The difference between a website visitor and an email subscriber is often just one well-timed popup. Yet many Shopify store owners leave this powerful conversion tool untapped, assuming it's too complex or time-consuming to implement. The truth? You can set up high-converting popups on your Shopify store in less time than it takes to brew your morning coffee.

This guide shares: 

1. 2 methods to add popups to your Shopify store
2. A step-by-Step process on launching your first campaign 
3. Tips and strategies to maximize the performance of your popups

P.S. We tested all of these methods using Alia, so if you want to skip the guesswork and implement popups that have helped brands like Nakie increase their opt-in rates from 5-6% to an average of 28%, keep reading for our step-by-step guide.

2 Quick Methods to Add Popups to Your Shopify Store

Not all Shopify popup implementation methods are created equal. Here are three approaches to add popups on  Shopify, ranked from easiest to most complex, all achievable within your 10-minute timeframe.

Method 1: Using Shopify's Built-in Features (5 Minutes)

Shopify offers some basic popup functionality through its native features. While limited in customization, these can be implemented extremely quickly for simple use cases.

• Step 1: Navigate to Online Store > Themes > Customize 
• Step 2: Look for Newsletter popup or Announcement bar options (theme-dependent) 
• Step 3: Enable the feature and customize text, colors, and timing 
• Step 4: Save and publish changes

This method works best for simple announcements or basic email collection. However, if you're looking to maximize conversion rates or implement more sophisticated popup strategies, you'll want to explore dedicated apps.

Method 2: Using Dedicated Popup Apps (7-10 Minutes)

For more powerful and customizable popups, dedicated Shopify apps provide the best balance of ease and functionality. These purpose-built tools offer templates, targeting options, and integration with email marketing platforms

• Step 1: Visit the Shopify App Store and search for popup apps
• Step 2: Choose an app based on your needs (recommendations below)
• Step 3: Install the app (usually 1-2 clicks)
• Step 4: Select a template that matches your goal
• Step 5: Customize design, text, and offer
• Step 6: Set display rules (timing, targeting, frequency)
• Step 7: Publish your popup

This method gives you the flexibility to create popups that match your brand and conversion goals, without requiring technical expertise. Most popup apps are designed specifically for Shopify, ensuring seamless integration with your store.

Step-by-Step Tutorial: Adding a Popup to Your Shopify Store Using Alia in Under 10 Minutes

Alia is a powerful Shopify-native popup platform that helps increase email opt-ins and sales using AI-driven automation, smart triggers, and easy-to-use customization — all without coding.

Step 1: Create a New Campaign

• In your Shopify admin, open the Alia app and go to Campaigns.
• Click + Create to start a new popup campaign.
• Name your campaign for easy tracking (e.g., “Spring Sale Popup”).

Step 2: Choose a Popup Template

• Select from Alia’s high-converting, professionally designed templates.
• Templates are fully mobile-optimized by default, so no separate mobile design is required.
• Click Next step.

BTW, these templates have helped brands like MiHIGH triple their opt-in rate from 6% to 18% by providing engaging, professionally designed experiences that stand out from generic popup! 

MiHIGH saw 5X more signups per day and $600K in revenue after rethinking popups with Alia

18%

EMAIL OPT-IN RATE (UP FROM 6%)

5X

MORE SIGNUPS PER DAY

$600K

IN SALES IN 30 DAYS

Caleb Madsen

VP of Growth, WIN Brands Group

“

Alia completely changed how we approach popups — turning a standard opt-in into an engaging, educational experience. The results were immediate: higher sign-ups, more conversions, and $600K in sales in just 30 days.

1

Install Alia

2

Launch first popup in 5 minutes

3

10x your list

BECOME YOUR NEXT SUCCESS STORY →

14 days free

Step 3: Upload Your Logo

• Upload your brand logo to add to the popup for consistent branding.
• Alia supports simple drag and drop or file selection.
• You’ll see the popup preview update in real-time.
• Click Next step.

Step 4: Add a Floating Button (Optional but Recommended)

• Choose a floating button position (e.g., bottom left) that stays visible when the popup is closed.
• This lets visitors reopen the popup easily for a better user experience.
• You can also choose No floating button, but this is not recommended.
• Click Next step.

