Since GDPR was introduced, pop ups are an unavoidable part of using the internet, whether you’re a casual browser or a digital marketing professional. For many people, especially those who grew up in an era when pop ups were far less common, this development has made the whole experience of using internet to find information much less appealing. From a marketing perspective, this rather intrusive and extremely direct form of advertising can potentially be very effective.
They’re impossible to miss
When you use pop up advertising, you guarantee that your message will be seen. How this is perceived can be quite another matter, but any potential customers are guaranteed to watch at least a few seconds of your advert, or at least read the first few lines of text. This is really a double-edged sword as the aggressive and direct nature of the communication can still be perceived as rude and intrusive by many people. Few businesses would want to be associated with qualities like this, though in some cases, the sheer volume of click throughs and resulting conversions can make this a worthwhile risk.
You can take customers directly to specific products
If you’re launching a new range of products or have a special offer on specific items in your online store, it’s possible to include direct links within the pop itself. Generally speaking, people prefer to use as few clicks as possible to get to the information they’re looking for, so if you have targeted the right website users, this may be an incentive for them to investigate further. For items that are usually impulse buys and spur of the moment purchases, this approach can be very effective.
Data Capture Can Be Easy When You Use Pop Ups
One of the most common use of pop ups for many online businesses, is the standard “sign up” form, which encourages users to enter their personal details. This is usually the first step in most online stores and options such as subscribing to regular email updates or social media alerts can also incorporated here. Using this technique effectively isn’t simple. If you have nothing especially appealing to offer to your potential customers, the chances are that they will simply close the advert and move on. Pop ads need to show off your best prices, discounts and products. Making it almost irresistible for certain users to click through and convert. Clear, bold and simple messages are always more effective than anything too complex. Save the details for after you’ve got the click.
You Can Show Off Your Design and Animation Skills
This style of advertising presents an opportunity for designers, animators and other digital professionals to show off their skills to a captive audience. The better quality your advert, the longer people will engage with it. If what you have produced looks professional and impresses those who see it, it paints your organisation in a very positive light. Never skimp on the budget when it comes to pop ups. A poor-quality ad is a terrible reflection on your business and may even deter users from dealing with you in the future. Though it is becoming more common, this is still a high-risk strategy.
They Force You to Be Succinct
It’s rare that customers watch the whole of a pop-up advert and most video-based content provides the option to skip the message in a few seconds. This means you need to get your call to action and the key points across as soon as you possibly can. This is more difficult than it might sound. Being this direct can make customers feel uncomfortable, so using humour or irony can soften the blow somewhat. Similarly, spending some time on the short lines of text that are used to convey your message can also help. Professional writers understand how to present a lot of information in a short space of time, but this takes skill, practice and understanding of language.
They’re still associated with viruses and spyware
When they first appeared online, pop ups were generally associated with the more negative side of the internet. Illegal sites would use them to steal information or infect users’ computers and this has tarnished their reputation as a legitimate marketing tool. Though this is actually quite rare these days, a negative reputation can take a very long time to change, especially in the minds of the public. Though standard sign up forms and quick mentions of special offers are unlikely to deter too many people, pop ups that have an urgent, desperate tone can leave a negative impression on website visitors.
Many Users Use Ad Blocking Software
Though businesses may not like to hear this, people can choose whether or not they want to watch your adverts or read your content. There are more advert blocking extensions and free software packages available online than ever and many of them are extremely effective. Inexperienced users generally won’t install this type of program but as the public’s understanding of digital communication continues to improve, using pop up blockers is becoming commonplace. Some sites get around this by refusing to allow customers access without consenting to cookies and pop ups, but there’s a growing trend of switched on consumers who will simply find another provider who doesn’t work in this way.
They Are Universally Hated
You would struggle to find anybody outside of the digital marketing industry who would admit to actually enjoying the experience of being faced with pop ups. They may be an inevitable part of the online world now, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t still a constant source of frustration and even anger for many consumers. When people feel as if they are being forced into situation, they respond very differently to when they feel as if they are making a choice. Insisting that website users view your pop-up content before they do anything else on the site is the digital equivalent to speaking over somebody in a meeting or at a party. It happens and probably always will, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good thing.
