Sticky Bars and Pop Ups: How to Increase Website Conversions

Stephen McCance March 18, 2019

When it comes to converting website visitors into customers, there’s no definitive algorithm that will guarantee a sale. However, there are certain steps you can take to give you the best chance of that happening. For example, the technique of advertising to users who may be interested in your products or services with sticky bars and pop ups. Sounds simple, right? It can be – once you get to grips with what your customers want. 

 

Why Use Sticky Bars and Pop Ups?

Sticky bars and pop ups are used to entice the average user to your site by drawing them in with offers or the latest products. Whether it’s through mobile phones or desktop, using such methods can bring more leads to your site. Converting them into customers from here, however, is up to your engaging content!

There is some debate as to exactly how useful sticky bars and pop ups are. Some suggest that they actually hinder user interaction, but this is largely due to improper use of the technique – having them appear too often, for example. This can seem overly intrusive to the user, who is then reluctant to click through to your site. Overall, the evidence suggests that they are still very much effective.

 

Who Can Use Them?

Advertising through sticky bars and pop ups to increase website conversions is typically a method adopted by ecommerce businesses. This is because they have more of an opportunity to attract customers with offers and discounts than other businesses. Making the advert personalised to give the user a sense of exclusivity is something that seems to have a big impact.

 

Sticky Bars and Pop Ups

Pros

  • They ensure your site is constantly on the user’s mind
  • Great for unique marketing campaigns
  • Attract new customers by offering promo codes
  • Reduced cart abandonment
  • Reduced bounce rates as the user has already expressed interest in the site
  • You can grow email lists
  • Better lead generation

Things to Avoid

  • Many users find them annoying and off-putting, don’t overdo it
  • Ensure that the message is always relevant to the user
  • Don’t use too many words, keep it engaging and concise
  • Failing to provide a clear way to close the pop up or exit the page
  • Not making use of an effective call-to-action opportunity

 

Which Is Better To Increase Website Conversions?

Sticky bars are generally intended for use on desktops and mobile-friendly sites to increase website conversions. Pop ups, on the other hand, are usually desktop only. Though they are similar ways of advertising, both have their own benefits and drawbacks. The nature of pop up bars can make them irritating to the user when they’re simply trying to browse a site, whereas a sticky bar is relatively non-intrusive but still keeps your brand prominent in the user experience.

Furthermore, pop ups can be used to target users at the right moment when they’re browsing your website, which is a great way to encourage visitors to make a purchase if they’re sitting on the fence. Sticky bars are more subtle, meaning sometimes they’re easily dismissed by the user.

On the whole, sticky bars and pop ups are still an effective way to get traction. Users tend to only find them ‘annoying’ if they’re appearing too often or if they’re irrelevant. The general rule of thumb is this: if you successfully manage the frequency and nature of the sticky bars and pop ups (while also featuring engaging content), you should see an increase in website conversions.

 

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