Exit pop-ups, whether you like them or not, are a popular lead generating method. However, they are not without dispute. We’re discussing one of the most critical issues in the industry: the conflict between conversion optimization and user experience.
Exit pop-ups include a number of case studies that promise significant conversion rate gains. The opposite group, on the other hand, claims that these studies overestimate the good influence and ignore the drawbacks. However, let’s not forget that in this business, there is no standard or correct way of addressing this kind of issue.
In this article, we will try to address these issues and throw some light on what it can mean for your marketing approach. We will talk about the pros and cons of exit pop-ups as a conversion tool, thus providing you with a better understanding. The highlights of this article would be the following points:
- Pros and Cons of exit pop-ups
- Exit-intent pop-ups implementation
- Their impact on conversion rates
- Unwarranted excessive relying on them
- Slipping performance of the exit pop-ups
- Alternatives to exit pop-ups
Pros and Cons of exit pop-ups
Pros:
- Cost – They are inexpensive. There are various plugins that provide them as a service if you’re using WordPress. Some are free but have restrictions, while others are paid but offer more features.
- Visibility – They’re right there in the middle or at the bottom, depending on where you want them to appear.
- Conversion – This is the primary purpose for their use, and they are quite effective at converting visitors into subscribers. A pop-up on your website might boost your subscriptions by up to 35 percent.
Cons:
- Irritating – This is by far the most annoying aspect of employing pop-ups. People either adore or despise them, with the latter being more common.
- Pop-Up Blockers – With the news that Google is cracking down on pop-up adverts, you may want to reconsider using them once they’ve been installed.
- Intrusive – It’s better if you only use one pop-up blocker. Having too many on your site can drive visitors to leave since they won’t be able to get the content they came for. Multiple pop-ups for the same offer are common, which is unnecessary, spammy, and unpleasant.
Exit-intent Pop-ups Implementation
Let’s not forget that implementation of these pop-ups is vital. However, just using a bunch of these pop-ups on your website doesn’t guarantee good conversion. It all boils down to how good the offer is, and that alone attracts and ensures your users to stay on your website.
Most users prefer a hassle-free experience when they shop online, and when they do not find what they are looking for, they tend to leave. At this stage any kind of pop-up, be it asking them to sign up for a newsletter or anything else, can delay their exit and be a deterrent for them to visit your website again.
On the other hand, there could be a user who is interested in reading one of your blog posts and clicks on it through social media. The fact the article interested the user could mean he/she is interested in the product highlighted in the blog. Unless there is a reason to stay on once the blog is read, the user tends to exit. At this stage, a targeted exit pop-up that can interest the user to click on a free download or promotion related to the article can do the trick of holding them longer on the page.
Once a disinterested user leaves your website, chances of them coming back to your website would be almost none. Here are some exit-intent pop-up strategies to consider that can hold your user’s interest and get them more involved in your brand and convert them into customers:
- Attract the users with coupon codes on the product pages, thus getting them to stay longer on the page.
- A last-minute offer or the option of saving the shopping list can also reduce cart abandonment
- A last-ditch offer of via an exit pop-up can do the trick when the landing page message does not do the job of holding the user’s interest
- Regular alerts regarding price change or availability of products can get the users involved in your brand
- Offers that last long can interest your users and get them to provide you with their data, such as email ID, etc.
Impact on Conversion Rates
There is a lot of talk about how exit pop-ups can increase conversions by 300% or so, which could be a result of anything from signing up to a newsletter to purchasing products. In truth, how impactful are these pop-ups in conversion? In reality, a targeted pop-up strategy is known to increase conversions by only 5-10%, which is way lower than the hyped up figures in blogs and articles.
The ideal approach would be to have some well-worked out clear strategies in place, such as those mentioned above under exit pop-up strategies, rather than ‘shot in the dark’ ideas. Though such strategic approaches might bring the conversion percentage, the quality of the leads would be much higher and would give positive conversion results. As they say, a bird in hand is better than two in the bush. So having a confirmed conversion is better than ten probabilities.
Unwarranted Excessive Relying on Exit Pop-ups
It is imperative to remember that exit pop-ups have to be the last-ditch resort and not the ‘go to’ option for your online store because your site is so highly optimized for conversions, you want the great majority of visitors to never see your exit-intent pop-up.
Exit pop-ups should be turned off for users who have previously fulfilled your conversion objective.
It’s not uncommon to witness a surge in conversion rates after slapping an exit pop-up over a site that’s leaking visitors – especially for general conversion objectives. However, this speaks more to the site’s flaws than to the pop-ups that kept consumers from leaving.
Slipping performance of the exit pop-ups
We’re also starting to notice indicators of a decline in the average gain in conversions when exit pop-ups are used. It’s not a significant decrease, but it’s one to watch over the next few years.
There might be a variety of causes for this:
- Exit pop-ups become less necessary as websites get more optimized.
- Users may have become accustomed to them.
- The general quality of strategies and offerings is being lowered as a result of increased utilization.
- On mobile, Google is penalizing pop-ups.
- New ways to get rid of pop-ups
Alternatives to exit pop-ups
A variety of exit-pop-up alternatives have emerged in recent years. Of course, each has its own set of advantages and disadvantages, but we now have more alternatives than ever for maximizing leads, which can only be a positive thing.
Notifications:
You may utilize the technology on both mobile and desktop to notify consumers about new content, offers, shopping cart reminders, and a variety of other alerts while they explore the website.
Live Chat:
Live chat has made it into the major leagues of design/marketing trends, providing a one-stop alternative for pop-ups and online forms. Customers can get answers to their questions through chatbots and customer service.
Multi-step forms:
Multi-step forms minimize friction in a variety of ways, beginning with the fact that they don’t seem like forms. This immediately eliminates people’s psychological aversion to filling out forms. They also integrate with your web pages, making them a part of the experience rather than a distraction.
Calls-To-Action (CTA):
Offer visitors a cause to stick around before they lose interest. If customers are reaching to the bottom of your webpage and leaving, give them a reason to stay. Break them up with clever, relevant CTAs that capitalize on their interest in coming to your website.
Conclusion:
The most non-efficient thing you can do is get caught up in pursuing new ideas rather than genuinely solving issues. After all, it’s a lot easier to slap pop-ups all over your site than it is to try to figure out what’s wrong; especially when vendors offering pop-up software claim it will alter your business.
You’re approaching things from the proper angle if you’re strategically deploying exit-intent pop-ups as a safety net to decrease the quantity of leads slipping away. If you’re relying on them to make up for your website’s shortcomings, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Your first aim should always be to get the most out of your page designs, online forms, and CTAs.
The ELEX Abandoned Cart Recovery plugin is one such plugin that offers a tone of features without spoiling the aesthetic or consumer experience of your online store for an affordable price.
Check out our powerful range of plugins on the ELEXtensions website.
Further Reads:
Step-by-Step Guide of Using WooCommerce USPS Shipping Calculator
7 Benefits of using Multi-Carrier Shipping for Your WooCommerce Store
