To Pop-Up or Not to Pop-Up?

Hi reader,

If we’re being completely honest here, I’m not the biggest fan of pop-ups as a user. We’ve all experienced it when visiting a website: you’re assaulted with a flashing box demanding your email before you even see what’s on the page. It’s annoying at best and infuriating at worst. 

BUT…they do work. So the solution is to find a way to use them without driving users crazy. 

Today’s advice to grow your business

Use pop-ups strategically (and sparingly.)

We can’t ignore that pop-ups work. The average conversion rate is 4.65% – that might not sound super high, but if you have 1,000 website visitors, that’s 46 new sign-ups. I’d take those numbers any day.

Okay, so how do you use them without being annoying and over-the-top? My first piece of advice is to pay attention to timing. Give people a chance to actually see your website before you hit them with a pop-up. Set a delay – even a few seconds can make a difference.

Second, the content of your pop-up needs to be relevant and valuable. Remember, your website isn’t about you; it needs to be crystal clear what’s in it for THEM. No one cares enough to take action when they see “Sign up for our newsletter” or “Join our community.” Give them a clear, concise offer and a direct path to the desired outcome. 

Last thing: don’t go crazy with them all over your website. Start with one, maybe on your most popular page, and test it out.

Here’s how this will benefit you

You'll convert more of your website traffic into customers.

Like I mentioned above, pop-ups have a pretty solid conversion rate. This means you get more people signing up for your mailing list, downloading your lead magnet, or taking advantage of whatever you’re offering. And that translates directly to more sales. 

Enough said (who doesn’t want more sales?)

You'll earn the trust of your visitors.

Nobody trusts a website that feels pushy or spammy. A non-intrusive, valuable pop-up shows visitors that you actually care about their experience. You're not just trying to grab their email address; you're offering them something genuinely useful. This makes people see your brand in a much more positive light.

To take it a step further, when you deliver on the promise you made in your pop-ups (ie. send them the resource or give them a discount,) you're building even more trust. And people buy from brands they trust.

Your first step

If you already have a pop-up…

Take a hard look at any existing pop-ups on your website.

How soon do they appear? Is it clear what the user gets by signing up or clicking? Is the benefit immediately obvious and valuable to your ideal customer?

Put yourself in your visitor's shoes and honestly assess these points, then make changes to create a more helpful and less intrusive experience.

If you don’t have any pop-ups…

Identify your most popular page and brainstorm one valuable offer you could give visitors. Emphasis on valuable.

Think about who your ideal customer is – what are they looking for? What’s something you can give them to make their lives easier? 

Brainstorm some ideas and work on crafting a strong message for your pop-up. Don’t spend too much time obsessing over the design or little details. Creating a valuable offer is what matters most. 

Let me know what you think about this advice. I’m always open to feedback and happy to answer any questions you might have.

Best,

Jono

P.S. Know any other business owners hungry for growth? Pass this email along and tell them to subscribe for more actionable advice.

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