How to Easily Create a Popup in WordPress in 2025

Barbara Bartucz
November 27, 2024
Conversion
6 min read

Thinking about adding a popup to your WordPress website but drowning in options and technical details?

With so many plugins, templates, and settings available, it’s easy to feel lost before you even get started.

Luckily, creating an effective popup doesn’t have to be complicated. With the right tools and guidance, you can set up a professional, high-converting popup on your WordPress site in no time—no coding skills required.

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know, from choosing the best plugins to setting up your first popup step-by-step.

Let’s dive in and get that popup live!

Why should you use popups on your WordPress website?

If you’re wondering why popups matter, think about it this way: popups let you reach your audience at precisely the right moment.

Here’s how they can help boost your website’s performance:

1. Boost conversion rates

Popups are one of the most effective ways to capture attention, whether it’s to gain email subscribers, share discounts, or increase clicks to specific content. They encourage users to take action, often resulting in higher conversions.

2. Engage visitors at key moments

Popups can appear when users are most likely to respond—such as exit-intent popups that trigger as someone’s about to leave or popups that appear after a set time.

They can also be configured to display automatically when the page loads, capturing immediate attention.

These well-timed interruptions can turn passive visitors into engaged users.

3. Build your email list

Offering something valuable, like an ebook, discount, or exclusive content, in exchange for an email address, is a proven way to grow your email list. Popups make that exchange easy and hard to miss.

4. Promote special offers or products

Popups are a perfect way to highlight time-sensitive deals or new product launches. They’re especially effective during high-traffic seasons, like Black Friday or holiday sales.

What's the easiest way to create a popup in WordPress?

Creating popups might sound intimidating if you’re not a coder, but in 2025, the WordPress ecosystem has plenty of tools that make this a breeze.

With a WordPress popup plugin, you can design, customize, and automate popups directly from your dashboard—no coding required.

A good plugin will offer pre-built templates, easy drag-and-drop editors, and options to tailor your popups to different user behaviors. This way, you get a popup that’s not only visually appealing but also highly effective.

Key features to look for in a WordPress popup plugin

Choosing the right plugin is essential for creating effective popups on your WordPress site.

Here are the top features to prioritize when selecting a WordPress popup plugin for your popup campaign:

1. Customizable templates

A good plugin should offer a library of templates so you don’t have to start from scratch. Pre-designed templates save time, spark design inspiration, and often follow best practices that enhance user engagement.

2. Responsive design

Your popups need to look great on all devices, from desktops to smartphones. Responsive design ensures that the layout, text, and images adapt perfectly to any screen size, providing a seamless user experience.

3. Advanced targeting options

Targeting features allow you to trigger popups based on user behavior, like exit intent, time on page, or scroll depth. Precise targeting helps you display popups at the right time, increasing the chances of capturing user attention.

4. Analytics and A/B Testing

Built-in analytics and A/B testing are essential for fine-tuning your popups. These tools let you track performance metrics, compare different variations, and optimize based on data, ensuring your popups are continuously improving.

5. Integration with marketing tools

The right plugin will integrate with your email marketing platform or CRM system, allowing you to capture leads and manage them effortlessly. This ensures your popups fit seamlessly into your broader marketing strategy.

6. Ease of use

Look for drag-and-drop editors, live previews, and an intuitive interface. An easy-to-use plugin lets you design and publish popups quickly, even without prior experience.

What are the best WordPress plugins for popups in 2025?

Here are some of the best plugins available to create popups on your WordPress website. Each of these has unique features and strengths, so you can choose the one that fits your needs best.

1. OptiMonk

OptiMonk is known for its powerful targeting options that allow you to show popups based on user behavior, location, and device type.

With a drag-and-drop editor and use case templates, OptiMonk is a fantastic choice if you’re focused on maximizing conversions with minimal customization using a WordPress popup plugin.

Key features:

Drag & drop editor: Our intuitive editor lets you design eye-catching, branded popup design with ease and speed.
Use case library: Access a variety of pre-made templates for different needs, featuring tested strategies like discount codes, time-sensitive offers, gamification, and personalized product recommendations.
A/B testing: Quickly test new ideas to discover the most effective headlines, offers, and message combinations.
Personalization: Deliver targeted messages to specific customer segments, ensuring each visitor sees content that’s relevant and engaging.
Analytics: Our built-in revenue analytics focuses on real sales metrics, helping you optimize for meaningful results beyond just lead capture.

