How to Effectively Use Popups for Ecommerce Conversion
Popups can sometimes be annoying and, if not used effectively, can lead a customer away from your store. They are so widely hated that the inventor of the popup himself issued a public apology for having created them.
Despite their bad reputation, popups can enhance a customer’s online experience. What is required to do so is that you put some thought into how you design and display your popups.
In this article, we shall discuss effective popup strategies to increase conversion rates and keep customers happy.
What is a popup and how does it work?
A popup is a small window that appears on a webpage while someone is browsing it. It displays a message intended for the viewer. Marketers use it for advertising their products and generating new leads.
Using an ecommerce popup window that appears out of nowhere will certainly interfere with the user experience.
Popups need to be subtle and easy to exit.
There are certain features that every popup must possess. Let’s review them now:
Key Features of Every Successful Popup
Every successful ecommerce popup has four elements to it:
Context-
The popup should be related to the existing website content.
Copy-
Does your popup catch a visitor’s eye? Make it attractive!
Design-
A visually-appealing design is a must. Something unappealing will drive visitors away from you.
Offer-
Make them an offer they can’t refuse. The offer on a popup needs to be irresistible.
5 Best Strategies to Design Your Ecommerce Pop-ups
Every element on your website should be strategically placed. Popups are no exception to this rule. Here are 5 strategies you need to put in place when designing your ecommerce popups:
Timing
They say that timing is everything, which also applies to popups. When should a popup show up on a webpage? Since timing is crucial to how visitors respond to it, research states that five seconds into visiting the webpage is when the popup should display. It is neither too early nor too late.
Having a popup appear too soon is often considered annoying or rude, and delaying it for longer than ten seconds is not ideal. Stick to five seconds, the Goldilocks Zone of timing for popups.
Personalized Ecommerce Popups
Is the popup personalized for the user? Does it meet their needs? A simple design with a direct message taps viewers’ emotions and inspires them to take action. Make sure your intent is clear, and direct the user to where you need them to go, depending on where they are on their customer journey. Give them exactly what they need at that moment. Is it a discount they are looking for? Will special access to a new collection intrigue them?
Create a Sense of Urgency
With great ecommerce popups comes a sense of great urgency.
Popups are effective in generating a sense of urgency amongst customers. The discounts they talk about won’t last long, and the sales will end at midnight. Since more than 60% of Americans like doing their seasonal shopping online, why not use this opportunity to boost your sales? Make your offers irresistible.
Serve the Most Useful and Relevant Ecommerce Pop-ups
What good is a popup if the user cannot understand it? Relatable language helps a user. You should ask yourself if the information you are presenting to the user is relevant for them or if you are forcing them to view irrelevant content. A product they may need should be displayed to the user via these popups.
Use Target-Based Popups
Tailoring popups for different customer segments is a smart practice. For the purpose of marketing, one needs to identify the target audience first, then proceed. Demographics, the time of the day during which users visit your site, past behavior, and geolocation are some of the attributes that one must consider at such a time.
Summing It All Up
We have established that popups are universally heavily disliked but still effective. So, to make them work, one must follow a series of instructions. From the text to the timing to the design, everything is crucial in determining the success of your popup and the increase in your conversion rates.
Frequently Asked Questions
How effective are ecommerce popups?
Popups are effective in generating subscribers and increasing sales. Just be sure to use them efficiently instead of having an in-your-face approach.
Pro tip: Optimize them for mobile devices as well.
When should you use ecommerce popups?
You should use popups when you have something to say. Don’t waste a visitor’s time.
Time the popups to show up 5 seconds after a user has visited your site. Add some incentives and make the popups straightforward.