You see, a simple pop-up, used incorrectly, has the power to completely take over a user's desktop. Consider how you wield that power, and use it wisely.

• Rule #1: Don't over-do it. In researching the Amazing Pop-Ups course, we looked at hundreds of sites and thousands of pop-ups. In most cases, we found business owners acting responsibly, with many sites using only a single pop-up asking for an opt-in name.

  However, in several cases, the minute we arrived at a site, we were bombarded with dozens of windows, and placed into a sort of "pop-up hell." Often, the moment we closed one window, two or three more would open!

  This seems to be standard operating procedure in the adult and gambling industries. But it's not a good way to build a loyal user base. Don't create a hostile environment like this on your site. Limit your pop-ups to one, or at the very most, two. One upon entry and one upon exit.
  
   

• Rule #2: Be careful not to trap surfers in a circular path. Sometimes, a site owner will create a pop-up hell without meaning to, because they inadvertently lead a prospect down a navigational path without considering its impact.

  The Amazing Pop-Ups course includes code and instructions for several scripts. Make sure to consider your options, as well as who is getting your pop-ups, where they are getting them, and when they are coming up.

  Let me give you an example: We have a client who sells two primary products to the same audience (they are information based training manuals). He has separate Web sites for each, so as a test, he decided to use exit pop-ups to send visitors of one page to the other, right after they leave.

  A problem occurred because he included the pop-up on both pages. When they exited the second site, the first one came up again, and so on and so on, until the user had shut down their computer in frustration!

  If you use exit pop-ups, make sure to direct users to "clean pages" that don't put visitors onto a loop.

  Here's another example: Our partner for this project, CyberWave, sends out an e-zine to their subscribers every month. After reading the article, users are led to a sales letter for the "paid" publication, The Online Marketing Letter.

  Normally, they use a pop-up to collect opt-in names on this page, but since all these people are already opted in, it would look silly to ask them again. Therefore, they are directed to a special page without the pop-up code.
  
   

• Rule #3: Use cookies to limit pop-ups on repeat visits where appropriate. One of the code templates you receive uses cookies to track users so they aren't bothered with the same pop-up again and again. A nice benefit of using a cookie-enabled script is that it prevents people who navigate using their back button (which is very common, by the way) from seeing the same pop-up more than once.
  
  At FrontPageWorld.Com, first time visitors are greeted with a pop-up that encourages them to sign up for the newsletter and offers a few other items that a first-time viewer might be interested in.  Upon return to the home page, the viewer will not see the pop-up again. 
  
   
• Rule #4: Allow sufficient user control. You'll be shown how to create pop-ups of all types and sizes. The cheat sheet will show you how to add and remove many of the functions of a normal browser window.

  Make sure to show respect for your users by giving them enough control to view the pop-up correctly. Allow them to easily close the window if they choose. We generally recommend making your pop-ups resizable to account for people who use large fonts or have other specific browser settings.

  We also recommend including the top of the browser toolbar on the pop-up so the window can be minimized on the user's toolbar so they can look at it later.
  
   

• Rule #5: Always "walk a mile" in the shoes of the user. Last but not least, make sure you thoroughly battle test your site after you install any pop-up code, especially if you are using exit scripts.

  Check out the links on your pop-ups and thoroughly explore each one. Make sure they work, the windows open correctly and the paths are clear and easy to follow.

  Also check to see there are no conflicts. For example, let's say a site is sending you a lot of traffic and they use an exit pop-up and you use an entry pop-up. Visitors will see two pop-ups when they arrive, and they'll associate both of them with you!

  Consequently, if you use an exit pop-up, and have links to pages with an entry pop-up, a frustrated surfer will close both windows, and nobody wins.

  Study your logs to see where people are coming in to your site from. If you discover a conflict, adjust your pop-ups accordingly.