What is a Popup Ad?
Popup ads, or popups, are a form of online advertising that appears suddenly in a small window over a website's content. These ads are designed to grab the viewer's attention immediately by covering the main content, making them highly effective for various marketing goals.
![Woman holding shampoo bottle on website popup.](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/659415b46df8ea43c3877776/6690ea92f9d12d1fe5f42934_blume-popup-ad.jpg)
Common Purposes for Using Popup Ads
- Promote Products & Offers: Highlight special promotions, discounts, or new product launches to drive immediate sales.
- Grow Email List: Capture email addresses by offering incentives like discounts or exclusive content.
- Collect Form Submissions: Gather user information through contact forms, surveys, or feedback requests.
- Increase User Engagement: Engage visitors with quizzes, game, or exclusive content.
- Show Announcements: Announce important updates or information about your website or business.
- Increase Sales Conversion: Convert visitors into customers with targeted offers and promotions.
- Get More Phone Calls: Ask visitors to call your business directly from the popup ad window.
- Reduce Cart Abandonment: Offer incentives to users who are about to leave their shopping cart without purchasing.
- Facilitate Social Sharing: Encourage visitors to share your content or products on social media.
- Collect Feedback & Surveys: Obtain valuable feedback from visitors through quick surveys or rating systems.
- Gamify Your Campaign: Engage users with interactive elements like spin-the-wheel discounts.
When executed well, popup ads can be a dynamic part of a website’s engagement strategy, encouraging visitors to interact with content, take advantage of promotions, or provide valuable feedback.
7 Simple Steps to Create a Free Popup Ad
Step 1: Click "+New Campaign", name your free popup ad and select its display website
Click on the "+New Campaign" button. Give your popup ad a name that describes its purpose like "Summer Sale" or "Newsletter Signup." Then, select the website where it will be displayed.
![first step to create a popup in popupsmart](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/659415b46df8ea43c3877776/6690eab4e2b0f9156ff04dad_create-a-popup-campaign.jpg)
Step 2: Choose what you want to achieve with this popup ad
Choose the primary goal of your popup. This could be to promote a product, collect email addresses, or generate leads.
Selecting a clear objective helps you measure the success of the popup later.
![A screenshot of the popup creation and design process on the Popupsmart dashboard.](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/659415b46df8ea43c3877776/6690ebb057881285fcebafbc_business-goal.jpg)
Step 3: Choose a popup template you like from the Playbook, or create a blank one from scratch
Go to the 'Playbook' section, where you can choose from more than 350 templates tailored to different goals, such as promoting products or growing your email list.
🌟 Note: Each template can be customized. You can start with a predefined one or create one from scratch based on your needs.
![A screenshot of the Playbook on the Popupsmart dashboard.](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/659415b46df8ea43c3877776/6690ec09d98e0f2d37261130_playbook.jpg)
Step 4: Customize your popup with a personal message, visuals, and call-to-action.
This is where you will create the message and call to action (CTA) that will attract visitors. You can drag and drop elements such as text boxes, images, and buttons from the sidebar to your popup ad.
![A screenshot of the Customizaiton part on the Popupsmart dashboard.](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/659415b46df8ea43c3877776/6690ec2f291f18a04b355158_customization-part.jpg)
Also, you've got the freedom to change the popup template. Add any elements – email, phone, address, and many more from the left tab. Even add rating scales, dropdowns, countdown timers, or animations if you like.
![A screenshot of the popup ad form elements on the Popupsmart dashboard.](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/659415b46df8ea43c3877776/6690ecac5fa21634012fa079_form-elements.jpg)
Step 5: Now it's time to style your popup ad! Play with colors and sizes
You can adjust the color, size, and type of even the smallest thing, from the close button type to the border color of the coupon code!
![A screenshot of the style step on the Popupsmart dashboard.](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/659415b46df8ea43c3877776/6690ecce29264e9d21dbf420_style-popup-ad.jpg)
Step 6: Decide the timing of your popup ad and target audience
Decide when and to whom your popup should appear.
This could happen after visitors have been on a page for a while or just as they're about to exit (exit-intent popups).
Moreover, you can target specific demographics or user behaviors.
![A screenshot of the segment step on the Popupsmart dashboard.](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/659415b46df8ea43c3877776/6690ecece2b0f9156ff2b667_segment-target.jpg)
For instance, you can set your popup to appear based on factors such as device type, time of day, browser language, URL paths on your website, traffic sources, geographic location, and many other options.
