Here are a few ideas on how to make pop-ups work for you and your visitors.
1. Based on scroll depth
When someone gets to your website, rather than having a pop-up immediately blast them in the face, you can do it based on scroll depth. You can set it to appear after your visitor has gone down 75% of your website. This is perfect for keeping your audience engaged and for targeting visitors who have already spent some time engaging on your website and those who are interested in getting more content.
2. On click to make it more engaging
Pop-ups are not limited to showing additional information or content. They can also be used to get information from your visitors. This is perfect for your visitors who are already engaged with your content. Make their experience more engaging by using pop-ups to have them fill out a form, submit their details or schedule an appointment. By using pop-ups, people don’t have to go to another page, where they can change their mind about submitting their details or subscribing to your emails.
3. As people exit your website
There’s a way of tracking when your visitors’ mouse goes towards the ‘x’ button on your window. You can then set your pop-up to appear before they can click the close button. This is perfect when you have a limited offer that you don’t want your visitors to miss out on.
Now, you have to be really careful with this because someone’s already on their way of out your website. They’ve made an intent and they’re just trying to get out. So you have to be super intentional with the messaging you put on your pop-up. It’s your last chance, and you don’t want to push them away faster.
Bonus Tips to Make Pop-ups Work
Below are some additional tips to help you use pop-ups more effectively:
- Timing and messaging are important.
- Don’t use them too soon, too often, and in a way that can be super distracting and disruptive.
- Avoid putting them all over the place.
- Use it offer specials or limited time offers.
Those are some ideas on how you can use pop-ups properly within your content and what they can be used for. Always be careful when using pop-ups. Remember that not everyone likes them and most people are annoyed by them. Timing and messaging are critical to make sure your pop-ups will work to benefit your audience, your website, and your business.
If you want to dive deeper into how you can make pop-ups work, give me a call. Let’s pop into a zoom call and we can explore pop-ups together!
