Create popup and slide-in boxes with the Boxzilla WordPress plugin
With the Boxzilla WordPress Popup Plugin you can easily create slide-in and popup boxes. These can be used flexibly for various call-to-actions, for example for a newsletter registration, account registration or order button.
Install the Boxzilla plugin
Boxzilla is available for free download from the official WordPress.org plugin directory. It is developed by ibericode, who are also behind the popular MailChimp for WordPress plugin. In addition to the basic version, premium add-ons are also available.
Create box
The plugin adds a new custom post type for the boxes. These are available after activating the plugin under the menu item Boxzilla. This means that boxes can be created just as easily as normal posts and pages. Multiple boxes are also no problem.
The title of the box is only used for identification in the backend. The actual content of the box can be entered in the visual editor. Shortcodes are also possible here, so that contact forms, newsletter registration or purchase buttons from other plugins can be inserted as required.
Box styling
In the styling options below, the design of the WordPress popup box can be changed. Settings are available for the width of the box in pixels and for choosing the text and background color. In addition, the frame can be customized with color, width and style type. Web developers can of course adapt the styling of the boxes with CSS code.
Box options
In the box options, flexible rules can be used to define exactly on which pages the box should appear. Several rules can be created, whereby all or only one must apply. Various conditions are available to show or hide boxes on certain posts, pages, categories, custom post types or custom URLs.
In addition, there are 5 positions for displaying the box: The four corners of the browser window and a central center position. With the latter, the box is shown as a popup and the rest of the browser is darkened. If you want to "annoy" the visitor a little less, we recommend displaying the box in one of the four corners. This disrupts the flow of reading a little less than with the popup in the middle.
You can also choose between slide in and fade in animation. The configuration when exactly the box appears is also important. Here the plugin offers the possibility to show the box after a certain period of time (e.g. 10 seconds), a scroll width (e.g. 50% of the page height) or reaching a defined area on the page (e.g. comments).
Other settings concern the cookie expiration duration, hiding the box on mobile devices and scrolling up as well as activating the test mode.
Premium add-ons
While the plugin leaves nothing to be desired in the free version, the developers also offer a number of add-on plugins to expand the basic functionality. Amongst other things:
- Exit Intent: Allows boxes to be displayed when the visitor wants to leave the page
- Pageviews: Allows boxes to be displayed after a certain number of page views
- Theme Pack: Contains different style variants for the boxes
- Google Analytics: Tracking the display and closing of boxes with events
- wooCommerce: Extra rules for displaying the boxes on wooCommerce product pages
The add-ons can all be purchased together for $ 60 per year for one domain. Additional domains are $ 20 / page. Alternatively, the add-ons can also be purchased for $ 6 per month.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a quick way to increase the conversation of newsletter registration or contact inquiries, the Boxzilla plugin is the best choice. It is easy to use, offers numerous options in the free version and can be expanded with premium add-ons for little money.
When using the plugin, one should take into account that many users may find these slide-in and popup boxes annoying. From experience I can say that they are still very effective.
Is there also the possibility of using the plugin to encourage visitors to like the page on FB?
Hello Marcus,
Yes, any content is actually imaginable. The Boxzilla plugin itself only provides the box. The content can be entered via the editor as with articles or pages.
I personally use the box with a shortcode from the Mailchimp for WordPress plugin to display a newsletter form. A fan page + like button can also be displayed with a suitable Facebook plugin. For example with https://de.wordpress.org/plugins/simple-facebook-twitter-widget/
It is also possible to display a contact form via shortcode, for example with Contact Form 7 or Ninja Forms. Or a simple download button for an e-book or something.
LG,
Brian
Hello Brian, I am a complete beginner!
have just started my blog, just a little bit of content. Already use mash share for Facebook and Twitter. I would also like to use the option (via opt-in) to collect email addresses - so that the visitor can subscribe to my blog to receive news from me. Later on I want to offer a “Freebe”. So build a list.
Is this plugin enough for that? Where do the entries arrive, i.e. the email addresses? Or do I need an email marketing provider directly? Can't afford any costly complete solutions at the moment. Do you have any tips?
Hello Moni,
The Boxzilla plugin itself only represents the box. So, first of all, a plugin is required for the newsletter itself.
There are basically two options. Sending the newsletter directly from the WordPress website or your own server, or using a specialized email marketing service.
A well-known plug-in for sending newsletters from your own server is Mailpoet. But I would rather recommend an external service. Normal web space is not designed to send many emails at the same time. In addition, there is a higher risk that emails end up in spam and not reach subscribers.
Popular external services for newsletters are Mailchimp & Aweber or, as a German alternative, Clever Reach. The Theme Killer blog uses Mailchimp. All email services have free tariffs with which there are no fees for up to a certain number of subscribers.
There are numerous instructions on the subject on the Internet, e.g.
http://elbnetz.com/wie-sie-in-wordpress-einen-newsletter-einrichtungen/
LG,
Brian