Popups are a popular tool for capturing leads, promoting offers, and engaging visitors. However, when not optimized for mobile, popups can frustrate users and even drive them away from your site. Creating mobile-friendly popups that blend seamlessly with your responsive design enhances the user experience and boosts conversion rates.
As mobile usage continues to surge, smartphones now account for 62 percent of digital minutes spent by users in the U.S., with desktops at 29 percent and tablets at 9 percent. Recognizing this shift, Google implemented mobile-first indexing as the default for all websites on July 1st, 2019, underscoring the importance of responsive design practices for websites and web apps.
To capitalize on the influx of mobile traffic to your site, it’s essential to carefully craft a popup strategy—one that encourages users to convert and enter the sales pipeline without disrupting the user experience or, worse, harming your site’s SEO performance in Google rankings. A thoughtful, mobile-optimized popup strategy not only engages visitors effectively but also aligns with best practices for search engine performance, providing a seamless experience that drives results.
Important considerations before implementing mobile popups
Google gives the highest importance to seamless user experience and has thus issued strict guidelines when it comes to the incorporation of popups on mobile websites. It considers popups in the form of interstitial advertisements as intrusive and obstructive to the overall user experience while browsing on mobile.
It has thus outlined stringent norms for improving the mobile search experience. These involve penalizing web pages that show the obstructive popups upon the landing pages (one where the users end up after clicking on the Google search results).
Here’s what you need to ensure while designing popups so that the website’s search rankings aren’t affected by it.
- The popups should not cover the main content of the webpage while the user is browsing
- The popup should be in the form of a standalone interstitial that user has to dismiss to get to the main content
- Above the fold portion of the page layout should not comprise solely of the popup making the user scroll down to access the content.
Using mobile popups to boost conversions
Despite the fact that Google doesn’t favor mobile popups and the general public’s opinion about popups is negative, their importance and ability to drive website conversions for your business is undeniable.
If done correctly, popups have the potential to drive user signups and generate revenue favorably. Whether you are designing an eCommerce website or a B2B SaaS website, designing effective popups that compel the users to click on them is critical from a business point of view.
Here are 5 ways you can make popups on your responsive website look great on a mobile device without negatively affecting the search rankings.
1. Design the popup for mobile
Responsive design does not mean that the same popup that displays on the desktop would also work for mobile devices. The amount of screen space available in case of mobile phones is significantly lesser so having the same set of popups would end up invariably cluttering up the user interface thus diminishing the user experience.
Also, popups displayed on desktop websites are not subject to Google penalty so you could display full page popups that cover the content and it wouldn’t hamper your webpage rankings. A similar strategy in mobile when ensuring the responsive design would.
Designing different popups for web and mobile versions of your website gives you an upper hand on design and provides the leeway to Google’s guidelines.
2. Mind the touch target
Designing the popups for web and mobile is fundamentally different due to the difference in screen sizes and the kind of user interaction that exists in both cases. While the input fields in case of the web can be smaller to accommodate mouse clicks, the same need to be large enough to incorporate touch targets.
A smaller touch target gives rise to the “fat finger syndrome”. The user instead of converting might just end up abandoning your
website if he is not able to complete his desired action on the mobile devices.
As a rule of thumb, every clickable button on your mobile website needs to be a minimum of 44×30 px. Mobile devices are not the user’s preferred input medium. If you are asking for email signups, make sure that the input field is large enough for the users to click on with the tap of a finger and the input form has a flow that offers the lowest friction to the user.
3. Keep the mobile popup size limited
A banner popup at the bottom of the screen that does not cover the main content of the webpage is a popular strategy to incorporate popups on the landing page. Since it does not cover the main website content that lies above the fold, it does not violate Google’s specifications.
It is also less obstructive for the users than a full page modal popup. The only challenge with incorporating this popup strategy is that you are left with a limited amount of space available to you in order to provide enough value for your customers to convert.
Since the popup is smaller, it may evade user attention. Additionally, the smaller input fields may pose a challenge to the users who want to subscribe to your list.
4. Do not bombard the user with popups
Popups that display as soon as the user lands on your webpage are an instant turnoff. Incorporate them in such a way that they either fire up later during the user’s browsing journey, once he has had the chance to consume the content first. Don’t let the popup display immediately or within seconds of the visitor arriving.
Another viable strategy is to display the popup on the second page that the user visits. This way, there is no violation of Google’s guidelines and since the user has had enough time to consume content that is valuable, the chances of conversion are also higher.
