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How to Target New or Returning Visitors

How to Target New or Returning Visitors

OptinMonster makes it easy to target campaigns to visitors who are coming to your site for the first time, or are returning from a previous session. Show special offers for first-time visitors, or welcome back returning visitors with a separate offer.

In this article, you’ll learn how to target campaigns to appear for only new or returning visitors to your site.

Before you start, this feature requires a Growth subscription.

OptinMonster uses specific cookies set in the browser to determine if a visitor is new or returning to your site. We use two cookies set in the browser to determine the visitor type.

  • _omappvp — is for “Visitor Persistent,” and remains in the visitor’s browser until their cookies are cleared.
  • _omappvs — is for “Visitor Session,” and expires after 20 minutes of inactivity.
    If neither cookie exists, we know the visitor is new. If only the _omappvp cookie exists, we know the visitor is returning.

Important:

By default, all campaigns show to both new and returning visitors. You should only configure this rule if you would like to target new OR returning visitors, not both.

Target New or Returning Visitors

Targeting campaigns to new or returning visitors allows you to personalize your campaigns for each group and their activity.

To show a campaign to new or returning visitors, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Display Rules view in the campaign builder.
    Navigate to the Display Rules in the OptinMonster campaign builder.
  2. Next, when adding or editing a rule select OnSite Retargeting from the left-hand list and select the New Visitor or Returning Visitor option.New or Returning Visitor rule in OptinMonster.
  3. When you are finished, Save the campaign.

Testing

How do I test my campaign using these rules?

Testing New Visitor:

  1. Clear your browser’s cookies before testing any campaign configured to show only to new visitors. This will be sure that neither the _omappvp or _omappvs cookie exists in the browser, indicating to OptinMonster that you are a new visitor.
  2. Visit your website or page where the campaign should appear.

Testing Returning Visitor:

  1. Visit a page of your site where any campaign is set to appear. This allows OptinMonster to set both cookies in the browser.
  2. Next, leave the site for 20 minutes, after which the session cookie will self-delete.
  3. Finally, re-open your browser and navigate back to your site or page where your campaign should appear for returning visitors.

If you’re serious about jumpstarting your website business growth, then get started with OptinMonster today!

Get Started With OptinMonster Today!

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OptinMonster has transformed our business. Before integrating their optins, our clients saw a 2% conversion rate from web traffic, which is slightly above the standard for their industry. With the integration of OptinMonster’s lightbox popup, exit-intent technology, split testing, and other tools, our client’s conversion rates soared by an unprecedented 500%. They attracted substantially more customers while spending less on digital advertising. Their success propelled them to the top of their markets, outperforming national chains and other medical spas with much bigger marketing budgets. Our client’s success in their market has distinguished us in our own. We are now one of the most sought-after marketing firms in the industry of aesthetic medicine. We know that the integration of OptinMonster, more than any other tool or marketing strategy, has supported this growth and achievement.

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Chris Zelig

Partner, Medstar Media

OptinMonster has been a game-changer for us. From driving donations to collecting new leads, there is nothing that this simple tool has failed to accomplish. Our lead collection rate has jumped by over 1,000%.

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Joe Lowe

Director of Digital Communications, American Bird Conservancy

Through OptinMonster’s exit-intent popups, we have more than doubled our sales conversion rate. Best of all is the compound effect of using OptinMonster over a long period of time—more conversions mean more customers, which means more word of mouth.

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Mitch Smith

Managing Director, Shockbyte.com