At first glance, it seems that the pop-ups were created with one purpose: to close them as soon as possible. There is no doubt, however, that the pop-up, or message in the form of a pop-up window, is extremely effective in attracting attention. Whether it will annoy visitors or encourage them to go a step further, the content is decisive. It is enough to skilfully match the content of the message. Today, let's take a closer look at the pop-ups – the most controversial form of online advertising.

Firstly, it is important to get rid of all associations connected with pop-ups and stop regarding them as an aggressive form of advertising. At last, they are widely used by the most successful Internet stores. Pop-up is just a form. It means nothing more than a displayed window. The content, which is matched to the individual needs of a customer, is the most crucial thing.

A good pop-up is an ad increasing customers’ engagement and is displayed in a place that guarantees maximum efficiency. Its goal is to bring profits to your business. What does it mean and what conditions should it fulfil?

The content of the pop-up should be defined on the basis of the visitors’ behaviour and ideally matched to their interests. Only then will the customer read the displayed information to the end, instead of looking for a cross in the upper right corner. In practice, this means that each user should see a different version that matches exactly what he or she viewed on the website.

Personalised recommendations on pop-up is currently one of the most effective methods of presenting product proposals. However, they must be displayed in one single, strategic moment, as mentioned below.

The key issue is when the pop-up appears on the page. In e-commerce, the recommendations displayed right after adding the product to the shopping cart are the best solution. The customer is then fully involved in the purchase process and the recommended products are an additional impulse.

Instead of a boring text confirming the addition of a product to the basket, the customer will see accessories supplementing the selected product. It allows them to discover complementary products (cross-selling) without the need to take additional actions. It is, first of all, convenient for the user: a personalised offer, a maximally shortened search time. Secondly, it is also good for your business: higher conversion and higher sales.

Above we mentioned the cross-selling strategy of recommending complementary products. It is this tactic that brings the best results. It is important that the recommendations display products cheaper than those in the cart and only slightly increase the value of the basket. Appropriately matched complementary products will not be confusing and will encourage the user to purchase additional items. For example, a customer who has put football boots to the cart, will see protectors and gaiters. Recommendations create the need, the client realises it and because the total price of the order
increases only slightly, they add an additional product to the basket.

In order for the pop-up to fulfil its task, in addition to valuable content, it should be characterised by a friendly interface. You should respect the decision of undecided customers for the additional purchase and remember about a visible cross that allows you to close the window. Also, the window should be fully adapted to the appearance of the page and be an integral part of it. Only native frames will work here. Then the pop-up will not be perceived as an advertisement but as an additional, helpful page function.