Whether you’re prepared or not, the resurgence of pop-ups is undeniable. Once derided by the online community as an intrusive and irritating form of advertising, prompting the inclusion of pop-up blockers in many browsers, these advertisements have experienced a striking comeback in recent months.I first noticed one on Quicksprout:
Since then, they’ve cropped up across various platforms, including e-commerce sites: 
They’ve also become more sophisticated, with some employing guilt-tripping tactics to persuade users to click “yes” or “download”…
Despite their prevalence, pop-ups have returned in a slightly altered form—technically, they’re browser overlays rather than separate windows, and I haven’t encountered any that play music or claim to be the lucky 1000th visitor to your site. But why the comeback if the majority of the internet dislikes them?My initial research on this topic revealed that numerous websites claim their conversion rates have improved when incorporating pop-ups for sign-up forms or crucial calls to action, such as links to download guides or whitepapers.Mauro D’Andrea’s experiment with pop-ups on his blog yielded a 14.47% increase in email sign-ups among visitors after displaying a pop-up. Matthew Woodward also reported a 44.41% conversion rate increase on his website—approximately an additional 52 email subscribers per month—due to the presence of pop-ups. These are significant improvements.While many companies may not openly discuss such data, Neil Patel himself has admitted that the conversion rate on Quicksprout surged by “a bit more than 100%” after he implemented pop-ups. So, despite their annoyance, pop-ups appear to be effective. Correct?Upon reading Mauro and Matthew’s studies, you may have noticed a “but…” following their reports of increased conversion rates.In Mauro’s case, the engagement rate of those who signed up via pop-up was lower (or even non-existent—some never confirmed their subscriptions). Matthew observed a decrease in pages per visit and visit duration by approximately 9-10%. Moreover, Beth Hayden of Copyblogger received negative feedback when she employed pop-ups to boost conversions on her personal blog.It’s a downside worth noting.While a higher conversion rate may seem appealing at first glance, it holds no value without subsequent engagement—or if you’re driving away website visitors who still find pop-ups annoying and will leave any site that displays one. Without further engagement, this higher conversion rate can become a misleading vanity metric. What does this mean for businesses considering pop-ups on their websites?Is there a way to boost conversion rates while fostering genuine, long-lasting relationships with subscribers or leads?A well-crafted pop-up, like those featured at the beginning of this post, contains four essential elements:
Timeliness
Easy removal (e.g., a visible close button)
A valuable offer
A compelling call to action
Recall the pop-ups from a decade ago—they were almost always intrusive, appearing as soon as you accessed a website. They typically aimed to sell you something or lure you into clicking a link for a supposedly free item that would ultimately require payment.This new wave of pop-ups flips the old model on its head. They generally don’t appear immediately, and they offer something desirable, such as a service, product, or discount.While still somewhat intrusive, if you’re already interested in their website or service, you may be more inclined to comply with the CTA (hence the higher conversion rate), and if you’re not interested, they’re easy to close and ignore. However, not all new pop-ups are well-executed. Many websites may have seen their conversion rates rise, but as a new visitor, I don’t want to be bombarded with download requests or immediate purchase prompts before I’ve even had a chance to see the content or product I sought.That’s why timeliness is so crucial: an untimely pop-up can drive visitors away. You can now set pop-ups to appear after a certain period of time or when a user is about to take a specific action (such as closing the tab or clicking “back”). This way, you’re not thrusting a download or subscription demand in their face mere seconds after they arrive on your site.The last thing you want is for a visitor to associate your brand with the word “annoying.” Of course, even a well-timed, easily closable pop-up is futile if it doesn’t offer something valuable or compel the visitor to take action. “Have you liked our gardening website on Facebook?” I don’t even know you. “Want to receive gardening tips in your inbox?” Not really.”Never kill another flower again: get 10 gardening secrets from industry experts.” Now we’re talking. Forever21 offers a compelling call to action (and an attractive offer) in this pop-up for email sign-ups:
I also appreciate how clothing retailer Yoox used a pop-up to promote their new personalized size profile option. Take a look at the two ways to close it:
Are they intrusive?Yes, undoubtedly. But both were well-timed, and I could close them quickly if I wasn’t interested. At least, I paused to read the call to action.These are the types of pop-ups that shoppers and internet users don’t detest… though I wouldn’t go so far as to say they’re liked.Beth summed it up best when explaining the reason behind higher pop-up conversion rates:Your conversion rate increases because more people are exposed to your offer… and it’s presented very clearly. They can’t help but notice your opt-in box because it’s right in their face.A pop-up can be an excellent opportunity to encourage a website visitor to take action. However, as you might have deduced, it can also provoke anger or drive visitors away from your site.There are actually websites I avoid visiting because I know they’ll bombard me with pop-ups. Regardless of their content quality, I simply won’t visit their blog or shop on their store. To be honest, your website likely doesn’t need pop-ups unless it’s for a limited time or an extraordinary opportunity. If you’re hosting a contest with an incredible prize or offering a 20% discount on all purchases that day, then by all means, deploy those pop-ups!For all other scenarios, opt for a non-intrusive yet highly visible call to action. You may have noticed these small bars at the top of websites recently: 
They’re less obtrusive and easier to overlook, but solutions like HelloBar, or similar WordPress plugins like ViperBar, provide a less irritating method to present a call to action in front of a website visitor. A toolbar is unobtrusive, yet your visitor is likely to notice it, especially if you make it a bright color.With an exceptional call to action, you’re likely to see an increase in conversions by using this approach. While pop-ups may promise higher conversion rates, they carry the risk of driving away traffic or creating a negative perception of your business. If you choose to use one, proceed with caution and only include genuinely compelling offers or calls to action.Although pop-ups are currently making a comeback, their longevity is uncertain. Like fashion trends, internet fads are cyclical, so it may only be a matter of time before this one fades away once more.