5. Understand the intent and provide value
The popups that offer value result in the user voluntarily clicking on it. Such popups imbibe themselves within the user’s journey though your mobile website and result in a seamless user experience as well.
Understanding the psychology of the user and deciphering the intent with which the user is visiting the webpage provides you the leads you need to draft a compelling value proposition. A call to action button is then incorporated on the landing page instead of a popup. On clicking upon the CTA, the popup displays.
Unlike other types of popups which the users click out of frustration (in order to close them) or accidentally click them due to their placement, CTA popups are better integrated. Since the users are voluntarily clicking upon it, enhanced user experience is guaranteed.
No matter what strategy you choose, designing the popups and the entire mobile website as a whole needs to be done keeping in mind the overall user experience. Understanding the visitor’s psychology and addressing their needs is the key to business success and increased conversions.
Impact of Mobile Popups on SEO and User Experience
Creating mobile popups that are both engaging for users and SEO-friendly is essential for maintaining search rankings and positive interactions on your site. Improperly designed popups, especially those that are intrusive, can lead to penalties from Google, which could significantly impact your search rankings and user retention. Here’s how to ensure your mobile popups meet both SEO and user experience (UX) standards.
1. SEO-Friendly Popups
Google prioritizes user experience in its search algorithms, and since 2017, it has penalized sites with intrusive interstitials on mobile. These are popups or overlays that obstruct a large portion of content, making it difficult for users to access information. To avoid penalties, ensure your popups follow Google’s guidelines:
- Avoid Full-Screen Popups on Entry: Google flags full-screen popups that appear immediately when a user visits a mobile site. Instead, use smaller, non-intrusive popups that cover only part of the screen or delay their appearance until the user has engaged with the content.
- Use Smart Triggers Instead of Immediate Popups: Rather than displaying a popup as soon as someone arrives on your site, use scroll triggers, time delays, or exit-intent triggers to show popups at appropriate times. This approach ensures users can interact with your content first, improving their experience and reducing bounce rates.
- Design for Accessibility: Ensure your popups are easily dismissible. Google expects that users can close popups without frustration, so provide a clearly visible “X” button and make sure the close option is accessible on all screen sizes.
- Optimize Load Speed: Popups that load too slowly or delay page content can negatively impact your site’s loading speed, which is a ranking factor in Google’s mobile-first indexing. Use lightweight popup designs and test load speeds to ensure your popup doesn’t slow down the user experience.
Key Takeaway: To create SEO-friendly popups, ensure they’re minimally intrusive, easy to close, and only appear after the user has had a chance to engage with your content.
2. Balancing Conversion and User Experience
While popups can be highly effective for conversions, it’s crucial to balance these goals with user experience to avoid frustrating visitors. Here are some best practices for maintaining this balance:
- Limit the Number of Popups: Displaying too many popups can create a negative user experience, especially on mobile devices with smaller screens. Focus on one or two well-placed popups to avoid overwhelming users. For example, you might use a single popup to collect email signups or offer a discount.
- Tailor Popups to User Behavior: Targeting popups based on user behavior (like time spent on the page or the number of pages viewed) makes them feel less intrusive. For instance, an exit-intent popup can capture attention without interrupting the browsing experience. Use scroll depth triggers to ensure popups only appear once users have shown interest in the content.
- Keep Content Short and Focused: Mobile users expect quick and concise information. Limit your popup text to a few lines, focusing on the most compelling parts of your offer. Avoid clutter, and make your call-to-action (CTA) clear and actionable.
- A/B Test Your Popups: Conduct A/B testing to find the right balance between effectiveness and user experience. Test different timings, placements, and formats to determine which approach leads to conversions without sacrificing engagement or causing high bounce rates.
- Consider Alternative Formats: If standard popups feel too intrusive, explore alternative methods like slide-ins, notification bars, or in-line callouts. These formats often blend seamlessly with content and draw attention without covering the entire screen.
Key Takeaway: A balanced popup strategy enhances the user experience while still driving conversions. Test your popups, keep content minimal, and use behavior-based triggers to create a more natural interaction.
Conclusion
Mobile-optimized popups are essential for any responsive website aiming to capture leads and drive conversions without disrupting the user experience. By focusing on simplicity, appropriate placement, sizing, easy exit options, and smart triggers, you can create popups that look great on mobile and resonate with users. Thoughtfully designed popups keep users engaged and increase your chances of achieving your conversion goals while maintaining a positive browsing experience.
