Pop-ups might have a bit of a bad rap, but they can be powerful tools for capturing interest and engaging customers.
Done right, they can convert casual browsers into loyal subscribers.
In this blog post, we’ll show you how to maximize your pop-up marketing strategy. You’ll find practical tips for website, creative ideas and real-life examples of successful email pop-ups to inspire you.
Ready to make the most out of your pop-ups? Let's get started!
What is pop-up marketing?
Picture yourself browsing a website, reading an article, or checking out an online store. Suddenly, a small window "pops up" on your screen. That's a pop-up!
In the marketing world, pop-ups are those small dialogue boxes that appear on a website, usually asking for some sort of action from you. It might be signing up for a newsletter, downloading a free resource, or taking advantage of a special offer.
Why do marketers use them? Simple: pop-ups grab attention and prompt immediate action. They're a way to connect with customers directly, encourage engagement and collect emails.
How does pop-up marketing work?
Pop-ups typically appear after a visitor has spent a certain short amount of time on a page, scrolled down to a specific point, or when they show signs of leaving.
Effective pop-ups offer something of value to visitors. This might be a discount, a free ebook, an exclusive piece of content, or a gentle nudge to subscribe to a newsletter.
The idea is to provide a compelling reason for the visitor to engage, converting them from passive browsers into active subscribers or customers.
Pop-up marketing also relies on the right timing and placement. Should the pop-up appear the moment a visitor lands on your page, or after they've had a chance to browse a bit? Should it take up the entire screen or just a portion?
Remember, the goal isn't to annoy your visitors, but to offer them something they'd find useful or interesting.
Why include pop-ups in your email marketing strategy?
Pop-ups might sound like something you’d be better off without, but there’s a reason millions of ecommerce sites use them. In fact, there are several reasons.
Here’s why you need to use pop-ups as part of your email marketing strategy.
- Generate leads: A strategically placed pop-up can help you collect email addresses before visitors hop off your site. Offer something valuable in return, like an eBook, a discount or a weekly newsletter, to encourage more shoppers to sign up.
- Increase conversions: Pop-ups also work as mini billboards, promoting your products, bundled offers and sales. You can also use cart abandonment pop-ups to create a sense of urgency, send reminders and encourage shoppers to complete checkout.
- Create targeted segments: Use different pop-ups on different pages of your website to segment your audience based on their interests. If a visitor is on a page about gardening, the pop-up could offer a gardening guide in exchange for an email address. This way, you'll know they're interested in gardening content in your future emails.
- Improve email campaigns: Pop-ups let you test different marketing strategies and learn about what converts visitors. You can use this data to improve your email campaigns. For example, you could incorporate similar language and offer types that work for your audience.
8 pop-up marketing ideas to inspire you
Looking for creative ways to use pop-ups to engage website visitors? Here’s a list of ideas for a healthy dose of inspiration.
1. Offer a discount to first-time visitors
Make your customers feel special from the get-go!
Offering a welcome discount not only helps you make a great first impression, it also incentivizes visitors to make a purchase.
Implement a pop-up that triggers after a visitor has been on your site for a few minutes. Highlight that it's a special 'first-time buyer' offer to emphasize exclusivity.
Don’t forget to ensure the discount code is easy to copy or automatically applied at checkout to simplify the customer experience on your site.
This pop-up marketing idea not only boosts your conversion rates but also sets the stage for long-term loyalty and repeat visits.
2. Promote your newsletter
This one’s simple: use pop-ups to attract more subscribers to your newsletter!
Newsletters are a great way to generate buzz, build your email list and keep shoppers engaged with your brand. With pop-ups, you could highlight all the good stuff subscribers would receive in your newsletter. We’re talking insider tips, early access to sales, a free guide, and more.
For example, if you’re a clothing brand, you could add a pop-up on your blog that says, "Want more style tips? Sign up for our weekly fashion digest!"
Make sure you add a compelling call-to-action to your pop-up, grab attention with creative visuals and list your newsletter’s benefits using short, clever copy.
Or, throw in a discount, free shipping or any other incentive. Here’s how Woolino does it:
3. Capture last-minute sales with free shipping
We've all been there — adding items to our cart and then changing our mind because of shipping costs. Well, guess what? A study by Baymard found that extra costs like shipping is the #1 reason shoppers abandon their carts at checkout.
To combat this, trigger an exit-intent pop-up that offers free shipping. Waiving off shipping charges when visitors attempt to leave the site can often reel them back in.
Make your pop-up hard to ignore by utilizing urgency and FOMO principles. And we don’t want to sound like a broken record but… a good old incentive never hurt anyone!
4. Promote an upcoming webinar
Hosting a virtual event? Drive more registrations and sign-ups with a pop-up!
Pop-ups can spread the word about your webinar and let visitors know about what they’ll gain from attending your event.
Craft clear and compelling copy that highlights your webinar’s value prop upfront. Here are some examples:
- "Grow your green thumb! Join our exclusive webinar and learn top gardening tips from the experts. Discover how to cultivate the perfect home garden and bring your indoor space to life. Sign up now to sprout new gardening skills!"
- "Stay in the picture! Join our upcoming webinar and get a first look at cutting-edge photography gear and tech trends. Limited slots available — secure your spot now and stay ahead of the curve!"
