Create a website popup message for free (templates and best practices)

You can add a popup message to your website in minutes using Getsitecontrol. It’s an intuitive email marketing platform that offers customizable popup templates. Getsitecontrol comes with a free plan, and requires no coding — so you can have a pop-up message published on your website quickly and at no cost. This approach works especially well for capturing email signups, recovering abandoned carts, promoting sales, and notifying visitors about important updates.

Popup message templates and best timing

Popup message with email capture

Email capture popups help you grow your list, typically offering a discount, free shipping, or exclusive access to limited-time deals in return for a subscription. These messages work because they focus on a low-commitment action: instead of asking visitors to buy immediately, they incentivize them to join the email list and stay in touch.

Best timing for this popup message

Show this popup after visitors have spent 5-10 seconds on the website or scrolled 25-30% of the page. This timing indicates engagement without interrupting their first impression. On product and cart pages where visitors have shown purchase intent, exit-intent timing works well, offering one last incentive before they leave. The best approach for this popup is to display it once per visitor, then suppress it for at least 3 days.

Promo popup message

Promotional popup messages help highlight ongoing sales, announce new collections, and offer discounts. They can guide visitors toward the sale page or deliver a coupon code visitors can copy to the clipboard. Most websites use promotional popups to drive awareness of time-sensitive offers and help visitors discover relevant products.

Best timing for this popup message

Optimal timing for promo popups depends on the message type. For limited-time offers, welcome promos, or ongoing sales, show the popup within 3-7 seconds of arrival. Popups promoting specific products or collections work better on related category or product pages. To prevent shopping cart abandonment, display the offer on the cart page using an exit-intent popup. Display this popup once per visit during the promotion period — for ongoing promotions, limit to once every 2 days.

Informational popup message

Informational popup messages notify visitors about service updates, shipping delays, policy changes, or other important details that affect their experience. Unlike promotional popups, these messages don’t sell anything — they help set expectations and reduce confusion. Most websites use informational popups during peak periods, such as holiday shipping windows, temporary service disruptions, or when policies change.

Best timing for this popup message

Informational notices work best when shown immediately or with a minimal 2-3 second delay on the landing page. Visitors need this context before they start browsing, not after expectations have already formed. Use scheduling to display these popups while the update is relevant: during peak seasons, temporary disruptions, or policy changes. It’s also typical for informational messages to appear repeatedly for returning visitors because they provide utility rather than ask for action.

Matching popup messages to your goal

Popup message design principles

Use specific language over vague promises

Clear numbers and concrete outcomes help visitors quickly understand the value. Compare “20% off” to “Save big,” or “Free shipping on orders over $50'” to “Great deals inside.” Specific thresholds tell visitors exactly what to expect.

Keep the tone conversational

Popup messages feel less intrusive when they read like helpful suggestions rather than marketing slogans. Writing CTAs in the visitor’s voice (“Yes, send me the deal”) often feels more natural than formal commands.

Make opting out easy and neutral

Easy message dismissal keeps visitors from feeling trapped— whether you’re inviting them to join your email list or visit a sale page. Neutral opt-out button options like “Maybe later” or “Not interested” maintain goodwill, while manipulative phrasing like “No, I hate saving money” may frustrate some visitors.

Use visuals only when they add context

Images work when they clarify the offer without affecting visitor experience. For example, it’s a good idea to show the product on a sale promo popup or illustrate shipping delays on a map if it’s relevant. On mobile, clear text often performs just as well while loading faster and taking less screen space.

Limit form fields to reduce friction

For email opt-in forms, ask for just an email address because additional fields are likely to decrease conversion rates. Collect details, such as name, via non-mandatory fields and prioritize gathering more helpful data, such as newsletter preferences, instead.

Common popup message mistakes to avoid

Showing multiple popups in quick succession

Overlapping popups on the same visit create friction that most visitors won't tolerate. If you're running email capture and promotional popups simultaneously, use targeting rules to ensure they appear with a sufficient time gap. Consider targeting first-time visitors and returning visitors with different offers and set priorities to prevent popup fatigue.

Ignoring mobile layout

Popups designed for desktop often break on mobile when text becomes too dense, or buttons fall below the fold. With Getsitecontrol, you can preview every pop-up message on mobile device screens before publishing to ensure they look consistent. As an alternative solution, you can fine-tune your popups specifically for mobile, keeping shorter text and hiding the image.

Forgetting to remove seasonal campaigns

Seeing a “Holiday Sale” popup in March can produce a wrong impression on your website visitors. Take advantage of the scheduling features and set end dates when creating time-sensitive campaigns, instead of relying on your memory and deactivating them manually. Review evergreen popups quarterly to keep offers fresh and relevant.

Add popup messages to your website with Getsitecontrol

Popup messages can deliver excellent results when timing, message type, and visitor intent align. Getsitecontrol lets you create popup messages using ready-made templates designed for the use cases covered in this guide: email capture, promotions, announcements, and more. You can control when and where messages appear using behavior-based targeting, such as time on page, scroll depth, exit intent, and visitor type.

Getsitecontrol comes with a free plan that includes unlimited popups and up to 10,000 monthly views — enough to test different messages, refine your timing, and start seeing results. Create an account and test it on your website.