Some websites utilize Exit Intent Popovers to prevent visitors from leaving their site. We admit there is indeed some upside to Exit Intent Popovers. If not, they would not be used at all.
But it’s not feasible to show too many popovers and our experience (and others’ experience) indicates that conversion rates are significantly improved when the Popover is displayed at page load or shortly after. Here’s why Exit Intent Popovers disappoint:
- Too Late – They don’t change minds. If the user has already made the decision to leave, they will most likely not even read a Popover, much less interact with it. Why not try to empathize with and understand the user’s needs early on?
- Bothersome – They annoy the user. Someone is trying to leave and is interrupted by a popover. You may think your popover is engaging and friendly, but if you don’t provide serious, obvious, and significant value, your popover will be perceived as irritating and pushy. If you are providing significant value or really trying to help the user, why not be upfront about it?
- No Mobile Support – They do not activate on mobile. Odds are over 50% of your website traffic is on a mobile device. There’s no mouse cursor on mobile and, therefore, Exit Intent Popovers can’t be activated. This means over 50% of your visitors will not have the chance to interact with the popover.
- Imprecise – They misread the user’s behavior. Just because the mouse cursor moved towards the exit button, it doesn’t mean the visitor would click it. In this case, the popover may cause irritation and actual website abandonment – the exact opposite of what the site owner wants.
- Begging Is Never Good – They are rejected on principle. If someone is leaving your website, perhaps it’s time to let them go. Begging the user for a second chance makes the site owner look bad and, in most cases, causes the visitor to cringe in despair before quickly exiting the site.