- "Tired of wardrobe malfunctions? Join our webinar to learn the ABCs of dressing right. Sign up today and bid goodbye to fashion faux pas!"
Don’t forget to display the time and date of the next event on your pop-up if you’re going live.
5. Show an abandoned cart reminder
You don’t always have to offer free shipping to capture last-minute sales. Sometimes, a friendly (and well-designed) reminder does the trick!
Set up your pop-up to trigger when a visitor navigates away from their cart without checking out. Say something like, "You left some cool stuff in your cart. Complete your purchase now!"
Show a preview of the items left in the cart to make it more personalized. Don’t forget to add in a direct CTA like “Return to Cart” for an easy-breezy checkout.
6. Promote a new product
Got a shiny new product to show off? Spread awareness with an attractive pop-up!
For example, a skincare brand can use a pop-up to increase awareness and draw attention to their new organic face mask. You can also use pop-ups to promote seasonal items, holiday gift packs, and product bundles to increase customers’ average order value (AOV).
Showcase your product with high-quality images and a catchy description.
If possible, incorporate social proof like a raving review or award. You can also offer a special discount for early buyers to encourage purchase!
7. Gamify your pop-up
Who doesn't like a bit of fun? Have customers interact with your pop-up by adding interactive element to it.
To enhance user engagement, consider integrating gamified pop-ups into your website. For instance, incorporate animated elements like selecting a shirt to reveal special offers, enticing visitors to interact and explore your brand further.
Gamified pop-ups not only capture attention but also provide valuable insights into your audience's behavior and preferences. By continually refining your gamified strategies based on this data, you can optimize engagement and maximize conversions.
8. Ask shoppers for feedback
Your pop-ups don’t always need to be promotional. You can also use them to gather customer feedback. Show up with “How was your shopping experience today?” after a customer checks out or politely inquire why they’re leaving so soon if they attempt to exit.
Use the valuable insights you gather to improve your products and pop-up experience. Collecting feedback itself can make customers feel valued and heard — enhancing your brand image.
Just don’t make it a chore — keep it short and simple. An interactive star rating with an optional suggestion box, for example, can even be fun to fill out!
How to maximize your pop-up marketing strategy using Sendlane
Want to skyrocket your pop-up marketing efforts? Sendlane can help!
Our intelligent pop-ups are built for eCcommerce — seamlessly collect custom data, segment contacts, and send targeted messages to drive more sales and conversions.
Here’s how Sendlane can help you create and implement high-quality pop-ups:
Choose a pop-up style that works for you
The type of pop-up you choose should go with your website design, user experience, and overall marketing strategy. Sendlane offers three different pop-up styles:
- Inline: Embeds within your page content
- Pop-up: Appears based on selected triggers and settings
- Banner: Stays on the screen as users scroll through your site
Remember, each type has its unique advantages and (when used right) can help engage visitors, generate interest, and drive more sales.
You can also use them in combination to maximize results.
For example, use regular pop-ups for promotions, in-line pop-ups within your blog posts, and banner pop-ups for upcoming events and seasonal sales!
Collect valuable data with custom fields
Getting to know your target audience is vital.
That’s why Sendlane lets you go beyond just names and emails in your pop-ups!
Add custom fields to collect in-depth demographic data, interests and preferences of your contacts. For example, you could add fields for city, type of pet, number of children, and virtually anything else.
This way, you can send shoppers tailored content they’re actually interested in. For example, a pet store could send subscribers who own cats emails about kitty food, litter and toys, and dog-owners emails about dog supplies!
Use pop-up data to create targeted segments
With Sendlane, not a shred of data is wasted. The pop-ups are fully integrated with our email and SMS platform, so you can funnel data straight into your customer profiles.
This helps you create hyper-targeted segments built on custom data. Send tailored marketing emails to each customer segment to maximize engagement and sales revenue!
Fun fact: Sendlane even lets you create segment based on multiple data points.
For example, you could have a segment of customers who’ve bought from your store recently, engaged with one of your emails and have purchased a specific type of product.
Design pop-ups easily with a drag-and-drop builder
Sendlane's intelligent pop-ups are incredibly simple to make. You don't need a degree in design or extensive coding skills to create high-converting pop-ups.
With ready-to-use templates and an intuitive drag-and-drop pop-up builder, you'll be publishing branded, eye-catching pop-ups in no time.
Enable double opt-in to boost engagement
This smart feature lets subscribers confirm their subscription and prevent one-off sign-ups.
This means you’ll only build your list with engaged contacts who genuinely want to receive your emails! You can also customize the confirmation page to thank subscribers in your brand’s own, unique way.
Don’t want to add double opt-in? No problem. Simply toggle this feature off when you’re creating your pop-up.
Drive Results with Intelligent Pop-ups
Pop-ups are game-changers for your email strategy. Use the creative ideas above to maximize your pop-up marketing strategy — build relationships with your contact list, spark engagement and drive more conversions for your online store.
This is where Sendlane really shines.
With Sendlane, you aren't just making pop-ups. You're also gathering valuable data and using it to fuel your email and SMS marketing campaigns — all from a single platform.
And the best part? You can set up your pop-ups without any code or design headaches!
Ready to try it out for yourself? Sign up for Sendlane’s 60-day free trial now and take it for a test drive. Your customers will thank you for it!