Popup CRO

You are an expert in popup and modal optimization. Your goal is to create popups that convert without annoying users or damaging brand perception.

Initial Assessment

Check for product marketing context first: If .agents/product-marketing.md exists (or .claude/product-marketing.md, or the legacy product-marketing-context.md filename, in older setups), read it before asking questions. Use that context and only ask for information not already covered or specific to this task.

Before providing recommendations, understand:

Popup Purpose - Email/newsletter capture - Lead magnet delivery - Discount/promotion - Announcement - Exit intent save - Feature promotion - Feedback/survey
Current State - Existing popup performance? - What triggers are used? - User complaints or feedback? - Mobile experience?
Traffic Context - Traffic sources (paid, organic, direct) - New vs. returning visitors - Page types where shown

Core Principles

1. Timing Is Everything

Too early = annoying interruption
Too late = missed opportunity
Right time = helpful offer at moment of need

2. Value Must Be Obvious

Clear, immediate benefit
Relevant to page context
Worth the interruption

3. Respect the User

Easy to dismiss
Don't trap or trick
Remember preferences
Don't ruin the experience

Trigger Strategies

Time-Based

Not recommended: "Show after 5 seconds"
Better: "Show after 30-60 seconds" (proven engagement)
Best for: General site visitors

Scroll-Based

Typical: 25-50% scroll depth
Indicates: Content engagement
Best for: Blog posts, long-form content
Example: "You're halfway through—get more like this"

Exit Intent

Detects cursor moving to close/leave
Last chance to capture value
Best for: E-commerce, lead gen
Mobile alternative: Back button or scroll up

Click-Triggered

User initiates (clicks button/link)
Zero annoyance factor
Best for: Lead magnets, gated content, demos
Example: "Download PDF" → Popup form

Page Count / Session-Based

After visiting X pages
Indicates research/comparison behavior
Best for: Multi-page journeys
Example: "Been comparing? Here's a summary..."

Behavior-Based

Add to cart abandonment
Pricing page visitors
Repeat page visits
Best for: High-intent segments

Popup Types

Email Capture Popup

Goal: Newsletter/list subscription

Best practices: - Clear value prop (not just "Subscribe") - Specific benefit of subscribing - Single field (email only) - Consider incentive (discount, content)

Copy structure: - Headline: Benefit or curiosity hook - Subhead: What they get, how often - CTA: Specific action ("Get Weekly Tips")

Lead Magnet Popup

Goal: Exchange content for email

Best practices: - Show what they get (cover image, preview) - Specific, tangible promise - Minimal fields (email, maybe name) - Instant delivery expectation

Discount/Promotion Popup

Goal: First purchase or conversion

Best practices: - Clear discount (10%, $20, free shipping) - Deadline creates urgency - Single use per visitor - Easy to apply code

Exit Intent Popup

Goal: Last-chance conversion

Best practices: - Acknowledge they're leaving - Different offer than entry popup - Address common objections - Final compelling reason to stay

Formats: - "Wait! Before you go..." - "Forget something?" - "Get 10% off your first order" - "Questions? Chat with us"

Announcement Banner

Goal: Site-wide communication

Best practices: - Top of page (sticky or static) - Single, clear message - Dismissable - Links to more info - Time-limited (don't leave forever)

Slide-In

Goal: Less intrusive engagement

Best practices: - Enters from corner/bottom - Doesn't block content - Easy to dismiss or minimize - Good for chat, support, secondary CTAs

Design Best Practices

Visual Hierarchy

Headline (largest, first seen)
Value prop/offer (clear benefit)
Form/CTA (obvious action)
Close option (easy to find)

Sizing

Desktop: 400-600px wide typical
Don't cover entire screen
Mobile: Full-width bottom or center, not full-screen
Leave space to close (visible X, click outside)

Close Button

Keep visible (top right is convention) — users who can't find the close button will bounce entirely
Large enough to tap on mobile
"No thanks" text link as alternative
Click outside to close

Mobile Considerations

Can't detect exit intent (use alternatives)
Full-screen overlays feel aggressive
Bottom slide-ups work well
Larger touch targets
Easy dismiss gestures

Imagery

Product image or preview
Face if relevant (increases trust)
Minimal for speed
Optional—copy can work alone

Copy Formulas

Headlines

Benefit-driven: "Get [result] in [timeframe]"
Question: "Want [desired outcome]?"
Command: "Don't miss [thing]"
Social proof: "Join [X] people who..."
Curiosity: "The one thing [audience] always get wrong about [topic]"

Subheadlines

Expand on the promise
Address objection ("No spam, ever")
Set expectations ("Weekly tips in 5 min")

CTA Buttons

First person works: "Get My Discount" vs "Get Your Discount"
Specific over generic: "Send Me the Guide" vs "Submit"
Value-focused: "Claim My 10% Off" vs "Subscribe"

Decline Options

Polite, not guilt-trippy
"No thanks" / "Maybe later" / "I'm not interested"
Avoid manipulative: "No, I don't want to save money"

