Pop-ups. Love them or hate them, they’re one of the fastest ways to grow your email list, but they can also feel intrusive if done wrong.
In my experience, adding a carefully designed popup above the fold has significantly improved subscriber conversions for my clients’ websites, as well as my own! For ages I didn’t want to use a pop-up on my own website, but since integrating one my sign-up conversion rate has gone from about 3% to over 9%! That’s a lot more subscribers.
Here’s how to get it right.
Why pop-ups work
Pop-ups work because they grab attention. When someone lands on your store, your hero section is great, but your visitor might still miss your offer, newsletter, or freebie. A pop-up acts like a friendly nudge:
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“Hey, don’t miss this!”
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“Here’s something just for you.”
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“Join our VIP list and get early access.”
But timing and design matter. A poorly timed pop-up can feel like a roadblock and could actually hurt conversions.
Make pop-ups less intrusive: use teasers
Instead of a full-blown pop-up the moment someone arrives, consider a teaser:
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Slide-in bars: A small bar at the top or bottom of the page that hints at the offer.
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Delayed pop-ups: Trigger after a few seconds or when the visitor scrolls halfway down the page.
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Exit-intent pop-ups: Appear when someone moves their cursor toward the browser bar, signaling they’re about to leave.
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Click-to-reveal teasers: A small clickable element that expands into the full offer only if the visitor wants it.
These approaches give your visitor a choice, reducing frustration and making your pop-ups feel helpful rather than pushy.
On my own website I use a teaser pop-up that isn’t intrusive. I created this using Shopify Forms - a free forms app from Shopify.
Copy that converts
Even the best pop-up design won’t work without compelling copy. Focus on one clear benefit:
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“Get 10% off your first order”
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“Sign up for early access to new products”
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“Free guide: How to optimise your Shopify store”
Keep it short, conversational, and action-oriented. Your visitor should know immediately what they’ll get and why it’s worth it.
Design tips
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Contrast matters: Make your button colour stand out.
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Mobile-first: Test on mobile - most shoppers are on their phones, and pop-ups can easily cover too much screen space.
My takeaway
Pop-ups don’t have to annoy your visitors, they just need to feel natural and helpful. Using teasers, exit-intent triggers, and clear, benefit-driven copy can turn a potentially irritating pop-up into a conversion machine.
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