Can you add or change a popup on my website?
Suggestions appear as you type. Use the up and down arrows to choose one, or press Enter to ask.
Yes. A popup works best when it's small, easy to close on a phone, shows once per visit and comes down when the offer ends. Send the wording, the dates, which pages it should appear on and when it should open. Google warns that popups covering the page can hurt how your site does in search.
How do I stop a popup that shows too often?
These are settings in your popup tool, often called display rules, triggers or frequency:
- Frequency: set it to once per visit, or once per few days for the same visitor.
- Pages: limit it to the pages that need it.
- Delay: a few seconds’ wait is less jarring than opening instantly.
- Phones: check the close button is visible and the popup fits a small screen. A popup that can’t be closed on a phone blocks the whole site.
- Expected result: the popup shows once, closes with one tap or the Esc key, and doesn’t come back on the next page.
What should I send for a new popup?
| Detail | Example |
|---|---|
| Wording | “Closed December 24–26. Online orders ship December 27.” |
| Button and link | “See holiday hours” to your hours page |
| Dates | Start showing December 15, stop December 27 |
| Pages | Home page only, or every page |
| When it opens | When the page loads, after a few seconds, or when someone scrolls |
| How often | Once per visit, or once per week for the same visitor |
Does a popup hurt my Google ranking?
It can. Google’s guidance on intrusive interstitials and dialogs says popups that cover the main content make it harder for people and search engines to use the page, which “may lead to poor search performance”. Google suggests small banners instead. Legally required notices, such as an age check, are treated differently.
If you’re closing for a while, Google’s guide to pausing a business online also suggests a banner or popup rather than taking the site down.
The short version
- For a closure, notice or sale, a slim banner is often better than a popup.
- Send the wording, link, dates and pages. Keep it easy to close, show it once per visit, and take it down when it ends.
What are the common mistakes and edge cases?
- No end date. Last season’s sale still showing in March.
- A close button that’s hard to find, or too small to tap.
- A popup that traps the keyboard. People who don’t use a mouse must be able to close it. W3C’s No Keyboard Trap guidance explains why.
- Several popups at once, such as a cookie banner, a chat bubble and a sale popup all covering the page.
- A sign-up popup that doesn’t reach your list. Test it once. See adding a newsletter sign-up form.
What if this didn’t work?
If the popup still shows after you turned it off, you may be seeing a saved copy of the page. See why a change isn’t showing. If it covers the page on phones, tell your web team which phone and browser.
How does E-3 handle this?
Send the details from the table above to support@e3help.me or call 814-399-4655. A person at E-3 sets up the popup or banner, checks it on a phone and a computer, and sends you a preview when there’s something for you to check. We set an end date where there is one, so it comes down on time. Replies usually come within one business day.
Related questions
Did this fix it?
Sorry it didn’t. Try one of these next
Rather talk it through?
Call our team, or send a note and we’ll reply within one business day. No pressure and no jargon.