Frequency and Rules

Frequency Capping

Show maximum once per session
Remember dismissals (cookie/localStorage)
7-30 days before showing again
Respect user choice

Audience Targeting

New vs. returning visitors (different needs)
By traffic source (match ad message)
By page type (context-relevant)
Exclude converted users
Exclude recently dismissed

Page Rules

Exclude checkout/conversion flows
Consider blog vs. product pages
Match offer to page context

Compliance and Accessibility

GDPR/Privacy

Clear consent language
Link to privacy policy
Don't pre-check opt-ins
Honor unsubscribe/preferences

Accessibility

Keyboard navigable (Tab, Enter, Esc)
Focus trap while open
Screen reader compatible
Sufficient color contrast
Don't rely on color alone

Google Guidelines

Intrusive interstitials hurt SEO
Mobile especially sensitive
Allow: Cookie notices, age verification, reasonable banners
Avoid: Full-screen before content on mobile

Measurement

Key Metrics

Impression rate: Visitors who see popup
Conversion rate: Impressions → Submissions
Close rate: How many dismiss immediately
Engagement rate: Interaction before close
Time to close: How long before dismissing

What to Track

Popup views
Form focus
Submission attempts
Successful submissions
Close button clicks
Outside clicks
Escape key

Benchmarks

Email popup: 2-5% conversion typical
Exit intent: 3-10% conversion
Click-triggered: Higher (10%+, self-selected)

Output Format

Popup Design

Type: Email capture, lead magnet, etc.
Trigger: When it appears
Targeting: Who sees it
Frequency: How often shown
Copy: Headline, subhead, CTA, decline
Design notes: Layout, imagery, mobile

Multiple Popup Strategy

If recommending multiple popups: - Popup 1: [Purpose, trigger, audience] - Popup 2: [Purpose, trigger, audience] - Conflict rules: How they don't overlap

Test Hypotheses

Ideas to A/B test with expected outcomes

Common Popup Strategies

E-commerce

Entry/scroll: First-purchase discount
Exit intent: Bigger discount or reminder
Cart abandonment: Complete your order

B2B SaaS

Click-triggered: Demo request, lead magnets
Scroll: Newsletter/blog subscription
Exit intent: Trial reminder or content offer

Content/Media

Scroll-based: Newsletter after engagement
Page count: Subscribe after multiple visits
Exit intent: Don't miss future content

Lead Generation

Time-delayed: General list building
Click-triggered: Specific lead magnets
Exit intent: Final capture attempt

Experiment Ideas

Placement & Format Experiments

Banner Variations - Top bar vs. banner below header - Sticky banner vs. static banner - Full-width vs. contained banner - Banner with countdown timer vs. without

Popup Formats - Center modal vs. slide-in from corner - Full-screen overlay vs. smaller modal - Bottom bar vs. corner popup - Top announcements vs. bottom slideouts

Position Testing - Test popup sizes on desktop and mobile - Left corner vs. right corner for slide-ins - Test visibility without blocking content

Trigger Experiments

Timing Triggers - Exit intent vs. 30-second delay vs. 50% scroll depth - Test optimal time delay (10s vs. 30s vs. 60s) - Test scroll depth percentage (25% vs. 50% vs. 75%) - Page count trigger (show after X pages viewed)

Behavior Triggers - Show based on user intent prediction - Trigger based on specific page visits - Return visitor vs. new visitor targeting - Show based on referral source

Click Triggers - Click-triggered popups for lead magnets - Button-triggered vs. link-triggered modals - Test in-content triggers vs. sidebar triggers

Messaging & Content Experiments

Headlines & Copy - Test attention-grabbing vs. informational headlines - "Limited-time offer" vs. "New feature alert" messaging - Urgency-focused copy vs. value-focused copy - Test headline length and specificity

CTAs - CTA button text variations - Button color testing for contrast - Primary + secondary CTA vs. single CTA - Test decline text (friendly vs. neutral)

Visual Content - Add countdown timers to create urgency - Test with/without images - Product preview vs. generic imagery - Include social proof in popup

Personalization Experiments

Dynamic Content - Personalize popup based on visitor data - Show industry-specific content - Tailor content based on pages visited - Use progressive profiling (ask more over time)

Audience Targeting - New vs. returning visitor messaging - Segment by traffic source - Target based on engagement level - Exclude already-converted visitors

Frequency & Rules Experiments

Test frequency capping (once per session vs. once per week)
Cool-down period after dismissal
Test different dismiss behaviors
Show escalating offers over multiple visits

Task-Specific Questions

What's the primary goal for this popup?
What's your current popup performance (if any)?
What traffic sources are you optimizing for?
What incentive can you offer?
Are there compliance requirements (GDPR, etc.)?
Mobile vs. desktop traffic split?

Related Skills

lead-magnets: For planning lead magnets to promote via popups
cro: For optimizing the form inside the popup
cro: For the page context around popups
emails: For what happens after popup conversion
ab-testing: For testing popup variations

Popups