Let’s face it, everyone loves a good deal. In fact, many people would consider buying clothes or food from an unknown brand if they offered a good discount. No wonder eCommerce businesses heavily rely on pop-ups to increase sales.
But did you know that they can do more than just that? One of the major advantages of using coupon pop-ups is that in addition to boosting sales, they also help generate high-quality leads. In this article, we’ll tell you how to turn a simple coupon into a powerful lead magnet that captures attention and converts people into customers.
Keep reading to learn the secrets to crafting coupon popups that really work!
What Is a Lead Capture Popup?
A coupon pop-up (also known as a lead capture pop-up) is a visually appealing design that appears on a website for the purpose of collecting data from visitors. Typically, coupons collect information such as name, email, and phone number, but they can also pick user gender, age, country, and so on, based on specific needs.
Obviously, to make people want to share their data, these coupons must offer some value in return. This can be a discount, some kind of content (e.g., a free course, pdf guide, e-book, etc.), or an update. Coupons may have different designs, but they all contain a few fields for inputting contact details.
Why Coupon Pop-Ups Work for Lead Generation
The unique thing about popups is that they grab user attention right away. Bright and catchy, they pop up right in the center of the page, overlapping other elements on the website, making them hard to miss.
However, it’s not just the design that makes them so effective. First and foremost, it’s the incentive itself. Unlike traditional advertisements, coupons usually feel relevant rather than annoying and appeal to people’s emotions, encouraging them to act quickly not to miss a deal.
Statistics prove the effectiveness of pop-ups. According to marketers, 47% of the surveyed find coupons to be the most effective of all existing forms of lead magnets, giving them the highest conversion rates.
Let’s say a marketing agency wants to shape a list of visitors’ emails for their further marketing campaigns. One way to do this is to use AI-driven chatbots that can collect people’s personal data. The problem is, not all people communicate with chatbots, which means a huge percentage of people would not get on this list.
Alternatively, they could use popups. By offering their audience something of value, which could be a free SEO course or a PDF file with the best SEO practice guidelines, they’d increase their chances of retrieving the desired data and engaging more people.
Now, for visitors who have come to the website of an SEO agency, receiving an invitation to the course or e-book with guidelines is directly relevant and appealing. Most people wouldn’t mind leaving their emails in return for something that addresses their needs, making coupons feel like a helpful resource.
Types of Coupon Pop-Up That Convert
Before we dive into the tricks behind powerful popup designs, let’s first break down the key types of coupons that exist. By and large, there are five major types, including:
- Exit-intent pop-ups
- Scroll-triggered pop-ups
- Time-based pop-ups
- Fullscreen takeovers
- Coupon wheels
Now let’s talk about what makes them different and where each of them is best used.
Exit-intent Pop-Ups
These are the coupons people see when they are about to leave the site. The moment a user hovers the cursor over the cross button, a coupon pop-ups, giving them one last reason to stay on the site. These can be discounts, free shipping, or some exclusive deal that is hard to resist.
Exit-intent popups work best when a company wants to extend the user session on the site, or when someone adds a product to the cart but doesn’t proceed to the checkpoint. In these cases, a coupon works as a trigger, offering a compelling incentive that converts a potential exit into a lead.
Scroll-triggered Pop Ups
Scroll-triggered coupons appear when users start scrolling down the page and follow them all the way to the bottom, capturing attention in a non-intrusive way. Because these coupons tend to stay on the site for a long time, quite often, companies change the content on them to make them more appealing to different types of users.
Scroll-triggered pop-ups are effective because they target the audience who are interested in the content. The fact that people scroll down the page means they are interested in the content, and offering them a good deal at the right moment feels more natural than throwing at them a popup immediately after they land on the site.
These pop-ups can work on a variety of different websites, but they really shine when it comes to blogs and informational pages where users are actively reading.
Time-based Pop Ups
Time-based coupon pop-ups, as you can guess, appear on the site after a certain amount of time set by the vendor. The idea is simple. Rather than just bombarding visitors with special deals as soon as they come to the site, the company allows them some time to get to know the products or services offered on the website. As a result, the offer doesn’t seem that intrusive and can motivate those who haven’t yet taken action.
Fullscreen Takeovers
This type of coupon, also known as a “welcome gate” is one of the most powerful ways of grabbing visitor attention, and it’s no wonder. You simply can’t go past it, as it takes the full screen (hence the name), leaving users with no option but to click on it before they can continue browsing the site.
Fullscreen takeovers are usually placed on the homepage, but the placement can be different depending on the page that best fits the offer. While the effectiveness of fullscreen takeover popups is beyond any doubt, they should be used throughout the site with care. Unless it’s something truly exciting like, for example, a major sale event or product launch, it’s best to turn to other types of pop-ups to avoid frustrating users.
