Day 2: Setting Up Web Pop-Up Subscription Forms
For Day 2, my friend and fellow nonprofit email expert Katelyn Baughan is teaching us about setting up an email capture pop up on your nonproft's website.
Before you roll your eyes—I want you to think of every for-profit website you've visited in the last week.
Whether it's shopping or researching—they likely all have an website popup.
Why? Because they work!
According to Omnisend, email pop-up convert at 2-5% or up to 15% for high performing pop-ups.
That means if 1,000 people visit your nonprofit's website each month—20 to 150 people will become email subscribers without doing any extra work beyond the set up.
Now—I'm going to let Katelyn take it away!
🛠️ Setting up your email capture pop-up
A web pop-up (also called a lightbox) is a small window or overlay that appears on top of a webpage while you're browsing. It temporarily dims or blocks the background content to grab your attention, and usually contains a focused message or call to action — like subscribing to an email list.
You've definitely seen them before. They typically look like a box that slides in or fades onto the screen after a few seconds, and they usually have an easy way to close them (an X button or a "No thanks" link).
For email list growth specifically, they're used to invite visitors to subscribe before they leave your site.
How to set one up:
You don't need a developer or a big budget. Most email service providers (ESPs) — like Mailchimp, Klaviyo, Constant Contact, or HubSpot — have built-in pop-up form builders. Here's how to get it done:
Step 1: Log Into Your ESP and Find the Form Builder
Head to your email service provider's dashboard and look for a section called "Forms," "Sign-Up Forms," or "Pop-Ups." Most platforms have a drag-and-drop builder that requires zero coding knowledge.
Step 2: Design Your Pop-Up
Keep it clean, on-brand, and short. You only need a first name and email address — every extra field you add reduces sign-ups. Make sure it looks good on mobile, since a large portion of your visitors are likely browsing on their phones.
Step 3: Write Copy That Gives People a Reason to Say Yes
This is the most important step (more on this below). Your headline and button text need to communicate clear value — not just "Subscribe."
Step 4: Grab Your Embed Code
Once your form is ready, your ESP will generate a snippet of code. Copy it. Then paste it into the or section of your website — or use a plugin if you're on WordPress, Squarespace, or a similar platform. Most website builders also have native integrations with popular ESPs, so it may be as simple as connecting your accounts.
Step 5: Set Your Trigger
Decide when the pop-up appears. Common options include: after a visitor has been on the page for 10–15 seconds, after they've scrolled 50% down the page, or when they show exit intent (moving their cursor toward the browser tab to leave). Exit-intent pop-ups are especially effective — they catch people right before they go.
Step 6: Launch and Test It!
Go live — then visit your own website as if you're a first-time visitor. Does the pop-up appear? Does it look right on your phone? Does clicking "subscribe" actually add someone to your list? Run a quick test with your own email address to confirm the full flow works, including any welcome email that follows. Check your form's performance after the first two weeks and adjust timing or copy if your sign-up rate feels low.
💡 Why it works
If someone lands on your website, they're already curious about your organization — they Googled you, clicked a link, or found you through a friend.
That's warm traffic, and it's the best kind.
A web pop-up (also called a lightbox) is simply a form that appears on your website inviting visitors to subscribe to your email list. It's one of the lowest-effort, highest-return tools you can use to grow your audience — and it works around the clock, even when you're not.
📊 Results
If your nonprofit's website has 1,000 visitors per month—you can expect at least 20 new subscribers!
🧰 Tools Needed
Like yesterday, you likely have everything you need to add a pop-up to your website today.
An email service provider (Mailchimp, Kit, FloDesk, etc)
Login to your website
🗣️ Last thought
Just like yesterday's tactic—I love that with a website pop-up you can set it up once and then let it do the hard work for you.
A big thanks to Katelyn for sharing her info with us! If you'd like to download her free email audit guide—you can get that here.
See you back here tomorrow for Day 3!