Step 5: Set the First Step (Popup Behavior)

• Choose the popup’s first step type:
  • Mini quiz (default, highest signup rate): Ask a simple question (e.g., “Who are you shopping for today?”) with multiple-choice answers.
  • Spin to win: Gamified popup with fixed rewards.
• Customize the question and answers to collect zero-party data.
• Click Next step.

Batch CBD used Alia's quiz-style popups to collect zero-party data about customer preferences, achieving a 36% sign-up rate (tripling their previous 10% rate) and a remarkable 43% purchase rate after signup.

Step 6: Collect Email and Phone

• Select the fields to collect from customers:
  • Email (checked by default)
  • SMS phone number Enter your legal business name and links to your Terms of Service and Privacy Policy URLs.
• These are required for compliance and build trust with customers.
• Click Next step.

Step 7: Configure Rewards (Optional)

• Design the reward your visitors get after signup (e.g., discount code or free shipping).
• You can choose to set a Unique Code, Static Code, or No Code.
• Customize reward messaging, call-to-action buttons, and visuals.
• This incentivizes signups and boosts conversions.
• Click Next step.

Step 8: Choose Opt-in Type 

Options:

• Single opt-in
  • Reward info is shown immediately after signup on the popup.
  • This is the recommended option for Klaviyo users.
• Double opt-in
  • Customers receive their reward only after confirming their subscription via email (i.e., after clicking a confirmation link).
  • This option is recommended for providers like Postscript and Attentive.
  • You must set up a flow or journey within your email/SMS platform to send the reward code automatically after the customer opts in.

Step 9: Add Customer Education (Optional)

• Add education:
  Offer a bigger discount or special reward to customers who want to learn more about your brand.
  This is done through customizable “tracks” — interactive learning journeys users can choose to complete after signing up.
  It’s a great way to deepen engagement and build brand loyalty.
• No education:
  Skip offering any educational content or additional discounts beyond the initial popup offer.
• Tracks:
  Tracks appear as an optional widget after the popup, guiding users through brand stories, product info, quizzes, or videos. Completing tracks unlocks bigger rewards and encourages stronger customer connections.

Step 10: Set Smart Triggers and Targeting Rules

• Choose when your popup should appear:
  • Time delay (e.g., 5–10 seconds after page load)
  • Scroll depth (e.g., 50–70% page scroll)
  • Exit intent (mouse moving toward close button)
• Target by page type, geography, traffic source, UTM parameters, and more.
• Frequency settings prevent popup overexposure.
• Cookie and ESP script detection avoid showing popups to existing subscribers.
• Alia's AI-powered smart triggering automates popup display timing based on visitor behavior patterns. Instead of showing your popup immediately, the system can wait until a visitor has demonstrated engagement—like browsing multiple products or spending a certain amount of time on your site

BTW, ZQuiet leveraged Alia's smart triggering to improve their signup rate from 2.5% to over 19% (a 660% improvement) and drove $120,000 in sales in just 30 days in just 6 weeks through continuous optimization of when and how their popups appeared! 

ZQuiet grew opt-ins 7X and drove $120K in sales in 30 days with educational popups

19%

EMAIL OPT-IN RATE (UP FROM 2.5%)

32%

OF SIGNUPS CONVERTED WITHIN 30 MINUTES

$120K

IN SALES IN 30 DAYS

Dan Webster

Co-Founder, ZQuiet

“

With Alia, our sign-ups have skyrocketed — from 2.5% to over 19% now. The percentage of clicks turning into purchases has doubled — it’s amazing.

1

Install Alia

2

Launch first popup in 5 minutes

3

10x your list

BECOME YOUR NEXT SUCCESS STORY →

14 days free

Step 11: Integrate with Email & SMS Marketing Platforms

• Connect Alia to your ESP/SMS provider (e.g., Klaviyo, Attentive, Omnisend).
• Automatically sync new leads to lists or segments.
• Use zero-party data collected via quizzes for precise audience segmentation.

Step 12: Launch & Let AI Optimize

• Publish your campaign to make the popup live.
• Alia's AI-driven A/B testing automatically generates and tests multiple popup variants without requiring manual setup. 
• The system automatically selects the highest-performing versions without any manual input.

