It's crazy to think about how much online marketing has changed in such a short amount of time. Not even a couple of decades ago, it seemed as if the Internet was a new frontier for marketing, yet here we are in a world where it's now the gold standard. It takes a concerted effort to master digital marketing, though, and countless companies have turned to lead generation through chat boxes and popups to make their way to the top.
But what if they've gone too far? By trying to get their content to consumers first, have marketers ruined their digital experience with frustrating and jumbled lead generation? Let's look at how chats and popups could hurt your marketing and how to implement them in a better, more seamless way for more effective lead generation.
Where Chats and Popups Go Wrong
Anyone who has ever spent a small amount of time on the Internet has dealt with a popup. Sometimes they're helpful and can guide you to what you're looking for, but other times they seem pointless, out-of-context, and just plain annoying. There’s nothing worse than waiting for a web page to load, getting halfway through the first paragraph, and then having a popup obstruct your reading and forcing you to click out of it.
Popups are not a monolithic type of marketing, though; they come in all shapes and sizes. You have your welcome mat popups that appear whenever a user visits the page. There are banners and slide-in popups that occupy the edges of the screen. Some popups are even set up to only show themselves after a reader has made it past a certain spot on the page.
Chat boxes are a little less complicated, though. Usually, they appear in the bottom right-hand corner and scroll along with the rest of the content. They're automated to give a welcome message and offer help, should the user need it. Some web browsers may even show a blinking message in the top tab, indicating that the user has received a chat.
While it’s clear that marketers are trying to get their content to the user as quickly as possible, problems arise when they overload the site with popups and chat boxes. You've undoubtedly been on a site where it seems as if half the page is obstructed by ads, popups, banners, and chat boxes. It makes it difficult to absorb the primary information, takes time to click out of the content you didn't come for, and leaves you feeling frustrated and disappointed with the site.
To put it simply, misusing or overloading a site with popups and chat boxes has the opposite effect of what you desired. Instead of generating leads, it’s more likely to scare off potential conversions.
How to Better Use Popups
You might be asking yourself if you should just get rid of chats and popups altogether, then. The answer is no. Marketers use these lead generators because they work. Leading business publication Entrepreneur noted that they were able to boost subscriptions by 86% and sales by 162% just by implementing hover ads and popups. With an effect size that substantial, you’d be a fool to miss out on such potential growth.
As the old proverb goes, don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Instead of ditching popups and chats entirely, be smarter about how you use them. Popups should have a clear purpose, include a call to action, fit with the rest of your web design, and be as minimally invasive as possible. Let’s look at each of these points separately:
Purpose—If you’re going to interrupt a user’s web experience, make sure there is a good reason. The most effective popups prompt a user to subscribe to your content or emailing list. They may also be used to advertise a sale or a new product launch. Avoid adding popups that solely market content the user could easily find on their own.
Call to Action—Purposeful popups should guide the user to the content you’re sharing. If you're offering a subscription to an email list, include a space in the popup to enter their email. If you're advertising a new deal or a sale, include a link. This will result in more engagement and better leads.
Be Aware of Design—Popups can be jarring. To keep them as seamless as possible, try to match their aesthetic to that of your webpage. Also, be aware of their positioning. Center-screen popups are more direct, but a top or side banner will be less intrusive. Test multiple options to find the best results.
Don't Be Annoying—No one can deny that popups can be annoying. Do your best to design popups that don't scare off customers by making them easily escapable. Make the X as large and visible as possible without disrupting the content, or even make the popup escapable by clicking outside the main box.
How to Better Use Chats
Chats are arguably less invasive than a popup, but they still occupy a section of the user's screen. Therefore, to get the best turnover from a chat, you need to consider placement, engagement, and communication. Here's what we mean:
Placement—Chat boxes are only there to support users, so they shouldn't take up too much of the screen. This can be a problem, though, because you might not get any leads if they're not clearly visible. Consider how major social media platforms have designed their chat boxes and follow their lead. People respond best to content and formats they've already engaged with.
Engagement—The purpose of a chat is to help users when they need it. This means stick to your users’ schedules. If they have questions in the middle of the night, they should be able to get a response. Whether this means using an automated chat or having a team dedicated around the clock, your chat should give 24/7 responses.
Communication—Being there when you're needed is one thing, but you also need to provide the best information at all times. Think about how to prioritize responses and create an organizational method to send questions to the most knowledgeable employees. For the best results, users should be getting the answers they need.
A Better Way Forward
Ultimately, popups and chats are here to stay, and for a good reason—they're unbelievably effective. To keep from scaring off your consumer, though, go for a lighter touch. The goal is to be minimally invasive, to the point, and aesthetically pleasing. For help designing your web platform and building better lead generation, let Enidan Marketing help you. Our professional team of digital marketing experts will help you create the optimal site with well-balanced lead generation. Get in touch today for more information.
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