How a game pop-up campaign works
A game pop-up is one of our games shown as a pop-up on your website instead of on its own page. A visitor browses your webshop, and a pop-up invites them to spin the wheel or scratch a card for a chance to win. They fill in a short form, play, and see right away if they've won. Winners get their prize — often a discount code — while they're still on your website.
The game itself works just like on a landing page. You pick the format, add your prizes and decide how often people can win. The difference is where it shows. Setting up the pop-up — the position, the trigger, the pages and the devices — is covered on our pop-ups page.
When to use a game pop-up
Most people leave a website without buying or signing up. A game pop-up gives them a reason to stay a little longer and leave their email. It's a good fit when you want to:
- Grow your newsletter list with the traffic you already have.
- Turn browsers into buyers with an instant discount code.
- Catch visitors before they leave with an exit-intent pop-up (on desktop).
- Promote a campaign like Black Friday, Easter or a birthday sale.
- Learn about your visitors with a short quiz.
Game pop-ups are most popular with webshops and retail, but they work for any website with steady traffic — from travel and food brands to utilities and B2B companies.
Which game works best as a pop-up?
A pop-up should be quick. People didn't come to your website to play, so the game should take seconds, not minutes.
- Spin the wheel: the classic spin to win pop-up. Everybody knows it, and the wheel shows all the prizes up front.
- Scratch card: fast and exciting. Great for seasonal campaigns with a themed scratch layer.
- Mystery box: people pick a box and see what's inside. Simple and full of surprise.
- Gift surprise: a present to open. Perfect around Christmas and birthdays.
- Quiz or product finder: a few questions that end with a product tip. Best when you want to learn about your visitors.
5 ideas for your game pop-up
- Welcome wheel: new visitors spin for a first-order discount.
- Exit scratch card: desktop visitors who are about to leave get one last chance to win.
- Black Friday mystery box: a different deal in every box during Black Friday week.
- Calendar reminder: show today's door of your Christmas calendar as a pop-up.
- Gift finder: a short quiz that helps people find the right gift and gives them a discount on it.
Tips for a game pop-up that converts
Tip #1: Choose a game that takes seconds
The faster the game, the more people finish it. Luck games are the safest choice for pop-ups.
- One tap or one swipe to play is ideal.
- Save longer games, like a memory game or a puzzle, for a landing page.
- Test the pop-up on your phone — many visitors will see it there.
Tip #2: Make the prize clear at first sight
People decide in a second whether to play. Say what they can win in the headline.
- "Spin and win up to 50% off" says more than "Play our game".
- Let everyone win something small, so nobody leaves disappointed.
- Set up discount codes and free gifts in prizes.
Tip #3: Keep the form short
Ask for an email and a newsletter permission. That's often all you need, and every extra field means fewer sign-ups.
Tip #4: Match the game to the moment
A visitor on your front page needs a different game than a customer at checkout. Show a welcome wheel on your front page and, on desktop, an exit offer to people who are about to leave. You set this up in the pop-up settings.
Tip #5: Follow up quickly
Send new sign-ups straight to your email tool with our integrations, and send a welcome email while your brand is still fresh in their mind.
Want to see a game pop-up at scale? Read how POWER reached 1.4 million viewers with pop-ups during Black Friday, or read our guide to high-converting pop-ups.
