using pop-up ads
Pop-up ads
are a powerful marketing tool, so
let's take a closer look at some
of the ways you can use pop-up
windows on your site, and see how
you can guarantee your pop-ups
bring maximum results...
subscription pop-up
ads
One of the best uses of a pop-up
window is eliciting subscriptions
for a site's newsletter or ezine.
Here a simple subscription form
pops up in a small window, often
automatically as the surfer enters
the main page.
The most effective way employ
pop-up ads like these on a
multi-page site is in conjunction
with cookies. The pop-up appears
on the first page your visitor
arrives at, and the script then
puts a small file called a cookie
into their browser. On subsequent
pages the pop-up script checks for
this cookie. If present, it won't
open the pop-up again. This way
you greatly reduce the possibility
of annoying people.
pop-up ads for
collecting
prospects
You can also have a window pop up
when the visitor leaves a site.
Known as "exit pop-ups" these are
best employed on single page sales
sites, as a back-up response when
no purchase is made. Getting
visitors to a Web site is often
costly, and this is an excellent
way to try and ensure you at least
get their email address, so you
can attempt to sell to them again
in future.
pop-ups for
increasing
revenue
Alternatively, exit pop-ups can be
used to display, different, but
related offers. Affiliate programs
provide an easy way to do this,
though you can just as easily use
other products of your own if you
have them. You'll have seen this
strategy in action if you've ever
come across pop-up ads that say
something like "We also recommend"
followed by several links.
other ways of
marketing with
pop-ups
Automatic pop-up windows can be
used for several other purposes
too. You might have a window pop
up to display a special offer you
are running, or to highlight any
information you want to be sure
the surfer will notice. You can
use a pop-up to display an
interactive survey or quiz. You
may wish to use one to entice
visitors to recommend the site to
a friend, or vote for it in a top
sites poll. The applications are
limited only by your imagination.
Here's
a good example
(press "submit" to see the
effect).
pop-up windows to
enhance user
experience
Pop-ups can also be used to
improve visitor experience on your
site, by providing additional
information in an easily
accessible format that leaves the
main page visible, and which can
be dismissed with a click of the
mouse. A common example of this
application are "Help" windows,
opened by clicking on a link or
button. Using a pop-up means that
the information loads quickly, the
surfer doesn't have to move back
and to between pages, and they are
able to refer back to the main
content.
secrets to success
with pop-up
ads
Always use a powerful headline
right at the top of your pop-up
ads. List the benefits of your
offer, and then make a strong call
to action. You must compel people
to do exactly what you want.
Make sure your pop-up ads load
quickly, hopefully before people
like me have chance to close them!
This means keeping your
HTML code to a minimum, and
using no more than one graphic -
if any - optimized to reduce file
size.
Your pop-up ad also needs to
correctly fit the window size you
specify. As far as possible,
everything should be visible
without scrolling. Horizontal
scrolling is a definite no-no. Mac
users in particular need to take
account of how much larger their
pop-up text will appear to windows
users (unless font sizes are
specified in pixels).
Don't overdo it. Try to avoid
having a pop-up window open on
every page. This can rapidly
become very annoying, particularly
if it's the exact same pop-up.
Don't nest many pop-ups so they
appear one after another. For the
average site this strategy will
not work, and will guarantee the
visitor never comes to your site
again.
