How to Open a WordPress Popup Form On Click of Link or Image (A Webmaster‘s Guide)

Want to boost conversions on your WordPress site?

Implementing a popup form that appears when visitors click a button or image can be a game-changer.

As a webmaster with over 15 years in the industry, I‘ve seen firsthand how powerful on-click popups can be for lead generation.

In this guide, I‘ll walk you through exactly how to create one on your WordPress site step-by-step.

Why On-Click Popups Are So Effective

On-click popups work incredibly well because they utilize deep psychological principles to convert visitors.

Specifically, they tap into something called the Zeigarnik effect discovered by psychologists in the 1900s.

This effect states that people are far more likely to follow through on an action if they feel invested in it from the start.

By having visitors click a link or button to trigger the popup, they‘ve already "bought in". So when your optin form pops up, they‘re primed to complete it.

Studies have shown the Zeigarnik effect leads to conversion rate boosts between 200-400% compared to passive popups.

In fact, on-click popups generate up to 650% more leads than standard subscription forms according to Unbounce.

When To Use an On-Click Popup

On-click popups are extremely versatile. Here are some of the most common and effective ways sites utilize them:

• Lead magnet delivery – Offer an incentive like a free ebook, toolkit, or guide in exchange for their email address. This builds your mailing list.

• Whitepaper access – Provide gated access to an in-depth whitepaper, report, or similar long-form content.

• Coupon code – Allow users to claim a special promo code or coupon by subscribing.

• Product demos – Give people the chance to try your software, app, or other product.

• Surveys – Garner feedback by asking visitors to complete a quick survey via the popup.

• Event registrations – Promote an upcoming webinar, conference, or event and collect registrations.

The options are truly endless. Look for ways you can entice visitors to take action in exchange for their contact information.

Next, let‘s get into the step-by-step process for creating your own on-click popup in WordPress.

Step 1: Sign Up for OptinMonster

The easiest way to make an on-click popup is using the OptinMonster WordPress plugin. This powerful lead generation tool has a feature called "MonsterLinks" that enable click-triggered popups.

First, you‘ll need to create a free OptinMonster account at optinmonster.com.

I recommend upgrading to at least the Pro plan which starts at $29 per month. This unlocks MonsterLinks along with other necessary features.

Once signed up, install the OptinMonster WordPress plugin on your site. You can search for it in your dashboard or download it here.

After installing, navigate to OptinMonster in your WP dashboard. Click "connect your account" to sync it up.

Step 2: Build Your Popup Campaign

With OptinMonster now activated, it‘s time to build out your click-triggered popup.

Hover over "Campaigns" and click "Create Your First Campaign". Choose the "Popup" campaign type.

You‘ll see tons of professionally designed templates to choose from. Select one that fits your needs.

Now you can fully customize your popup. Edit fonts, colors, content, and layout to match your brand.

Make sure to also design the success message that appears after someone submits the form.

Step 3: Connect Your Email Service

In order for your popup to collect leads, you need to connect it with your email service like MailChimp.

Head to the "Integrations" tab in OptinMonster and click to add a new integration. Choose your email provider.

Follow the steps to fully sync up your optin form with your mailing list. This automatically adds new leads to the list you select.

Step 4: Configure the On-Click Trigger

Here‘s where we make your popup appear when clicked.

Go to the "Display Rules" tab. Open the dropdown menu and switch it to "MonsterLink" to activate on click functionality.

You‘ll now get a unique MonsterLink code. Make sure to copy this.

Step 5: Add the MonsterLink to Your Site

Go edit the page or post where you want your click-triggered popup to appear.

Add a custom HTML block and paste your MonsterLink code inside.

The default text is "Subscribe Now!" but you can customize this anchor text. Make it descriptive.

Once published, your popup will open when visitors click that link!

Troubleshooting Tips

Here are some quick troubleshooting tips in case you run into any issues getting your on-click popup working properly:

• Double check that your popup campaign is live in both OptinMonster and the WordPress output settings.

• Try clicking the MonsterLink in incognito mode while logged out. This avoids any caching or cookies affecting it.

• If clicks aren‘t triggering the popup, inspect the page element to ensure your MonsterLink code is correct.

• Make sure your email service integration connected properly and you have the right list selected.

• Try disabling other plugins that could conflict, like caching tools and privacy management plugins.

Additional Options Beyond OptinMonster

While OptinMonster is my top recommendation, there are a few other options for creating on-click popups in WordPress:

• Many email marketing plugins like MailChimp have builtin popups and popup links you can use.

• There are various dedicated popup plugins like Popup Maker and PopUp Domination. These have click-trigger functionality.

• Using a page builder like Elementor, you can make popups with animation triggers on button clicks.

• With code, you canprogram an on-click popup modal window using JavaScript. Useful for advanced customization.

I hope this detailed guide helps you start maximizing conversions with on-click popups! I‘ve been using similar tactics on client sites for over 15 years now.

Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions getting your popups up and running. I‘m always happy to help fellow webmasters.

To your success,

[Your Name]