How to Create a ConvertKit Popup to Explode Your List

Do you want to create a ConvertKit popup to grow your subscribers?

If you’re looking for a quick, easy way to boost your email list, a popup is exactly what you need.

Fortunately, it’s easy to create a popup form with ConvertKit.

By the end of this article, you will know exactly how to create a ConvertKit popup that actually works.

Why Create a ConvertKit Popup

Before we get into the details, let’s have a quick look at what a ConvertKit popup is and why you need one.

ConvertKit is an email marketing software for bloggers and online creators. It also lets you easily set up landing pages, email marketing campaigns, and sales funnels.

ConvertKit homepage for OptinMonster vs Convertkit review

So, where does a ConvertKit popup fit in?

A ConvertKit popup is a lead capture form that dims your site’s content to draw complete attention to your offer. Typically, your popup would offer your site visitors a piece of valuable content in exchange for their email addresses.

Once they complete the optin form, their email address is sent directly to your ConvertKit mailing list. From there, you can segment and personalize your email marketing campaigns.

While ConvertKit lets you create basic modal popups, your options are really limited. If you want to create a highly targeted popup form that doesn’t annoy your visitors but converts them into leads, you’ll need to use a powerful lead generation tool, like OptinMonster.

OptinMonster is the best tool for creating a ConvertKit popup. It comes with 50+ popup templates that you can easily customize with a drag and drop builder.

OptinMonster homepage

You’ll get to select from multiple high-converting campaign types, like popup, floating bar, content locker, and more.

On top of that, OptinMonster offers all the display options you get with ConvertKit and more, including:

  • Page-Level Targeting: customize your popup based on the page your site visitor is viewing
  • Referrer Detection: personalize popups based on your visitor’s referral source,
  • Onsite Retargeting: display different messages to new or returning visitors

Adam Enfroy used these features to add 11,000 email subscribers. In addition, he was able to sell 75 digital products each month!

Below, we will walk through exactly how you can build a popup that grows your list.

How to Create a ConvertKit Popup

Today, we will build this ConvertKit popup in under 20 minutes.

ConvertKit popup

Before we begin, you’ll need an OptinMonster account to follow along in this tutorial.

Don’t have one yet? No problem. Setting up your account is quick and easy. And, you’ll get a 14-day money-back guarantee.

Get Started With a ConvertKit Popup Today!
Ready?

Let’s begin.

Step 1: Create Your ConvertKit Popup Campaign

First, log into your OptinMonster account.

Select Create New Campaign from the dashboard.

Create new OptinMonster campaign button

Now, select a campaign type from the options:

  • Floating bar
  • Inline
  • Fullscreen
  • Slide-in
  • Gamified

For this tutorial, we will go with Popup.

Choose OptinMonster Campaign Type

Next, we will need to choose a template.

OptinMonster comes with 50+ templates that work across all devices.

OptinMonster Campaign Templates overview

Today, we will go with Magnet because we’re going to offer our visitors a lead magnet in exchange for their email address. A lead magnet is a piece of downloadable content that solves a problem for your reader.

Now, you can give your campaign a name. Then, click Start Building.

Name OptinMonster campaign

Step 2: Design Your ConvertKit Popup

In this step, you’ll design your ConvertKit popup in the OptinMonster editor.

Customizing the prebuilt template is super easy. Even if you’ve never created a popup before, you’ll be able to change the colors, fonts, images, and more with only a few clicks.

Let’s see exactly how this works.

We’ll start with one of the most important parts of your popup, and that’s your copy.

Your copy can mean the difference between someone dismissing your popup and filling it in right away.

In this popup, we’ll make sure we include a:

  • Strong headline
  • Compelling description
  • Clear call to action

Check out this article for detailed copywriting advice: 69+ High Quality Copywriting Templates Proven to Work

To change your text, simply click on the text.

Magnet inline text edit toolbar

Now, you can edit the text directly on your popup. You can easily change the font, text, and size.

Along with compelling copy, you need a striking image.

Consider adding an image of the lead magnet you’re offering.

You can design one yourself using a visual content creation tool like Canva.

Simply click on the image to add your image.

Edit Image Magnet Template

Now,  we spoke about the importance of a single, clear to action. One way to let your reader know exactly what you want them to do is to make it clear on the popup’s button.

In the editor, you can easily edit the button by clicking on it.

Then, you can change the button text, color, and icons on the left.

Magnet button edit

You’ll also have the freedom to add anything to your popup.

You can add things like video, text, images, dividers, and more. In the Optinmonster editor, we call these blocks.

All you need to do is click Add Blocks from the top of your editor.

Add blocks

Then, drag a block onto your popup.