Coupon Wheels
Coupon wheels are the secret weapon of eCommerce websites that can make conversions go through the roof. The element of gamification grabs attention and excites users, making them more likely to participate and leave their emails.
People enjoy the thrill of spinning the wheel in anticipation of winning a prize. For businesses, this is an awesome opportunity to offer discount incentives, get leads, and increase sales. Coupon wheels have already been used by businesses for some time, but their popularity remains unchanged. Without a doubt, this is one of the highest-converting lead magnets that can be used for lead generation in eCommerce and beyond.
Designing a Coupon Popup That Converts: Best Practices
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As mentioned earlier, creating a killer coupon that actually works requires more than just a flashy design, though how the popup looks certainly matters. It’s the combination of colors, offer, and timing that makes an average pop-up a powerful tool for capturing leads. It’s also the knowledge of your audience as without understanding what they want, you can’t make your offer valuable.
That said, creating a high-converting lead magnet isn’t rocket science. Further down, we’re going to share some tips and recommendations that can help even first-time marketers create a great lead magnet.
1. Know Your Audience
Start by analyzing your audience. Who are the people who come to your site? What goals do they pursue when they come to your site? What could you offer them to satisfy their needs? By answering these questions, you can tailor your offering, ensuring it carries the right message to hit the right notes.
Consider creating a few surveys to better understand your customers’ key pain points. Also, take the time to analyze the results from your analytical tools. This should give you an idea of how long people typically spend on your website, what content they read, and when they leave. With these insights, you can choose the best moment for displaying your coupon and ensure its style and message are aligned with the needs and behavior of your target audience.
2. Create a Sense of Urgency
People are often reluctant to make a purchase unless it’s something they really need. Most would spend hours or even days browsing the Internet in search of a website offering the best deal. That’s why making your coupon time-sensitive can do the trick. If they see that the offer is only available for a very short period of time, most of them would want to avoid the risk of missing out on a great deal and take action quickly.
Phrases like “Limited time offer” or “Only available today” work as powerful triggers, but you can also try using dates if your product or service is tied to a specific event or season. You can also add countdown timers. They will add a sense of urgency, motivating users to take action before time runs out.
3. Keep the Design Simple and Focused
When it comes to designing a pop-up, less is often more. You want your visitors to focus on the offer, not get distracted by too many details or elements. Keep the layout clean, with plenty of white space around the text and CTA button, and make sure the design and wording align with your brand’s visual identity.
If you want to add some bright colors, make sure they are not too overwhelming. The text and buttons should be clearly visible so that people can easily read them. Also, don’t try to squeeze too much into one pop-up. Not only will it not look pretty, but it will also be hard to read, discouraging people from wanting to know what the offer is about.
4. Offer Real Value
You can design a real work of art, but it still won’t convert if it doesn’t provide any value to users. The whole purpose of using a coupon is to ensure people can’t resist the desire to engage with it. This can be achieved through exclusive deals.
For eCommerce, this can be a discount, BOGO (buy one, get two), or free shipping. If your business is service-based, you can offer free trials, demos, or some kind of guide or report that can be downloaded for free and sent to the user’s email. The options are numerous.
Partnering with a digital transformation consulting firm can help identify the best strategies for implementing offers that align with modern customer expectations. These experts provide insights to optimize customer engagement and streamline operations, keeping businesses competitive.
Don’t be afraid to experiment and try different variations. What works for one business won’t necessarily work for yours. Test different headlines and CTA messages to see which combinations drive the highest conversions. Eventually, you’ll figure out which design resonates with your audience best and reduces bounce rates.
5. Make It Mobile-Friendly
Last but not least, your coupon must be optimized for mobile devices to provide consistent user experience. A popup that looks great on a desktop but appears clunky on mobile may be the reason people don’t stay on your site.
Besides the visual part, consider how easy it is to fill out the form. Coupons asking for too much information can drive mobile users away. They should also be rather compact to ensure that all buttons can be easily found and clicked on mobile gadgets.
Final Thoughts
Mastering the art of creating a high-converting lead magnet with a coupon pop-up may seem like a lot of work, but it’s easier than it sounds. With a good understanding of your audience, a compelling offer, and a well-timed approach, popups can become a game-changer in your marketing strategy.
Remember, the key to success is value offered to your visitors. Even the smartest designs with gamification elements will fail if they can offer nothing beyond visual appeal. Your coupon needs to provide something your visitors truly want – whether it’s a season discount, free e-book, guide, or some exclusive content.
To win the game, align the right design with an enticing offer. Ensure it pops up at the right time when it doesn’t feel intrusive, and see valuable leads flowing to your business.
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