iblai-marketing-popup-cro

name	iblai-marketing-popup-cro
description	When the user wants to create or optimize popups, modals, overlays, slide-ins, or banners for conversion purposes. Also use when the user mentions "exit intent," "popup conversions," "modal optimization," "lead capture popup," "email popup," "announcement banner," "overlay," "collect emails with a popup," "exit popup," "scroll trigger," "sticky bar," or "notification bar." Use this for any overlay or interrupt-style conversion element. For forms outside of popups, see iblai-marketing-form-cro. For general page conversion optimization, see iblai-marketing-page-cro.
globs	null
alwaysApply	false
metadata	{"version":"1.1.0"}

/iblai-marketing-popup-cro

Build popups and modals that convert without annoying users or damaging the brand.

Step 0: Context Check

Read .agents/product-marketing-context.md (or .claude/product-marketing-context.md on older setups) first. Only ask for what isn't there.

Pin down before recommending:

1. Popup purpose

   • Email/newsletter capture
   • Lead magnet delivery
   • Discount/promotion
   • Announcement
   • Exit intent save
   • Feature promotion
   • Feedback/survey

2. Current state

   • Existing popup performance
   • Triggers in use
   • User complaints or feedback
   • Mobile experience

3. Traffic context

   • Traffic sources (paid, organic, direct)
   • New vs. returning visitors
   • Page types where shown

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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.

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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

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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 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

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 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

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

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Design Best Practices

Visual Hierarchy

1. Headline (largest, first seen)
2. Value prop / offer (clear benefit)
3. Form / CTA (obvious action)
4. 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 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 carry 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"

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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

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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

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Measurement

Key Metrics

• Impression rate — visitors who see the 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)

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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.

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Common Popup Strategies

E-commerce

1. Entry/scroll: first-purchase discount
2. Exit intent: bigger discount or reminder
3. Cart abandonment: complete your order

B2B SaaS

1. Click-triggered: demo request, lead magnets
2. Scroll: newsletter / blog subscription
3. Exit intent: trial reminder or content offer

Content/Media

1. Scroll-based: newsletter after engagement
2. Page count: subscribe after multiple visits
3. Exit intent: don't miss future content

Lead Generation

1. Time-delayed: general list building
2. Click-triggered: specific lead magnets
3. Exit intent: final capture attempt

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Experiment Ideas

Placement & Format

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

• Popup sizes on desktop and mobile
• Left corner vs. right corner for slide-ins
• Visibility without blocking content

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Triggers

Timing

• 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

• Intent prediction
• Specific page visits
• Return visitor vs. new visitor targeting
• Referral source

Click

• Click-triggered popups for lead magnets
• Button-triggered vs. link-triggered modals
• In-content triggers vs. sidebar triggers

---

Messaging & Content

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 popup

---

Personalization

Dynamic Content

• Popup based 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

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Frequency & Rules

• Frequency capping (once per session vs. once per week)
• Cool-down period after dismissal
• Different dismiss behaviors
• Escalating offers over multiple visits

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Task-Specific Questions

1. Primary goal for this popup?
2. Current popup performance (if any)?
3. Traffic sources you're optimizing for?
4. Incentive you can offer?
5. Compliance requirements (GDPR, etc.)?
6. Mobile vs. desktop traffic split?

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Related Skills

• iblai-marketing-lead-magnets: Planning lead magnets to promote via popups
• iblai-marketing-form-cro: Optimizing the form inside the popup
• iblai-marketing-page-cro: Page context around popups
• iblai-marketing-email-sequence: What happens after popup conversion
• iblai-marketing-ab-test-setup: Testing popup variations