When a campaign appears matters as much as what it says. A popup that opens before anyone has read a word feels pushy. The same popup at half way down a guide feels helpful.
Where to find it:
Open a campaign in the builder and click the Triggers tab. Pick from the Trigger list. Any extra setting appears under Settings.
The nine triggers:
- Immediately: shows as soon as the page is ready. Right for bars and announcements.
- After a time delay: shows after Delay in seconds. 5 to 10 seconds gives a visitor time to settle.
- After scrolling down the page: shows at Scroll depth, percent. Around 50 is strong for blog posts, because it waits until somebody is reading.
- On exit intent (desktop): shows when the mouse leaves the top of the browser window. It only runs as a visit is ending.
- When a link or button is clicked: shows when someone clicks anything matching CSS selector to watch, for example .watch-masterclass. It also works for buttons added to the page later.
- After a number of page views: shows once the visitor has seen Number of page views pages.
- On a repeat visit: shows from On visit number onwards. A visit ends after 30 minutes without a page view.
- After the visitor goes idle: shows after Idle seconds with no mouse, keyboard, scroll or touch. The smallest value used is 3 seconds.
- When an element scrolls into view: shows when the element matching CSS selector to watch is half visible, for example #pricing.
Exit intent:
A phone has no mouse to leave the window, so exit intent is desktop only by default. Settings has Allow exit intent on mobile, which is off. Leave it off: on phones it would react to a swipe down at the top of the page, which visitors read as a trap.
Click triggers:
A click trigger turns any button on your site into a campaign opener. Add a class to your button in the WordPress editor, for example watch-masterclass under Advanced, Additional CSS class, then put .watch-masterclass in CSS selector to watch. The click opens the campaign instead of following the link.
Element triggers:
Use When an element scrolls into view to show an offer exactly when a visitor reaches it. Give the section an anchor, for example wholesale-pricing, and put #wholesale-pricing in CSS selector to watch.
Triggers on the In-Content Box:
An In-Content Box is part of the post, so it is in place as the page loads. Page view and repeat visit rules still decide whether it shows. Every other trigger works like Immediately for this type, and the Triggers tab says so.
A real example:
Northside uses a different trigger for each job:
- Free Delivery Bar: Immediately
- Brew Guide Exit Popup: On exit intent (desktop)
- First Bag Discount Two Step: After scrolling down the page at 45 percent
- Taste Quiz Chat Bubble: After a time delay of 4 seconds
- Brewing Masterclass Video: When a link or button is clicked, on .watch-masterclass
- Wholesale Side Drawer: When an element scrolls into view, on #wholesale-pricing
Choosing the right trigger:
- Bars, side tabs and notices: Immediately.
- Blog opt-ins: After scrolling down the page, 40 to 60 percent.
- Lead magnets and last chance offers: On exit intent (desktop), with a scroll trigger on a copy for phones.
- Chat callouts: After a time delay of 3 to 8 seconds.
- Offers for engaged readers: After a number of page views, 2 or 3.
- Welcome back offers: On a repeat visit, visit 2.
- Pages people read slowly, such as pricing: After the visitor goes idle, 20 to 40 seconds.
- Offers tied to one section: When an element scrolls into view.
- Video or offer buttons on your own page: When a link or button is clicked.
How visits and page views are counted:
Engage keeps a small page view count and visit count in each visitor's browser. A new visit starts after 30 minutes without a page view. When a consent banner on your site is asking visitors, these counts wait for the visitor's yes, so page view and repeat visit triggers start counting from then. See Settings Explained.
Tips:
- Triggers run in the visitor's browser, so they work on pages served from a page cache.
- One trigger per campaign. To try the same offer on two triggers, Copy the campaign, change the trigger on the copy and compare the numbers.
- The builder preview always shows the campaign open. Test the trigger itself on your live site in a private window.