What are popup overlays?

Overlay Popups: What They Are + 9 Examples That Convert

Whether you’re offering a new visitor discount or running a lead generation campaign, your goal is to capture the attention of your target audience. And there’s no better way to do that than by using overlay popups!

In this article, we’ll explore how to create great overlays by taking a look at 9 high-converting popup overlay examples, and we'll share some tips for creating an effective popup overlay.

Let's get started!

Popup overlays, also called website overlays, appear over your page, cover part of the visitor's screen and deliver a secondary message. That message can be a discount offer, an exclusive deal or an email signup form.

There are a number of different types of popup overlay triggers that determine when overlays appear on browsers’ screens: user behavior, time delay, and scroll-based triggers, among others.

Because popup overlays dim the background and need to be dismissed before a site visitor can continue browsing, they’re great at drawing attention to a message. Not sure how an overlay differs from a modal? See modal vs popup vs overlay.

Ecommerce stores and other websites can use popup overlays for various purposes, such as:

growing an email list,
decreasing cart abandonment,
increasing conversion rate,
displaying important messages, and
collecting user feedback.

Each of these popup overlay examples can help you capture users’ attention and guide them through your sales pipeline.

Hopefully you find some popup inspiration on this list!

1. Welcome overlay popup

A welcome popup overlay is a great way to greet new visitors and leave a positive first impression. You could also use it to guide potential buyers towards the next step you want them to take.

In the example below, an ecommerce website used a welcome popup to promote a discount offer to their new visitors and personalized it based on country to make it more special.

2. Seasonal newsletter popup overlay

Seasonal popups make it possible to keep your website feeling fresh and new throughout the year. An overlay popup that fits with a particular time of year will convert much better than a generic popup.

When a popup overlay mentions a particular time of year, like the example below, it creates a sense of urgency because it doesn't seem like the offer is going to be available forever.

3. Product recommendation overlay popup

The right product recommendation popup overlay can dramatically shorten the customer journey. When you promote your best-selling or most popular products, it makes it easier for your web visitors to find the products they're really interested in.

The popup below manages to do several things at once: reinforce a unique selling proposition, establish seasonal relevance, and recommend relevant products.

In OptiMonk, a product recommendation popup can show your most viewed products, the products a visitor looked at last, or your store's own smart recommendations.

4. Discount overlay popup

Discount popups are one of the best ways to encourage users to make a purchase now rather than later.

Online shoppers are used to getting exclusive deals, especially the first time they make a purchase from a brand. That’s why personalizing your discount popups is a great strategy.

In a small popup window, Blendjet offers a personalized discount to visitors coming from Facebook.

5. Cart abandonment overlay popup

Cart abandonment happens when a user exits an online store after adding an item to their cart but before completing the checkout process.

Almost all online stores struggle with high rates of cart abandonment, meaning that cart abandonment popups are an essential part of optimizing your website.

The limited-time cart abandonment popup overlay below gives Obvi a second chance to convert their abandoning visitors. It’s a great example of using a well-timed message and an eye-catching image to save lost conversions.

6. Welcome back overlay popup

Most customers won't make a purchase the first time they visit a website, since they're still exploring their options. A welcome back popup overlay can help users get back to where they left off during a previous visit.

You can take a few different routes with your welcome back popup overlay: you could offer a welcome back discount, like in the popup overlay example below, you could display new arrivals, or you could show users their previously viewed products.

7. Free shipping overlay popup

Free shipping is one of the most persuasive incentives you can offer to your site visitors. Using an overlay popup to promote your free shipping offer ensures that everyone who shops on your site will be aware of it.

The example below combines a simple free shipping offer with a short description and customer testimonial.

8. Lucky wheel overlay popup

Lucky wheel popup overlays are a fun, engaging way to encourage site visitors to sign up for your email list. When people have the option to play to win rather than simply getting handed a discount, they'll be more likely to enter their email address.

The example below manages to create a real sense of fun.

9. Lead magnet overlay popup

Lead magnet popup overlays are a powerful way to build your list. You can create ebooks or other resources that present valuable information and give your web visitors a great reason to sign up for your list.

The example overlay popup below offers a comprehensive sleep guide in the form of a free ebook.

6 tips for creating effective overlay popups

Now that you've seen 9 types of popup overlays with real-life examples, here are some practical tips for creating a high-converting popup overlay for your website.

Effectiveness is key with a popup overlay. To ensure your popup overlays not only capture attention but also convert visitors into valuable leads or customers, consider the following tips.

1. Use one, clear value proposition

When writing your popup overlay, focus on a single, compelling value proposition. Clearly state the benefit your popup offers, whether it's an exclusive discount, access to premium content or a limited-time offer.

Avoid the temptation to clutter your popup overlay with multiple calls-to-action; instead, concentrate on one primary goal to maintain clarity and drive engagement.

2. Find the right timing

Timing is everything. Experiment with various triggers for your popup overlays to pinpoint the optimal timing.

Consider employing exit-intent triggers, time-delay activation, or scroll-triggered popups.

Analyzing when your website visitors are most receptive allows you to strategically time your popups, significantly impacting conversion rates.

3. Make sure your popup looks good on mobile

With a growing number of users accessing websites via mobile devices, it's crucial to ensure your popup overlay is mobile-friendly.

Check the design and placement on a phone, not just on desktop, and make buttons big enough to tap. In OptiMonk, the agent builds a separate mobile version of every popup, so you don't have to resize the desktop design by hand.

Here's a great mobile popup overlay example from Skullcandy that checks all the boxes. It has a nice background, uses contrasting colors, a compelling copy, and a big button that provides easy clickability.

4. Match your popup to your website

Keep a consistent look and feel with your overall style and branding. The popup overlay should fit the rest of your website and reinforce your brand identity.

Clickup's popup overlay is a great example of perfectly matching the popup to the brand style guide:

5. Use a clean design

Keep your popup overlay clean and simple. Avoid overwhelming website visitors with too much information or too many elements. A minimalist approach can enhance user experience and encourage action.

Burberry's product recommendation popup overlay illustrates perfectly how you can create clean popups.

6. Use compelling text

Devote time to creating persuasive and concise copy that resonates with your target audience.

Clearly articulate the benefits of engaging with your popup overlay, using language that instills a sense of urgency or excitement. Well-crafted copy prompts a website visitor to take immediate action.

Pick one example from this list, such as a welcome discount over a dimmed page, and describe the popup in one sentence. The OptiMonk agent designs it, builds the mobile version and sets the targeting.

Free to start. No credit card.