What is a Lightbox in Web Design?

What is a lightbox?

A lightbox is a window that can convey various pieces of information in a way website visitors can't possibly miss. It's proven to be an effective way to get them to sign up for emails, newsletters, or other notifications from your site. When a lightbox popup appears on the screen, visitors must actively do something to get rid of it. This usually involves providing contact information you can use to market your goods or services. Done correctly, they'll want to give you their information rather than simply closing it out with a click of the mouse.

Why should you use a lightbox in web design?

It can be difficult to gain someone's attention unless they have a good reason to give it to you. Give them a good reason by making the information in it valuable to them. When you know how to use a lightbox to your advantage, there's nothing to stop you from connecting with potential customers on your website. It can help you communicate with them in several different ways.

Improving conversion rates

Using short, simple popups is often the best way to improve the conversion rates of any website. An effective lightbox will give site visitors the information or offers that will compel them the most. You only have a short amount of time to get their attention, so it pays to give them something they want.

The key to using this successfully is to ask visitors to provide only the most relevant information. Limit it to an email address and name, and you'll have visitors giving you exactly what you need to reach them once they leave your site.

Promoting your brand

One thing it's safe to say about lightboxes is that they are eye-catching. And when you're promoting your brand, this is extremely important. The more traffic your website gets, the more effective a method this is of reaching customers. Lightboxes provide you with an effective way of engaging with them in a way that makes them want to come back.

When you add a popup form to your website, it's easy to customize it for your business. By using them to target your desired demographic, site visitors will feel like the popup was created just for them. This kind of personal connection goes a long way in attracting and retaining customers.

Engaging users

Lightboxes are effective at engaging users when you know how to use them. The more interactive you make them, the better your site visitors will respond. By asking them to provide information you can use to offer them something enticing, you're making it fun for them to engage in communication with you.

Customizations

As we touched on above, making a personal connection with site visitors is the best way to gain business. So, when it comes to how to make a lightbox, using customizations is a crucial part of its success. A customized lightbox is less likely to turn a site visitor off than one that is clearly generic.

One way to customize your site is by using consistent branding throughout that matches your logo and personality. By using a consistent color palette, you make it easier for visitors to recognize and identify your store and brand.

You may be wondering why color theory matters for web design. The answer is that it is important when creating a lightbox. Using colors that are noticeable but still easy on the eyes may keep website visitors from closing out a lightbox before they even see the information in it. But using colors that represent your brand will help it stick out in the minds of your site visitors.

Growing your email list

Lightboxes can also be used to grow your list of email subscribers. It's a proven method for getting website visitors to provide you with their email addresses. If you're going to use a lightbox for this purpose, ensure that it is the only information you are asking them for. When creating one for this purpose, keep in mind you should use only the most important words. Any extra information may turn site visitors off of the lightbox, causing them to close it without providing their email addresses.

Upselling and cross-selling products

One popular use for lightboxes is upselling and cross-selling your products. Include products in your lightbox that complement the product someone is already interested in buying. For example, if they add a skirt to their cart, show them an ad for a blouse that they could pair with it. There are endless possibilities for showing your visitors exactly what else you have to offer them.

What are examples of lightboxes in web design?

There are so many ways to use a lightbox in your website design. They can be used to entice shoppers with discounts, announcements about promotions, and more. Let's look at some examples you can apply to your site.

Email signup lightbox

Use an email signup lightbox to collect contact information from site visitors. When you make it easy for them to provide you with their email address, they are more likely to. You can then send them regular emails keeping them updated on your business and any changes to your site.

Newsletter Lightbox

Along the same lines, a lightbox can be a great way to get visitors to sign up for your newsletter. Make sure it doesn't go out too frequently or not frequently enough. And it has to include information that is valuable to them and encourages them to visit your site.

Cookies lightbox

Since every website has a cookie policy, it's best to use a lightbox to inform your site visitors of yours. Make sure the lightbox fits with the color theme of your site so visitors don't see it as an eye sore. By dimming the page behind it, you ensure that every visitor to your site focuses on the cookie policy put in place.

Discount lightbox

Everybody likes getting discounts. The use of a lightbox to show visitors yours is a great way to convince them to make a purchase. You may find that it's the only motivation they need to order what they want from your website.

Educational guide lightbox

The more your visitors know about what you have to offer, the more likely they are to purchase it. So use your lightbox to give them the information they need about your products or services. Getting their attention quickly is an easy way to make a sale and gain a customer.

New product lightbox

There's no better way to advertise a new product than using a lightbox to do it. You only have a limited amount of time to get someone's attention. So cut right to the chase and show them your latest offering.

Signup lightbox

Signing up for notifications from your website should be easy for site visitors. Get them within minutes of them coming onto your website, and you'll have an effective way to keep in touch with them.

Best practices for creating a lightbox popup

When creating smart popups & forms, it's important to use the best possible practices. This will ensure that you get the maximum benefits out of your lightbox. So if you're asking yourself how to make a lightbox, read on for some tips.

• Keep content short and engaging: Popup forms shouldn't be complicated. The shorter and more compelling yours is, the better it will attract customers. A lightbox that's too detailed will likely turn site visitors off of reading it. In most cases, text is all you need to include. Just make sure the text is easy to read quickly.
• Wait several seconds for your lightbox to appear: The key to successfully using a lightbox is to time it so it doesn't show up until visitors have started to browse your site. This proves that they are already willing to engage with your business. For example, when you want to encourage visitors to sign up for your site's blog, wait until they navigate to that page before you show them the lightbox. If one pops up on the main page asking them to subscribe, it may turn them off if they aren't interested in doing that.
• Ensure your lightbox is relevant to the page: Your lightbox has to be relevant to your website and the people visiting it. Make sure it ties into something you have to offer them and something they've expressed interest in. One that's irrelevant is going to turn people off of using your site.
• Create a distinct CTA: Every website should feature a call to action (CTA.) This spurs site visitors to do something that will benefit your business. Some call-to-action examples include asking visitors to subscribe to your mailing list or signing up for a particular service. The more unique you can make a CTA lightbox for your business, the more effective it will be.
• Make lightboxes mobile-friendly: Before you add a lightbox to your website, make sure it's mobile-friendly. Test it on a phone or tablet before you find out the hard way that it isn't mobile device compatible. Most Internet users access it on their mobile devices, so a lightbox that isn't mobile-friendly will be useless to you.

Create lightboxes with Mailchimp

Creating a lightbox for your site is a task that should be taken seriously. Know when and how to use one strategically, and it's a great tool to make any website more appealing. The creation process is easy when you use Mailchimp. Through Mailchimp, you can build your own website and create unique and engaging popups that drive results.