Just Popping Out
| Category: Online Promotion | Date: 2003-10-02 |
Would you like to have an extra chance at making a sale as a vistor is leaving your web site?
How about having a last stab at pursuading them to sign up to your ezine just as they are surfing away?
There is a simple technique that can give you that extra opportunity.
Chances are you have seen them already during your wanderings around the web. They are Pop-ups.
What are pop-ups?
Pop-ups are the small windows that you often see open up when you visit certain web sites. Most of the time they are acceptable or useful, although when used excessively or repetitiously they can be very annoying.
Downside
The use of pop-ups on some sites has gained them a bad reputation. Feelings towards pop-ups vary, but about a third of people questioned gave a bad reaction and of that group there were some that regarded pop-ups on par with Spam!
So far there doesn't seem to be much going for the poor old pop-up, but that's not true. If they are used appropriately and with restraint they are still a very effective marketing tool.
When should you use a pop-up?
If your web site is a sales site or a site geared towards gaining eZine subscribers then a Pop-up can be very effective at increasing take up of your offer. If your site is mainly a content or informational site, then their effectiveness falls and the annoyance factor rises. This is especially true if the same pop-up is being shown each time a vistor looks at your site
Pop-up types
The type of pop-up can also have an influence on how people respond to them. A pop-up can either appear in front or behind of the window being viewed.
Pop over
When it appears in front of the parent window, it is known as a pop over
Pop under
When it appears behind the parent window, it is a (you guessed it) pop under. Pop unders are less intrusive, but research has shown them to be slightly less effective, at least in terms of collecting new opt-in names, as the pop overs.
Auto opt-in pop-up
More recently a different type of pop-up has appeared. This is the auto opt-in pop-up. These pop-ups present the option of subscribing to a mailing list, opt-in list or eZine. If you click the 'OK' button then it causes your own email system to send subscription email on your behalf. These seem to be gaining popularity. Most probably due to the lack of effort it takes for a visitor to send their details (one click, opposed to typing an email address). I guess we are just lazy!
Different methods of launching pop-ups
1. On entry/On load
This type display the pop-up at the same time as the parent window.
2. On exit/On unLoad
This type do not show the pop-up until the visitor has left the parent page.
3. Timed
These can generate a big impact, but should be used sparingly. After the parent window has opened or a link has been clicked, the timed pop-up will open a predetermined number of seconds later.
4. Link/button
Pop-ups can be configured to open when a link or button on a page is clicked.
Why would we use pop-ups?
After hearing the downside to using pop-ups, now lets hear the plus side.
1. Capture more opt-in names for mailing lists
If you run an ezine or a maintain an opt-in list then pop-ups will be of interest. It has been found that good use of pop-ups can increase opt-in subscription rates by over 300%!
2. Sell additional products
Using an on exit pop-up you can give yourself another chance to sell your product to a potential customer or at least convert them into an affiliate.
3. Second chance to sell/make an offer
The on exit pop-up gives you a last chance to make an extra offer to a visitor as they are leaving your site.
How do we avoid the downside?
1. Use them with restraint
The worst thing about pop-ups is when they are over used. You arrive at a page and three or four pop-ups appear and interrupt you. You then try and leave the web age and another three pop-ups launch. Argh!
2. Don't trap the user
Always make it easy for the person seeing the pop-up to be able to move it or close it. It may seem to make sense to make your pop-ups difficult to dismiss, but this is really counter productive and may lead to complaints.
3. Don't show the same pop-up on repeat visits If you want to prevent annoyance for visitors to your site and you want them to keep returning, you do not want to keep showing them the same pop-up message. Ideally you want to show a different pop-up, with a different message when they return to your site. If you cannot do this, then you want to make sure that your pop-up window only appears on their first visit to your site.
4. Test
Testing is something that is essential and is often missed. Make sure that all your pop-ups are well and truly tested before allowing vistors to see them. Having error messages appear when visiting your site is not going to help you look very professional.
How to create them
1. Code your own
If you have the necessary skills then coding your own pop-ups is the best way. You can find lots of information about how to do this on-line. If there is enough interest, I will happily write an article about this.
2. Online tools
Numerous web sites offer on-line pop-up creation tools. If you want to very basic pop-ups, that show the same page everytime, then there are numerous free on-line pop-up building tools. On the plus side, they are free. On the negative side, you need to know the exact size and position coordinates that you want you pop-up and they provide only limited pop-up functionality.
3. Creator tools
There are quite a few pop-up creator packages on the market. Some of these let you create advanced pop-ups easily and handle most of the hard work for you. With the better ones, you need never even see a line of javascript code (the language pop-ups are written in),
What to look for in a tool
- Professionally written
The tool should be written by someone who knows the technology inside out.
- Free upgrades
You should make sure that you are able to get free upgrades.
- Minimal knowledge to use
Ideally the tool should do everything for you, i.e. generates the pop-up code and also inserts the code into your web page for you
- Programmable Scheduling of Pop-ups
Now this is a big one and it is what differentiates the good pop-up creator from the great. Programmable scheduling of Popups (PSP), otherwise known as cycling, lets you build a sequence of pop-ups and choose which order they are shown to a visitor.
For example:
Visit 1: Offer to join opt-in list
Visit 2: Welcome back. Further offer
Visit 3: Nothing
Visit 4: Next offer
Etc.
- Support
Make sure that support is available. If you run into problems, you want someone there to turn to, you don't want to be stuck with something that you can't use.
About the Author
Article by Richard Wildman 2002. Richard is acertified Microsoft Solution Developer. For a Pop-up creator see ebizlightning.com/popup
richard.wildman@ebizlightning.com
http://www.ebizlightning.com
How about having a last stab at pursuading them to sign up to your ezine just as they are surfing away?
