Exit-intent popup

An exit-intent popup is an overlay that appears when a visitor shows signs of leaving. On desktop this is usually detected when the cursor moves quickly toward the top of the browser window, where the tabs and back button are. On mobile there is no cursor, so tools use other triggers, such as a fast scroll back up, time on page or the back button, which are less reliable.

The idea is to make a last offer to people who would otherwise leave with nothing: a discount, a lead magnet, a free consultation or a reminder of what is in their cart. Because it only targets people already leaving, it interrupts less than a popup that appears on arrival.

Exit popups can still annoy people when they are badly done. Keep the offer relevant to the page, make it easy to close, show it once rather than on every page view, and do not use guilt-tripping decline links such as No thanks, I hate saving money. On mobile, be especially careful: Google has said that intrusive interstitials covering content can hurt how a page performs in mobile search. An exit popup cannot fix a weak page either. If most visitors are leaving, improving the offer, headline and speed usually matters more.

How to improve it

• Offer something that is genuinely useful and relevant to the page the visitor is on.
• Make the close button easy to see and tap, and show the popup only once per visitor.
• Keep the form to an email address if you are offering a resource.
• Use respectful decline wording instead of guilt-tripping text.
• Fix the main page first: clarity, proof and speed affect far more visitors than a popup.

How PageScore checks it

PageScore does not detect exit-intent popups, since they only fire on visitor behaviour. It checks the elements an exit offer depends on, such as the lead form, form length, submit button wording and guarantees, and its AI review looks at the mobile first screen.