Websites Made Simple: How to have a successful website design business

The SEO Problem That Popup Plugins Won't Tell You About!

April 6, 2026·16 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

If you keep finding yourself building features your clients ask for that quietly make their websites worse, this one's for you.Welcome to another episode of Websites Made Simple with me, Holly Christie.In this episode, I'm talking about popups — why they're usually doing the opposite of what your clients think they're doing, what to say when a client is dead set on having one, and what to do instead to keep conversions high without frustrating visitors straight off the page.We get into:Why popups interrupt the user experience in the worst possible wayHow popup design often looks spammy and quietly damages trustThe SEO problem that popup plugins don't tell you about (hint: it's your H1)Why exit intent popups feel like surveillance — and why that's a problemHow caching plugins can break popups entirely anywayWhat slide-ins are and how to use them without being annoyingFloating buttons — how to use them properly (and what not to do on mobile)Dedicated signup sections that convert without the disruptionHow to push back when a client is dead set on having a popupCheck out my new offer: https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk/sparks-group-mentoring/It's a supportive group mentoring session for website designers and developers to bring their questions, roadblocks, ideas, and "is it just me?" moments.Come and find out more at https://websitesmadesimple.co.uk or email me at hello@websitesmadesimple.co.ukSkip to the good bits:00:00 Why popups might be hurting your clients' websites01:11 Welcome and intro01:39 Why popups interrupt the user experience03:26 Popups block content and the SEO problem06:01 Exit intent, popup frequency and the surveillance feeling08:11 Slide-ins as a smarter alternative10:30 Floating buttons done right12:00 Dedicated signup sections that convert without disruption14:23 How to push back when clients ask for popups15:28 Wrap-up and how to get in touchMentioned in this episode:Join my Sparks Group Mentoring Programme

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