How to Create Pop-Ups that Are Not Annoying
Pop-ups. Does that word fill you with frustration, thinking about those websites with seemingly endless popups, the ones where you can’t seem to close the @#$%&! pop-up, or the pop-ups that keep coming back after you’ve closed them?
Let’s face it, pop-ups can be annoying.
They can also be a really effective marketing tool if used properly (not like the above example obviously). And they really work, helping you achieve your goals with an average 11.09% conversion rate.
What are the advantages to using a pop-up?
Maybe you’re saying to yourself that you don’t need anything beside the conversion rate, but there are other advantages to using a pop-up.
They’re great at getting attention (and people don’t tune them out like they do banners)
They can keep your visitors on your page for a longer amount of time
Pop-ups can help you to provide your users with important information
They can help you gain leads and sign ups
What are the disadvantages to using a pop-up?
Pop-ups can impact your visitor or user experience on your website
Some of the complaints that people have stated about pop-ups are:
Visitors have to see pop-ups every time they visit a website
Pop-ups show up even before the content does on a website
Pop-ups cover up all the content
Pop-ups interrupt what visitors are doing on your website
Pop-ups can be difficult to close
Pop-ups that have nothing to do with the content on the page
Pop-ups can negatively affect your SEO
Google’s goal is to help users find “the content they’re looking for”. So they will penalize websites that use pop-ups that get in the way of this goal – especially ones that do it on mobile.
In 2017 Google came out with a statement (with pictures and everything) about what they didn’t want to see when it came to pop-ups and what they thought was okay.
Examples of unacceptable pop-ups include:
Pop-ups that cover the main content as soon as your user navigates from the search results
Pop-ups that users need to close to continue reading your content
Pop-ups that cover too much of the mobile view (top 1/3 of your page)
Pop-ups that open a new window when you click on a page
Pop-ups that are difficult to close
So, as you can see, many of the things that your users hate to see are also the same things that will negatively affect your SEO.
Examples of acceptable pop-ups:
Google won’t penalize you for any pop-up that is legally required, like cookies or age verification pop-ups. Pop-ups that take up less of your screen and are easy to close are also acceptable.
Cookie Pop-up
Age Verification Popup
Using “reasonable amount of space”
So how do you make sure your pop-ups aren’t annoying to your visitors or Google? Here are 5 tips to help you create user & SEO friendly pop-ups:
1 - Delay the Timing of your Pop-Ups
Seriously, does anyone like getting to a website and immediately being hit with a pop-up? I’d be surprised to find anyone who didn’t find that annoying!
Instead, consider delaying the timing of your pop-up until the end of your page or blog post. This gives your visitor time to see the content they came to see, making them & Google happy. Plus it can actually help (yep help – not hinder) your SEO by giving your visitors a reason to stay longer on your website.
It also gives your users a chance to get to know your site and build trust. This can help your pop-up to reach its goals.
If you are using a pop-up on your Squarespace website you have the option of delaying your pop-up by time or by the amount of page that has been scrolled. You can even use a combination of both options.
Related Post: How to Create a Pop-up in Squarespace
2 - Change the Frequency of your Pop-Ups
Do you want this offer?
No.
How about now?
No.
How about now?
No.
Now?
Noooooooooo!
Having a pop-up that comes up too frequently can seem like that annoying kid in school who just wouldn’t leave you alone. And, it’s one of the main complaints that people have about pop-ups.
Before your website user runs away from your website (okay probably just bounces back to search, but that’s bad too), frustrated by seeing your pop-up way too many times, consider changing the frequency that they see your pop-up.
In Squarespace you can have your visitor see the pop-up the next day, never again or some point in between. Also, if you are promoting your newsletter, it’s a great idea to check the box for “Don’t show again after newsletter sign up”.
3 - Make Sure your Pop-Up is Relevant
I definitely want that discount code if I’m checking out the products in your store, but if I’m looking at your privacy policy it’s probably just in the way.
Your pop-up should be relevant to the content of the page that it’s on. This means that it probably shouldn’t be on every page of your website. Consider carefully which pages on your site make the most sense for your pop-up to be located.
4 - Avoid Using Full Screen Pop-Ups
According to Google, you can still use full screen pop-ups on desktops, but not mobile screens, as long as they are easy to close. I would advise against using them at all though, because your users hate them and find them disruptive.
Full screen pop-up either stop your visitors from getting to your content, or they completely cover up your content until they are closed.
5 - Consider your Mobile Options
It’s important to treat your pop-ups differently on mobile screens. This can mean changing the size or placement of your pop-up or not showing it at all on mobile.
Why? Google looks at the mobile experience first when ranking your website, so if your pop-up is too large or intrusive your website won’t rank well in search. This will affect the amount of organic traffic that your website can get.
If you are using Squarespace, simply un-check the box for “Show on Mobile” or adjust the mobile view in the Style area of your promotional pop-up.
If you are considering adding a pop-up to your website, just remember to think about your user’s experience. This is generally what counts most in SEO as well. It’s all about your visitors.
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