Modals and popups are probably the most used elements in UI/UX design because they have the important role of capturing the user's attention. More importantly, these kinds of UI/UX elements are able to display different important messages while attracting user interactions.
But it’s important to know that even though these two elements have different purposes, Modals, compared with Popups, need immediate user action before advancing. So, based on this requirement, models might be more suitable for login forms and even for confirmation dialogs.
On the other hand, popups are independent elements that are usually triggered based on the user’s interaction with the website or to show promotions, marketing campaigns, or others.
Being able to grab the user’s attention immediately, Modals are currently less and less used by designers in their modern UI/UX projects. Even though they are an effective way of captivating the audience, Modals interrupt the user’s workflow. So, when the modal appears on the users’ screen, they will no longer be able to interact with the main page unless the modal task is completed or dismissed.
Even more so, modals are always requiring the user’s full attention, so it’s important to integrate them in just those circumstances, where the user’s confirmation is really necessary before proceeding.
Where Exactly Modals Should Be Implemented?
- Forms: sign-up or payment forms need the modals implementation because this way users are more engaged without needing to navigate away from their current page.
- Important messages, such as updated terms of service agreements or critical warnings, because users will be given more focus by users before taking any action.
A pop-up design represents the UI/UX element that usually appears on top of the screen that users are currently viewing. The transmitted message in a popup design is not really that important compared with models, but it is used for error messages, confirmations, or even login notifications.
Even more so, depending on the user’s behavior, popups can be triggered when clicking a certain element in the website or hovering over an image.
Popup examples
- Lightbox: is usually used to show users videos or images in a much larger view without needing to navigate from the current page.
- Floating bar: This kind of popup design is used to display important details, call-to-action elements, or navigation options. This way, you will ensure that users will be able to easily reach all the information without having to scroll through the page.
- Social media icons: social media widgets have the purpose of increasing social media engagement to improve the brand’s presence on social media.
- Cookie consent: because it has become a standard for all websites, the cookie consent appears on the user’s screen, and informs them about how cookies are used.
It is clear that both elements, modals and popups, represent powerful elements that can easily drive the user’s engagement. However, it’s important to know that if they are not used and implemented correctly on the website, they can potentially lead to user dissatisfaction.
Using Modals in your UI/UX project:
- Try to keep all the content as concise as possible to deliver the important message without overwhelming the users.
- Working best for critical actions such as deleting an item or saving changes, it is best to offer in the modal design a “close” or “cancel” option to make users feel more relaxed.
Using Popups in your UI/UX project:
Keep in mind that popups work more efficiently when used for non-critical information, such as supplemental messages, that don’t need a fast action from the user who navigates the website.
- Try to implement this type of UI/UX element for website discounts, newsletters, and other promotional offers.
- Popups can also be used to receive confirmation for exist-intent such as a discount, to keep the users engaged.
Both of these elements are essential in a UI/UX design because they serve various purposes in user engagement, but it’s important to choose which one to use according to your website’s needs and potential engagement strategies.
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