Step 7: Publish and preview 🎉
Once you're happy with the design and settings, hit "Publish."
Always preview your popup on your website to make sure it looks good and works as intended.
![A screenshot of the publish step on the Popupsmart dashboard.](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/659415b46df8ea43c3877776/6690ed109bd67ea474c6363b_publish-and-review.jpg)
Also, if you prefer to watch a video, you can find the video in which Nazlı will guide you step by step below:
Key Considerations to Create Popup Ads
Popup ads often carry the reputation of being annoying, and people often search the web for "How to stop popup ads?".
However, the goal is not to stop these ads completely but to create them intelligently.
Let's see how to create an effective popup ad with these basic elements in mind :)
1. Make it Easy to Close
Be sure to design your popup with a clear, easy-to-find close button. You can also allow users to click on the background to close the popup.
![A screenshot of the close button style on the Popupsmart dashboard.](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/659415b46df8ea43c3877776/6690ed350cefc9f184e5b9d8_close-button-style.jpg)
2. Time it Right
Don't bombard your visitors with popups when they land on your page. Instead, consider using exit-intent popups that only appear when the visitor seems about to leave.
![A screenshot of the exit-intent trigger on the Popupsmart dashboard.](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/659415b46df8ea43c3877776/6690ed5c668b42353d553d43_exit-intent-trigger.jpg)
3. Create a Teaser
Start with a small teaser popup to pique your visitors' interest instead of going straight to a full popup.
For example, a small slide-in at the corner of the screen can gently invite the visitor to interact without being intrusive.
![A screenshot of the teaser popup on the Popupsmart dashboard.](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/659415b46df8ea43c3877776/6690ed79059fd12f7953ee2b_teaser-popup.jpg)
4. Optimize for Speed
Make sure your popups load quickly and keep the design simple to avoid slowing down your page.
5. Make it Relevant
Your popup content should be highly relevant to the visitor's page. You can also use visitor data to tailor popups to specific groups, increasing the chances of your offer resonating with the visitor.
6. Keep it Simple
Your popup should have a clear message and a single call to action. Cluttered popups can confuse the visitor, so keep it simple and focused.
By considering these key aspects when creating popup ads, you can ensure your marketing efforts enhance the user experience rather than detract from it.
Benefits of Creating Popup Ads
Popup ads provide a multitude of benefits to businesses. Here are the advantages of popup ads:
- Enhanced visibility: Popup ads grab attention immediately due to their sudden appearance, making them impossible to overlook.
- Effective lead generation: Popups provide a great opportunity to collect email contacts for your marketing campaigns. For instance, Popupsmart acquired 1,006 opt-in forms by showing an exit-intent popup to 20,300 people.
- Boosted sales and conversions: Popupsmart observed 4.95% sales conversions with an exit-intent popup, amounting to 382.28 sales after a month. This showcases the potential of popups to drive immediate purchases and boost conversions.
- Decreasing cart abandonment: You can use exit-intent popups to motivate customers to leave your site with items in their cart to complete their purchase.
- Promoting social media engagement: Popup ads can also help accelerate your follower growth on different social media platforms.
- Gathering valuable customer insights: You can incorporate short surveys or feedback forms in your popup ads to gather valuable insights about your customers.
- Leveraging Cross-selling and up-selling: You can use recommendation popups to suggest related, superior, or premium products to the customers, increasing your average order value.
- Enhancing user engagement: Interactive features like games or quizzes in your popup ads can encourage visitors to engage more with your site.
- Improving user experience: Exit-Intent popups appear when a visitor is about to leave your site, offering helpful information or deals without disrupting the user's navigation.
- Impressive Conversion: Popupsmart showed an exit-intent popup to many people, resulting in a 10.23% conversion rate.
How to Measure the Success of Your Popup Ad?
To know if your popup is successful, you can check several things:
- Views: It's how many people actually saw your popup. If lots of people are seeing it, that's a good first step.
- Leads: If your popup asks people to give their email or some other info, the success can be measured by how many people actually fill it out.
- Interactions: This is about how many people do something with your popup. Maybe they click on it, or they use it to go to another part of your website.
- Conversion Rate: This is the percentage of people who do what you want them to do after seeing the popup. If your popup asks them to sign up for a newsletter, then the 'conversion' is the number of people who sign up.
