The term “Pop-up” , in computer science, is used to define graphic interface elements, windows and panes, which appear automatically or as a result of a certain user action.
Their use was early on related to online promotional activities, as they were precisely devised by Ethan Zuckerman not only to attract the attention of users while they were browsing a particular site, but to distinguish precisely the advertising content from other content on the site itself.
Today, pop-ups can, without a doubt, be considered the most widely used type of behavioural messages to personalise the customer experience of users who are browsing a website. The right message, to the right person, at the right time: thanks to their ability to attract users’ attention, pop-ups personalise the browsing experience in real-time, prompting the Internet user in the most appropriate way.
In order for a pop-up to be effective, however, it is important not to forget some key aspects during its implementation:
- explicit purpose: it must always be clear in the message the purpose of the action to be taken by the user and the benefits to be derived from it;
- clear language: the information in the pop-up should be easy for the target user to understand;
- utility: it is always appropriate to provide the user who is invited to perform a certain action with something in return (think of the discount coupon we often receive when we sign up for a newsletter).
