{"id":14719,"date":"2020-04-13T06:00:28","date_gmt":"2020-04-13T10:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gravityforms.com\/?p=14719"},"modified":"2020-06-16T08:17:37","modified_gmt":"2020-06-16T12:17:37","slug":"website-popups","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gravityforms.com\/blog\/website-popups\/","title":{"rendered":"Website Popups: Valuable Tools or Annoying Distractions?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Website<\/p>\n

We find popups on almost every site these days. From a user perspective, they\u2019re rude and annoying. Most of us let out a brief snort when a new window appears in our face, interrupting our experience.<\/p>\n

But as an entrepreneur and marketer, popups make sense. They grab the user\u2019s attention in a way they can\u2019t possibly miss. A popup might explain important information, link the user to a new page, and prompt them to complete a form.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Aggressive marketers can overuse popups and frustrate users. But if you don\u2019t use popups, aren\u2019t you leaving leads and sales on the table? In this article, we\u2019re going to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of popups so you can decide whether this controversial tactic is right for your website.<\/p>\n

[content_upgrade cu_id=”14718″]Free download: 13 Rules to Follow When Designing Website Popups[content_upgrade_button]Click Here[\/content_upgrade_button][\/content_upgrade]<\/p>\n

Advantages of Popups<\/h2>\n

Your website has a purpose. Maybe that purpose is to collect leads on to an email list. Maybe it\u2019s for customers to schedule services. Or maybe you sell products and services directly. Your website, therefore, is a tool to achieve a goal. Popups help you achieve your goals in a few ways:<\/p>\n

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  1. They appear for everyone. It doesn\u2019t matter how your visitors got to your site or which pages they view, they\u2019ll see the popup that encourages them to take action.<\/li>\n
  2. They offer value. Well-made popups give something to the reader, like a discount or free premium content. (\u201cGet notified about new posts\u201d has value, but not much.)<\/li>\n
  3. They can\u2019t be ignored. This one seems less-than-ethical, but marketers have been using interruptive messaging to make people aware of their offerings for ages. Even the popcorn vendor at the stadium knows he has to shout \u201cPopcorn!\u201d to make sales.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Do they work? Absolutely. As much as people complain about popups all over the web, they can boost your conversions.<\/p>\n

    In one experiment, AWeber found that a form in a popup converted 1375%1 better than traditional forms. WP Beginner increased their email subscriptions by 600%2 with popups. And according to Sumo3, the top performing 10% of pop-up forms convert at 9.3%. Imagine adding an additional 9.3% conversion rate to your website.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s obvious why marketers find them so tempting!<\/p>\n

    Disadvantages of Popups<\/h2>\n

    Conversions are great, but there are some downsides to popups you should consider:<\/p>\n

    1. There\u2019s a Lot of Bad History<\/h3>\n

    Popups in the early days of the internet were especially frustrating. They opened new windows, were hard to close, and typically advertised seedy businesses.<\/p>\n

    As a result, today popups are the most hated form of advertising, according to Nielsen Norman Group4. People like them less than autoplay videos and deceptive links. You may not want that kind of response associated with your brand.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s important to think about the long-term disadvantages that are hard to quantify. Will users avoid your website because they know they\u2019ll have to deal with interruptive popups? Will you build a reputation as \u201cjust another company that wants my email address\u201d?<\/p>\n

    2. They Can Disrupt Your Funnel<\/h3>\n

    Poorly placed and timed popups can take the user off your intended path. Imagine a user is exploring your landing page, getting ready to fill out your lead generation form, but they\u2019re suddenly distracted by a popup that convinces them to explore another page. That\u2019s actually a lost conversion.<\/p>\n

    3. They\u2019re Problematic on Mobile<\/h3>\n

    You have to be very careful with how you use popups on mobile devices. A simple slide-out popup that doesn\u2019t block much of a desktop screen can completely cover a mobile screen.<\/p>\n

    Google is particularly serious5 about popups on mobile. In 2017, Google began penalizing websites that use \u201cintrusive interstitials,\u201d which is a fancy way of saying \u201celements that block the screen\u201d (with exceptions for legal agreements, private content websites, and popups that are small enough to be ignored). It doesn\u2019t like:<\/p>\n