Popup Best Practices for Maximum Conversion

Creating an effective popup isn't just about the technical implementation—it's about designing an experience that converts visitors without disrupting their shopping journey. Here are key best practices to ensure your popups perform well.

Design Tips for High-Converting Popups

The visual appeal and usability of your popup directly impact its conversion rate. Focus on clean design that highlights your offer and makes the next step obvious.

• Keep it simple - One clear message and call-to-action
• Use contrasting colors for your CTA button 
• Text readability - Minimum 16px for body text, 22px for headlines
• Include a clear benefit statement above the form fields
• Use high-quality images that enhance rather than distract
• Maintain brand consistency with your store's design

For mobile popups, ensure buttons are large enough to tap (minimum 44×44 pixels) and limit the popup to covering no more than 80% of the screen. 

Timing and Targeting Strategies

When and to whom your popup appears can make the difference between an annoying interruption and a welcome offer. Strategic timing and targeting maximize conversion while minimizing disruption.

For new visitors, delay popups by 15-30 seconds or until 50% scroll depth. For returning visitors, show different offers or reduce frequency. For exit intent popups, use compelling language to address objections.

Offer Strategies That Convert

The value proposition in your popup needs to be compelling enough to overcome the natural resistance to popups. Different offers work better for different business models and customer segments.

Discount strategies:

• Percentage off (10-15% for items under $100)
• Fixed amount off ($15-25 for items over $100)
• Free shipping (especially effective for orders near your threshold)

Non-discount offers:

• Exclusive content or guides
• Early access to new products
• Free samples with purchase
• Entry into giveaways

For example, MASA Chips saw a 127% increase in popup sign-up rate after introducing a tiered discount approach: 10% off immediately and the opportunity to unlock 20% off through additional engagement with their brand story.

Mobile Optimization Essentials

With more than 75% of Shopify traffic coming from mobile devices, ensuring your popups work well on smaller screens is critical for overall conversion rates.

• Use smaller, simpler popups for mobile (maximum 80% screen coverage)
• Reduce form fields to bare minimum (just email for most cases)
• Ensure buttons are large enough to tap (minimum 44×44 pixels)
• Test on multiple devices before launching
• Consider using bottom banners instead of full-screen popups on mobile

If you’re using Alia, you won’t need to worry about optimizing your popup for mobile — our templates are automatically mobile-friendly and look great on any device right out of the box. 

Measuring Popup Performance

Once your popup is live, tracking its performance helps you optimize for better results. Here are the key metrics to monitor and how to improve them.

Set up a regular review schedule (weekly for new popups, monthly for established ones) to analyze these metrics and make data-driven improvements.

Advanced Popup Strategies (When You Have More Time)

While this guide focuses on quick implementation, these advanced strategies can further improve results when you have more time to invest in your popup strategy.

Personalized popups based on:

• Referral source (different offers for different traffic sources)
• Browsing behavior (product category interests)
• Cart value (threshold-based offers)

Multi-step popups for higher engagement:

• Quiz-style popups for product recommendations
• Gamified popups (spin-to-win, scratch cards)
• Seasonal and holiday-specific campaigns

Alia's zero-party data collection features let you gather customer preferences through mini-quizzes and multiple-choice questions. Nakie implemented this strategy by asking users about their interests (beach hammock, picnic blanket, etc.) to power email segmentation. 

Their numbers? 24% purchase rate after signup, 27% coupon redemption rate, and $5.8M+ in attributed sales!

Let Alia Turn Visitors Into Subscribers in Minutes

Setting up effective popups doesn't have to be complicated or time-consuming. With the right tools and strategy, you can implement high-converting popups on your Shopify store in under 10 minutes.

The key takeaways from this guide:

• Choose the right tool for your needs - Whether it's Shopify's built-in features or a dedicated app like Alia, select a solution that balances ease of use with the features you need
• Focus on timing and targeting - When your popup appears matters as much as what it says
• Keep mobile users in mind - With most Shopify traffic coming from mobile devices, ensure your popups are optimized for smaller screens
• Test and optimize continuously - Monitor performance metrics and make data-driven improvements

Ready to boost your email list and drive sales with strategic popups? The methods in this guide have helped brands like Nakie increase their opt-in rates from 5-6% to over 28% and generate millions in attributed revenue. Your Shopify store deserves the same results, and you're now equipped to achieve them in days, not months!

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