All these measurements can be found on the Analytics tab of the Popupsmart popup builder. It shows you all these numbers to see how well your popup is doing.
![A screenshot of the analytics screen on the Popupsmart dashboard.](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/659415b46df8ea43c3877776/6690ed990cefc9f184e622df_analytics-tab.jpg)
Apart from these, if you want to know your popup's Return on Investment (ROI), you can use Popupsmart's free tool "POPUP ROI Calculator."
ROI is how much money you get back from using the popup compared to how much you spent on it.
![popupsmart popup roi calculator free tool](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/659415b46df8ea43c3877776/6690edbe07b7c2f2580be581_roi-calculator-for-popup.jpg)
So, to wrap it up, if the popup gets a lot of views, leads, and interactions and has a good conversion rate and a positive ROI, then it is a successful popup!
Templates You Can Clone for Your Popup Ad
Exit-Intent Popup Ad
Designed to appear when a visitor is about to leave your site, this popup offers a last-minute incentive, such as a discount or special offer, to encourage them to stay or make a purchase.
![popupsmart exit intent popup template](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/659415b46df8ea43c3877776/6690ede63e389a1f0dc2a0cf_exit-intent-popup.jpg)
Gamified Popup Ad
Engage your visitors with an interactive element, like a spin-to-win game, to capture email addresses while offering them a chance to win prizes or discounts.
![popupsmart gamified popup template](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/659415b46df8ea43c3877776/6690ee096c1c0f295bc25802_gamfication-popup.jpg)
Feedback Popup Ad
Collect valuable feedback from your visitors by offering them a small incentive in exchange for their thoughts and ratings. This helps you understand their preferences and improve your services or products.
![popupsmart feedback. popup template](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/659415b46df8ea43c3877776/6690ee200b18ec46bae14fbb_feedback-popup.jpg)
Announcement Popup Ad
Inform your visitors about important updates, upcoming events, or special promotions with a visually appealing announcement popup. This type of popup ensures that your message gets noticed.
![popupsmart announcement popup template](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/659415b46df8ea43c3877776/6690ee3a19302998ab0272e6_announcement-popup.jpg)
Wrap-up
To wrap-up, businesses can create popup ads that really make a difference with a careful, thoughtful approach that includes the seven steps outlined.
The basic principles revolve around choosing the right template, careful personalization and timing, and smart audience targeting.
However, it doesn't end there; evaluating their impact through metrics like views, leads, interactions, conversion rates, and ROI is important.
Popup ads are critical to attracting attention and increasing leads, sales, and user engagement when used well.
FAQ
How can I make sure my popup ads aren't annoying to visitors?
To ensure your popup ads aren't annoying to visitors, it's essential to apply key considerations like timing them right - for example, using exit-intent popups instead of bombarding visitors immediately upon page landing.
Also, ensure they're easy to close and aren't too intrusive. Keep the design and message clear and relevant to the visitor's interest. Finally, always ensure they load quickly to avoid disrupting the user's experience.
What generates popup ads?
Popup ads are generated by scripts embedded within a website's code. These scripts can be manually added by web developers or automatically included through third-party tools and popup builders like Popupsmart. These tools allow website owners to easily create and customize popups by:
- Choosing Templates: Select from templates (+350 ready-to-use templates) tailored to different goals, such as promoting products or growing email lists.
- Customization: Customize the popup with personal messages, visuals, and call-to-action elements.
- Display Rules: Set rules for when and where the popups will appear on the website. For example, you can choose from templates in the Playbook section and tailor them to your needs.
What triggers popup ads?
Popup ads can be triggered by various user actions and conditions, including:
- Time on Page: A popup can appear after a visitor has spent a certain amount of time on a page.
- Scroll Depth: Popups can be triggered when visitors scroll to a specific point on the page.
- Exit-Intent: Exit-intent popups are triggered when a visitor's mouse movement indicates they are about to leave the page.
- Clicking on Elements: Popups can be triggered by clicking on specific buttons or links.
- Page Load: Some popups appear immediately or after a short delay when the page loads.
- User Behavior: Popups can be set to trigger based on specific user behaviors, such as visiting multiple pages, returning to the site, or viewing a particular product.
- Demographics and Device: Popups can target specific demographics or device types, ensuring the right audience sees them.
By carefully selecting these triggers, businesses can ensure that their popup ads appear at the most opportune moments, increasing the likelihood of engagement and conversion.