There is a simple technique that can give you that extra opportunity.
Chances are you have seen them already during your wanderings around the web. They are Pop-ups.
What are pop-ups?
Pop-ups are the small windows that you often see open up when you visit certain web sites. Most of the time they are acceptable or useful, although when used excessively or repetitiously they can be very annoying.
Downside
The use of pop-ups on some sites has gained them a bad reputation. Feelings towards pop-ups vary, but about a third of people questioned gave a bad reaction and of that group there were some that regarded pop-ups on par with Spam!
So far there doesn't seem to be much going for the poor old pop-up, but that's not true. If they are used appropriately and with restraint they are still a very effective marketing tool.
When should you use a pop-up?
If your web site is a sales site or a site geared towards gaining eZine subscribers then a Pop-up can be very effective at increasing take up of your offer. If your site is mainly a content or informational site, then their effectiveness falls and the annoyance factor rises. This is especially true if the same pop-up is being shown each time a vistor looks at your site
Pop-up types
The type of pop-up can also have an influence on how people respond to them. A pop-up can either appear in front or behind of the window being viewed.
Pop over
When it appears in front of the parent window, it is known as a pop over
Pop under
When it appears behind the parent window, it is a (you guessed it) pop under. Pop unders are less intrusive, but research has shown them to be slightly less effective, at least in terms of collecting new opt-in names, as the pop overs.
Auto opt-in pop-up
More recently a different type of pop-up has appeared. This is the auto opt-in pop-up. These pop-ups present the option of subscribing to a mailing list, opt-in list or eZine. If you click the 'OK' button then it causes your own email system to send subscription email on your behalf. These seem to be gaining popularity. Most probably due to the lack of effort it takes for a visitor to send their details (one click, opposed to typing an email address). I guess we are just lazy!
Different methods of launching pop-ups
1. On entry/On load
This type display the pop-up at the same time as the parent window.
2. On exit/On unLoad
This type do not show the pop-up until the visitor has left the parent page.
3. Timed
These can generate a big impact, but should be used sparingly. After the parent window has opened or a link has been clicked, the timed pop-up will open a predetermined number of seconds later.
4. Link/button
Pop-ups can be configured to open when a link or button on a page is clicked.
Why would we use pop-ups?
After hearing the downside to using pop-ups, now lets hear the plus side.
1. Capture more opt-in names for mailing lists
If you run an ezine or a maintain an opt-in list then pop-ups will be of interest. It has been found that good use of pop-ups can increase opt-in subscription rates by over 300%!
2. Sell additional products
Using an on exit pop-up you can give yourself another chance to sell your product to a potential customer or at least convert them into an affiliate.
3. Second chance to sell/make an offer
The on exit pop-up gives you a last chance to make an extra offer to a visitor as they are leaving your site.
How do we avoid the downside?
1. Use them with restraint
The worst thing about pop-ups is when they are over used. You arrive at a page and three or four pop-ups appear and interrupt you. You then try and leave the web age and another three pop-ups launch. Argh!
2. Don't trap the user
Always make it easy for the person seeing the pop-up to be able to move it or close it. It may seem to make sense to make your pop-ups difficult to dismiss, but this is really counter productive and may lead to complaints.
3. Don't show the same pop-up on repeat visits If you want to prevent annoyance for visitors to your site and you want them to keep returning, you do not want to keep showing them the same pop-up message. Ideally you want to show a different pop-up, with a different message when they return to your site. If you cannot do this, then you want to make sure that your pop-up window only appears on their first visit to your site.
4. Test
Testing is something that is essential and is often missed. Make sure that all your pop-ups are well and truly tested before allowing vistors to see them. Having error messages appear when visiting your site is not going to help you look very professional.
How to create them
1. Code your own
If you have the necessary skills then coding your own pop-ups is the best way. You can find lots of information about how to do this on-line. If there is enough interest, I will happily write an article about this.
2. Online tools
Numerous web sites offer on-line pop-up creation tools. If you want to very basic pop-ups, that show the same page everytime, then there are numerous free on-line pop-up building tools. On the plus side, they are free. On the negative side, you need to know the exact size and position coordinates that you want you pop-up and they provide only limited pop-up functionality.
3. Creator tools
There are quite a few pop-up creator packages on the market. Some of these let you create advanced pop-ups easily and handle most of the hard work for you. With the better ones, you need never even see a line of javascript code (the language pop-ups are written in),
What to look for in a tool
- Professionally written
The tool should be written by someone who knows the technology inside out.
- Free upgrades
You should make sure that you are able to get free upgrades.
- Minimal knowledge to use
Ideally the tool should do everything for you, i.e. generates the pop-up code and also inserts the code into your web page for you
- Programmable Scheduling of Pop-ups
Now this is a big one and it is what differentiates the good pop-up creator from the great. Programmable scheduling of Popups (PSP), otherwise known as cycling, lets you build a sequence of pop-ups and choose which order they are shown to a visitor.
For example:
Visit 1: Offer to join opt-in list
Visit 2: Welcome back. Further offer
Visit 3: Nothing
Visit 4: Next offer
Etc.
- Support
Make sure that support is available. If you run into problems, you want someone there to turn to, you don't want to be stuck with something that you can't use.
About the Author
Article by Richard Wildman 2002. Richard is acertified Microsoft Solution Developer. For a Pop-up creator see ebizlightning.com/popup
richard.wildman@ebizlightning.com
http://www.ebizlightning.com
Copyright © 2005-2006 Powered by Custom PHP Programming