Pop-Ups Without the Annoyance: How to Get Them Right
Hey there,
Let’s be honest: everyone hates bad pop-ups.
You know the ones:
🚫 The full-screen pop-up that blocks everything the second you land on a page.
🚫 The one that’s impossible to close on mobile.
🚫 The one that keeps coming back no matter how many times you click “X.”
But here’s the thing: Pop-ups can work when they’re done right.
If you use pop-ups correctly, they can actually increase conversions without frustrating your customers. Let’s talk about how to do it.
1. Show Pop-Ups at the Right Time
🚨 Problem: Pop-ups appear immediately, before customers even know what your site is about.
✅ Fix it: ✔ Use exit-intent pop-ups (triggered when a visitor moves their mouse toward closing the page). ✔ Delay pop-ups until a visitor has spent at least 15-30 seconds on your site. ✔ Show pop-ups only after the visitor has scrolled through some content.
💡 Why it matters: If someone just arrived on your site, they’re not ready to sign up yet—give them time to browse first.
2. Offer Something Valuable (Not Just “Sign Up for Our Newsletter”)
🚨 Problem: Customers don’t care about generic email sign-ups.
✅ Fix it: ✔ Offer a discount (“Get 10% off your first order”). ✔ Give a freebie (like a downloadable guide or exclusive content). ✔ Run a giveaway or offer early access to a new product.
💡 Why it matters: If you want people to give you their email, make it worth their while.
3. Keep Pop-Ups Simple and Easy to Close
🚨 Problem: Pop-ups with too many fields or confusing layouts make people leave.
✅ Fix it: ✔ Ask for only essential info (usually just an email). ✔ Use clear, simple copy with a direct call to action. ✔ Make sure the close button is visible and easy to tap.
💡 Why it matters: If closing a pop-up is too hard, visitors might just close your entire site instead.
4. Don’t Keep Showing the Same Pop-Up Over and Over
🚨 Problem: Visitors close a pop-up… only for it to appear again (and again).
✅ Fix it: ✔ Use cookies so pop-ups don’t reappear for users who have already seen them. ✔ Set a reasonable frequency limit (e.g., once per session or every 7 days). ✔ Make sure pop-ups don’t show after someone has already signed up.
💡 Why it matters: If a pop-up feels spammy, customers will leave your site out of frustration.
5. Optimize Pop-Ups for Mobile Users
🚨 Problem: Pop-ups that work fine on desktop can be a nightmare on mobile.
✅ Fix it: ✔ Make sure pop-ups scale properly for smaller screens. ✔ Use tap-friendly buttons (no tiny “X” that’s impossible to hit). ✔ Avoid full-screen pop-ups on mobile (Google penalizes sites that do this).
💡 Why it matters: If your pop-ups aren’t mobile-friendly, you’re driving away a huge chunk of potential customers.
Pop-Ups That Convert Without the Annoyance
Pop-ups don’t have to be a customer turnoff. If they’re timed well, offer value, and are easy to close, they can actually help your business instead of hurting it.
Not sure if your pop-ups are working for or against you? Let’s take a look! Reach out for a free consultation, and I’ll help you optimize them the right way.
Looking forward to making your pop-ups actually work,
Jonathan Santini
Lead Front-End Engineer & Partner at SwiftKick Web | Helping Businesses Improve Their Online Stores