Website Popups: Best Practices & Examples

Barbara Bartucz
January 28, 2025
Conversion
6 min read

Popup best practices—everyone’s searching for the secret formula. No matter how much we optimize, there’s always more to learn!

Just scroll through Reddit and you’ll see countless marketers seeking expert advice on how to make popups more effective without driving visitors away.

The truth is that popups can be incredibly powerful when done right. They can grow your email list, boost conversions, and engage users at just the right moment.

But if executed poorly, they can frustrate your audience and send them running.

So, how do you strike the perfect balance? Let’s dive into the best popup strategies—complete with real-life examples—to help you create popups that work.

10 website popups best practices

Ready to find out what makes popups effective?

Here are ten best practices to create high-converting popups without frustrating your audience.

1. Use clear, compelling copy

Your popup should instantly communicate value. Visitors need to know what’s in it for them within seconds.

Keep your message concise, benefit-driven, and action-oriented.

For example, Then I Met You captures attention with simple yet effective popup copy: “Our treat to you! Receive 10% off your first order.”

This message is clear, friendly, and focuses on the benefit for new subscribers, making it hard to ignore.

2. Match the popup design to your website

Consistency is crucial when customizing popups to align with your website’s aesthetic. It’s one of the essential popup design best practices.

Ensure that your popups blend in seamlessly by using fonts, colors, and imagery that echo what you already use on your site.

A popup that feels out of place can be disruptive and might even harm your brand’s credibility.

A perfect example is Tofino Soap, whose minimalist popup beautifully complements their clean, modern website design.

3. Highlight a strong value proposition

Your popup needs a hook—something that immediately resonates with your audience.

For example, Omnipemf captivates their visitors with a clear, compelling value proposition: “Relax, destress and finally sleep.”

This phrase not only grabs attention but also addresses a common pain point, making their offer instantly appealing.

4. Ensure the offer is relevant to your audience

Relevance is key when it comes to crafting your popup’s offer.

Visitors are more likely to engage if the message speaks directly to their needs or interests.

Vegetology, for example, targets returning visitors with a popup promoting nutrient-packed bundles at a 30% discount.

Since these users are likely searching for supplements, this offer feels perfectly tailored to them.

Building popups that are relevant to your audience can significantly increase engagement.

5. Make your CTA stand out

A strong CTA can make or break your popup.

It should stand out visually and be action-oriented to encourage users to click.

Hero Pet Health gets it right with their vibrant orange CTA button against a blue background that reads, “Claim Your 10% OFF.”

The design ensures the CTA is impossible to miss, while the language drives urgency.

6. Use the power of FOMO

The fear of missing out (FOMO) is a psychological driver you can’t afford to ignore. Using urgency or exclusivity in your popup can significantly boost conversions.

Beneath Your Mask does this effectively with their copy, which says “Limited time only.” They highlight that the special offer is only available for 24 hours, which creates a sense of urgency that encourages immediate action.

7. Start with a question

What’s the best way to grab someone’s attention? Ask them a question! It’s a natural way to engage people because it makes them think—and when done right, it can guide them toward the action you want them to take.

Using a question as the first step in your email capture strategy lowers the barrier to interaction. Instead of immediately asking for an email, you’re starting a conversation.

Korean snack subscription service Seoulbox asks visitors, “What are you most interested in?”

Once they answer, they’re offered 10% off in exchange for their email.

OptiMonk offers a variety of ready-to-use templates that kick off with a question. Get started today!

8. Use exit-intent popups instead of welcome popups

Timing is everything if you want to create effective popups to engage visitors at the right moment.

Exit-intent popups, which appear when a visitor is about to leave the site, are particularly effective at retaining users and increasing conversions.

Goldelucks uses this strategy to offer special deals that entice visitors to reconsider leaving.

Similarly, Awesome Health Club catches the visitors’ attention by offering a free smoothie guide, providing a final incentive to stay engaged.

9. Make popups mobile-friendly

With most web traffic coming from mobile devices—close to 70%, according to last year’s stats—it’s critical to optimize your mobile popup for smaller screens.

Features like tappable buttons, easy-to-read text, and responsive popup design ensure a smooth experience. To achieve this, you’ll need a tool built for mobile-friendly popups—like OptiMonk.

Qure Skincare excels here with mobile-friendly popups that combine clear visuals and large CTAs for optimal usability.

10. Add a sticky teaser

Visitors not ready to sign up just yet? No problem!

If they close your welcome popup without subscribing, a sticky teaser is a great way to keep the offer visible. It stays in the corner of the screen, ready when they are.

Take this example from Vegetology—their sticky teaser remains in the bottom left corner, subtly reminding visitors without disrupting their browsing experience.

How to create popups in just a few minutes?

Want to create effective popups without the hassle? Follow these simple steps using OptiMonk.

Step 0: Develop a popup strategy

Before diving into popup design and customization, take a step back and define your popup goals.

What do you want to achieve with your popup campaigns? Are you collecting emails, driving sales, or encouraging user engagement?

Knowing exactly what you want to accomplish will guide your decisions throughout the rest of the process.

Step 1: Choose a template that aligns with your goals

OptiMonk offers over 300 professionally designed templates tailored for different objectives, such as list-building, promoting sales, or increasing engagement.

Choose one that fits your specific campaign needs and aligns with your business goals.

Step 2: Customize your popup

It’s time to make your popup feel like a natural part of your website by adjusting fonts, colors, and images to match your brand.

Keep the popup design clean, uncluttered, and visually appealing to ensure it grabs attention without overwhelming the user.

Step 3: Set up targeting & triggers

Timing and placement matter.

With OptiMonk, you can set up an exit-intent popup to capture visitors before they leave, scroll-triggered popups that appear as users browse, or time-delayed popups to engage them at just the right moment.

A targeted popup based on user behavior will always perform better than a generic one.

Step 4: Launch & optimize

Once your popup is live, track its performance using analytics. A dedicated popup tool makes it easy to track performance and run A/B tests effectively.

Test different variations and tweak elements like messaging, design, and timing to find what works best. Continuous optimization ensures long-term success.

FAQ

How effective are website popups?

On average, popups can boost conversion rates by 3-10%, with well-optimized popups achieving over 40% conversion rates in some cases.

How can I make my popups more successful?

A successful popup campaign needs clear messaging, a strong CTA, and a relevant offer. Optimizing the design, testing different variations, and ensuring the popup appears at the right time can significantly improve performance.

When should a popup appear on a website?

Timing is everything. Popups can appear immediately for welcome offers, after a few seconds to engage users once they’ve digested your above-the-fold content, on exit intent to retain them, or on scroll to match engagement levels.

Wrapping up

Website popups can drive conversions, increase engagement, and enhance the user experience. The key is to be strategic—timing, design, and messaging all matter.

Using advanced popup software can streamline the process of collecting data and growing your email list.

So why not choose OptiMonk, which provides all the tools you need to get started?

With the right approach, popups can become a powerful asset in your marketing strategy.

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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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