2. Elementor Pro

Elementor Pro is a powerful page builder with built-in popup capabilities. If you’re already using it for layout on your WordPress website, its popup tool fits right in and offers a range of customization options, making it easy to create visually cohesive popups with just a few clicks.

3. OptinMonster

OptinMonster is a popular WordPress popup plugin with various popup styles like exit-intent, floating bars, and overlays. It includes advanced targeting and A/B testing, which makes it ideal for marketers looking to boost conversions.

4. Popup Maker

Popup Maker is a free, flexible plugin that integrates smoothly with WordPress tools like WooCommerce. Though its interface is basic, it offers rich customization options, making it perfect for tailored popups on your WordPress website.

The free version of Popup Maker is sufficient for basic needs and can effectively integrate with other tools like WP Forms.

5. HubSpot WordPress Plugin

HubSpot’s WordPress plugin includes CRM and marketing tools, with basic popup features for lead capture. It’s a good choice if you’re focused on simple popups and already using HubSpot for your marketing. With its popup builder, you can create engaging, multiple popups effortlessly.

How to create a popup in WordPress using OptiMonk?

Ready to set up your first popup? Here’s a step-by-step guide to creating a high-converting popup with OptiMonk.

Step 1: Install and activate OptiMonk

From your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New, search for “OptiMonk,” then install and activate the plugin.

Step 2: Connect your account

OptiMonk requires an account. Sign up or log in, then connect your OptiMonk account with your WordPress site.

To do this, you’ll need to copy your OptiMonk ID. Your OptiMonk ID will be visible within the URL of the OptiMonk app after logging in.

Go back to the WordPress admin page, navigate to Appearance on the left and select OptiMonk. Insert your OptiMonk ID Number into your OptiMonk WordPress Plugin.

Step 3: Choose a popup template

OptiMonk offers various templates for different goals, such as collecting emails or promoting a special offer. Browse the templates and select one that suits your needs.

Step 4: Customize your popup

With OptiMonk’s drag-and-drop editor, you can add text, images, and call-to-action buttons. Adjust colors, fonts, and layouts to match your brand’s look.

Step 5: Set triggering and targeting options

This is where OptiMonk shines. Define when and where the popup appears. For example, set it to show on exit intent, after a certain scroll percentage, or after a time delay.

You can also decide to show it to new visitors or returning visitors, website visitors from specific traffic sources, visitors on specific pages, etc.

Step 6: Integrate with your email marketing tool

If you use email marketing software, connect it to OptiMonk to automatically capture leads and save them to your list.

Step 7: Publish

Preview your popup to make sure everything works as planned. Then, click Publish, and your popup will go live.

FAQ

How do I target specific users with my WordPress popup?

Advanced popup builder plugins offer targeting options based on user behavior, like exit intent, time spent on page, or scroll depth. You can also target by location, device type, or whether the visitor is new or returning, ensuring your popups reach the right audience with a well-planned popup campaign.

Do WordPress popups work on mobile devices?

Yes, most WordPress popup builder plugins offer responsive design, ensuring that popups adapt to different screen sizes. This means your popups will look and function well on both desktop and mobile devices.

Are there free popup plugins for WordPress?

Yes, several WordPress popup builder plugins offer a free version with basic features, such as OptiMonk and HubSpot’s WordPress plugin. These are great options to get started without incurring costs, though premium features may require an upgrade.

Additionally, if you’re looking to create a WordPress popup form, these plugins can help you design effective forms that engage your audience.

Wrapping up

Creating popups on WordPress has never been easier with plugins that handle the hard work for you. With the right tool, you can effectively boost conversions, grow your email list, and engage visitors at key moments.

Simply create an OptiMonk account, follow the setup steps, and launch your first high-converting popup in no time.

Happy creating!

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Written by

Barbara Bartucz

Barbara is a Content Marketer at OptiMonk. She takes pride in creating different forms of content, whether it’s an article, a video, or an e-book.

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