| name | popup-cro |
| description | When the user wants to create or optimize popups, modals, overlays, slide-ins, or banners for conversion — "exit intent," "lead capture popup," "email popup," "announcement banner," "scroll trigger," "sticky bar," or any interrupt-style conversion element. For forms outside popups, see form-cro. For page-level conversion, see page-cro. |
| category | marketing |
| tier | on-demand |
Popup CRO
Create popups that convert without annoying users or damaging brand perception.
Initial Assessment
Product context: If .agents/product-marketing-context.md exists (or .claude/product-marketing-context.md in older setups), read it first and tailor output to it; only ask for what it doesn't cover.
Before recommending, understand:
- Popup Purpose — email/newsletter capture, lead magnet delivery, discount/promotion, announcement, exit intent save, feature promotion, feedback/survey
- Current State — existing popup performance? triggers used? user complaints or feedback? mobile experience?
- Traffic Context — traffic sources (paid, organic, direct); new vs. returning visitors; page types where shown
Core Principles
- Timing is everything — too early = annoying interruption; too late = missed opportunity; right time = helpful offer at the moment of need.
- Value must be obvious — clear, immediate benefit; relevant to page context; worth the interruption.
- Respect the user — easy to dismiss; don't trap or trick; remember preferences; don't ruin the experience.
Trigger Strategies
Time-Based
"Show after 5 seconds" is not recommended; "after 30-60 seconds" (proven engagement) is better. Best for general site visitors.
Scroll-Based
Typically 25-50% scroll depth — indicates content engagement. Best for blog posts and 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 and lead gen. Mobile alternative: back button or scroll up.
Click-Triggered
User initiates (clicks button/link), so zero annoyance. 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. Clear value prop (not just "Subscribe"), specific benefit of subscribing, single field (email only), consider an 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. 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. Clear discount (10%, $20, free shipping); deadline creates urgency; single use per visitor; easy-to-apply code.
Exit Intent Popup
Goal: Last-chance conversion. Acknowledge they're leaving; different offer than the 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. 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. 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 the 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 it 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; a 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 an 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); wait 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. Allowed: 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 for 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 vs. static; full-width vs. contained; 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: popup sizes on desktop and mobile; left vs. right corner for slide-ins; visibility without blocking content.
Trigger Experiments
Timing triggers: exit intent vs. 30-second delay vs. 50% scroll depth; optimal time delay (10s vs. 30s vs. 60s); scroll depth percentage (25% vs. 50% vs. 75%); page count trigger (show after X pages viewed).
Behavior triggers: user intent prediction; specific page visits; return visitor vs. new visitor targeting; referral source.
Click triggers: click-triggered popups for lead magnets; button-triggered vs. link-triggered modals; in-content vs. sidebar triggers.
Messaging & Content Experiments
Headlines & copy: attention-grabbing vs. informational headlines; "Limited-time offer" vs. "New feature alert" messaging; urgency-focused vs. value-focused copy; headline length and specificity.
CTAs: button text variations; button color for contrast; primary + secondary CTA vs. single CTA; decline text (friendly vs. neutral).
Visual content: countdown timers for urgency; with/without images; product preview vs. generic imagery; social proof in the popup.
Personalization Experiments
Dynamic content: personalize on visitor data; industry-specific content; tailor to pages visited; progressive profiling (ask more over time).
Audience targeting: new vs. returning visitor messaging; segment by traffic source; target by engagement level; exclude already-converted visitors.
Frequency & Rules Experiments
Frequency capping (once per session vs. once per week); cool-down period after dismissal; different dismiss behaviors; 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
- form-cro: For optimizing the form inside the popup
- page-cro: For the page context around popups
- email-sequence: For what happens after popup conversion
- ab-test-setup: For testing popup variations