Magnet new block add

And to capture detailed lead information, you can also add extra fields to your popup like:

  • Text areas
  • Phone number fields
  • Number fields
  • Dropdowns
  • Radio buttons
  • And more!

Add a new field to your OptinMonster optin form.

The Field Mapping feature lets you easily map any field to your ConvertKit popup.

Once your optin form is done, you might want to customize the Success screen. You can use the Success view to let your subscribers know how to access their lead magnet.

Magnet template success view

The next step is to determine when and where your ConvertKit popup will appear.

Step 3: Display Your ConvertKit Popup

It’s no surprise that the most effective popups appear at the right time and place.

Instead of interrupting your site visitors, these popups show relevant, targeted messages.

Here’s how this looks in action.

Imagine you’ve just landed on a website. The first thing that greets you is a giant popup offering you an eBook on a topic you have no interest in.

Now, let’s move to a different site.

Let’s say you’re reading an article about growing your blog traffic. As you’re scrolling down the page, a popup appears. It’s an offer to download a free guide to boosting your blog traffic.

Which popup’s you’re more likely to engage with? Of course, it’s the second one because it’s targeted based on your interest.

OptinMonster offers several such targeting options to ensure the popups are shown to the right people at the right time.

OptinMonster Display Rules overview

Today, we will look at three of these rules:

  • Timed display control: using timing display
  • Exit Intent: detect when visitors are about to leave
  • Monsterlinks: Open Modal Popup on Hyperlink Click

Timed Display Control

Timing display is a great way to show your popup only to your most engaged visitors.

For example, you can show your ConvertKit popup after someone has spent 90 seconds or more on your site.

First, head to Display Rules.

OptinMonster display rules

Then, select Time on Page.

Select Time on Page OM

Now, you can set the time.

Time on Page Immediate

Add case study

Exit Intent®

Exit popups show an enticing offer to your reader just as they’re about to leave your site.

Do they work?

Brendan Hufford doubled conversions with exit-intent!

From the Display Rules tab, find and select Exit Intent®.

OptinMonster Exit Intent Display Rule

Then, you can choose whether to show on all devices.

Exit Intent Choose All Devices

Finally, you can target whether you only want to show the campaigns on specific pages.

Exit Intent Exact Match URL

Monsterlinks™

A Monsterlink is another great way to increase your list. With Monsterlinks, you can trigger a popup when someone click on a specified link.

Kindlepreneur’s Monsterlinks optin converted at 72.8%.

From Display Rules, select Monsterlinks™(On Click).

OptinMonster Monsterlinks Display Rule_

Next, copy and paste your code.

Copy Monsterlinks Button

Add your code to any link or image on your site to create a popup that opens on hyperlink click.

Step 4: Integrate Your Popup With ConvertKit

Adding OptinMonster to your ConvertKit account is quick and easy.

Head over to Integrations.

Integrations ribbon

Select ConvertKit from the dropdown.

Choose ConvertKit Integration_

Next, you need to enter an integration name and API key.

Head over to your ConvertKit account to grab your API key.

From your dashboard, click Account Settings.

ConvertKit account settings_

On the next page, copy the API key.

ConvertKit API key

Paste the API key into OptinMonster.

Connect OptinMonster to ConvertKit

Click Connect to ConvertKit.

Once your ConvertKit account is connected, select the “Email Provider Form” you would like to send the leads from this campaign to.

Step 5: Publish Your ConvertKit Popup

The final step is to publish your ConvertKit popup on your website.

Now, OptinMonster connects easily with any website,

For this tutorial, we will walk through adding your ConvertKit popup form in WordPress.

But if you’re not using WordPress, don’t worry. Check out this easy guide: How to Add OptinMonster to Any Website

So, how do you embed a ConvertKit form into WordPress?

To start, log into your WordPress dashboard.

The first thing you need to do is install and activate the OptinMonster plugin. Here’s a guide for quickly installing and activating a plugin.

Now, you’ll connect your OptinMonster account.

Select Connect Your Account.

Connect your OptinMonster account to WordPress

Next, select Authorize OptinMonster.

Authorize OptinMonster in WordPress

The next screen is the OptinMonster login page. Enter your details and click Login.

OptinMonster login screen

Finally, select Connect to WordPress.

Connecting to WordPress screen message

That’s it! Now, your ConvertKit popup will appear on your website.

Get Started With a ConvertKit Popup Today!
A ConvertKit popup is a powerful tool for growing your email list. And if you’re serious about email marketing, you’ll find these resources helpful:

Ready to grow your list with a ConvertKit popup? Get OptinMonster today.

Bronwynne Powell is a writer for the web. Her background is in journalism, PR, and tech startups.  When she's not writing, she's running after her two young children or listening to supernatural podcasts.

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