Having an online presence is recommended for any business today because of the Internet’s potential reach. However, it can be a pretty tight competition since there’s a fight for visibility. For this reason, marketers use different methods to entice users to go to a business’s website. One such method is using pop-up forms.
Marketers are all about creating good experiences for website visitors, but lead generation is something that shouldn’t be sacrificed in this pursuit. While using pop-up forms is an excellent way to do so, sometimes problems can occur. Regardless, using pop-up forms are a perfect way to promote content, grow email lists and create leads.
In this article, we’ll shed some light on pop-up forms. Read on below to learn more.
More about Pop-Up Forms
As the name suggests, pop-up forms are forms that pop up on websites. They’re usually used to collect visitor information to give targeted marketing efforts.
The first pop-up ad is believed to have appeared during the late 90s on the web hosting site Tripod.com. Back in the day, third-party advertisers primarily used pop-ups, and most of them can be described as cringe-worthy. You know those ads suddenly appearing on your screen and saying that you won something? Those were the kind of pop-up ads that were famous back then.
Obviously, users found these ads annoying and getting in the way of their experience, so they either ignored or hid them. As a result, advertisers gave up. Nowadays, you won’t even find those ads anymore unless you’re on a sketchy-looking website.
Over time, pop-up ads evolved into pop-up forms. This time around, pop-up forms weren’t just used by advertisers but marketing professionals as well. They’re still intrusive, which is why marketers need to be careful about how they will appear on a user’s screen and the content they present.
There are different types of pop-ups. Here are some of them:
Welcome Mats
Welcome mats are full-screen pop-ups that go above the webpage. While they may seem intrusive, offers are presented front and centre, allowing users to know more about the offer in question. You can do this if the offer is relevant to your content and part of your marketing strategy.
Overlay Modals
Overlay modals are very similar to traditional pop-up ads. Like welcome mats, they also appear on top of the webpage. However, the only difference is that it doesn’t block the rest of the content being shown in the background. They can also be intrusive, but they’re effective in increasing conversion rates as long as the offer is good.
On-Click Pop-Ups
They appear when a user clicks a call-to-action (CTA) or other web page elements. They’re best used when an in-line form will clutter the page to lessen friction with a specific order. As a result, user experience (UX) tends to be easier.
Gamified Coupons
As the name suggests, gamified coupons will let you play a game for a discount or prize in exchange for the user’s information. Prizes are usually in the form of prize wheels or scratch-off tickets, and it’s recommended for eCommerce brands to use this pop-up.
Top Banners
Also known as sticky bars, small banners are presented as bars at the top of a web page. They’re usually asking users to take action on whatever they’re offering, making them have better conversion rates than other pop-ups. Top banners are often used for broad offers such as announcements, coupons and newsletter subscriptions.
Slide-In Boxes
As the name suggests, slide-ins are small boxes that slide in from the sides of the webpage. In some cases, they slide in from the bottom. They’re recommended if offers are presented as the user is scrolling through a web page’s content.
Pop-Up Triggers
Pop-ups don’t usually appear on their own, while others appear after a certain period of inaction. The most well-known pop-up triggers are as follows:
- Page entrance – Pop-ups appear as soon as you visit the website.
- Page scroll – Pop-ups appear after you scroll to a specific part of the webpage.
- Element interaction – Pop-ups appear after you click or hover a specific part of the webpage.
- Time on page – Pop-ups appear after a user has been on the web page for a specific amount of time.
- Inactivity – Pop-ups appear after a user has not done any action on the web page for a specific amount of time.
- Exit intent – Pop-ups appear before a user closes the webpage. This pop-up trigger is crucial because it’s a last-resort effort in getting a user to take you up on your offer.
Conclusion
In general, pop-up forms work because they can convert prospects into full-on customers. As long as the offer is stated correctly and the pop-up isn’t intrusive, the chances are likely that users will take you up on the offer.
Stephensons IT Support Solutions provides top-quality IT services in Sheffield, including integrating pop-up forms in your site. We believe that every business must be technologically prepared for them to grow, which is why we go above and beyond for our clients. Contact us today to learn more!