A website is nothing but a combination of multiple elements that offer a diverse experience to the users. Modal is one of such elements widely used these days. If you are not sure what we are talking about, this blog is just for you. We will outline the overview of a modal, when to use it in web design, and what are the best practices of using a modal. Let’s get started.
Any experience on a website resembles a mosaic of more modest design components and choices. Here’s one you’ve probably experienced: You’re perusing a site, and snap some catch. Quickly the page blurs and a popup shows up on your screen showing some message or inciting an activity, such as pursuing an email list or downloading a substance offer.
Possibly you were glad to see this popup, or perhaps you were astounded and befuddled. Be that as it may, regardless of how you responded, this window unquestionably stood out enough to be noticed. In web design terms, this sort of show is known as a modular.
Modals are polarizing among designers and clients the same. Many discover esteem in their capacity to rapidly point out something fundamental, while others see them as an unwanted interference to the client experience.
What is a Modal
When you browse a website, you may counter such a scenario. A popup suddenly appears on the skin displaying a message or demanding an action (e.g. – sign up box for the newsletter, alert or notice, login form, etc.). This is called a modal.
When a modal pops up, the background website immediately fades and demands you to interact with the modal first. The purpose of a modal is to drive people’s attention to executing an action.
Now, a modal can be either irritating or helpful. The experts at any website development company always recommend being extra careful while dealing with a modal. If you want to make the most of a modal, you should know the proper usages of it.
When to Use Modal in Web Design
Here are some common instances when modals are effectively used:
Forms
If you want to acquire users’ information and ask them to execute something, you may place a form in the modal window. These may include a subscription to an email newsletter, log in or signup, etc.
Additional Information
If you want your users to provide some crucial information, a modal can be a great choice. For instance, you may showcase a message that you are not operating for the time being, a discount running on in your store, etc.
Confirmation
If you want to seek users’ permission, modal is the best way to do that. It may ask the users if they want to delete their account, a cookie policy alert, or whether to continue an action that cannot be reverted.
Step-by-Step Actions
A modal is ideal for any multi-step process, for example, completing a tool setup, or designing the feed with users’ preferences. The progress can be shown with small dots on the modal window. For instance, Pinterest leverages this practice as it asks about the images users want to see, the language they want to continue with, and so on.
Using Modal in Web Design: Best Practices
Be Careful about the Frequency
A modal is an ideal way to drive people’s attention and demand action. It may lead you to use it as many times as you can throughout your website.
And this is where you will lose most of the traffic! Too many modals will prevent people from accessing the website and in turn, ruin their experience. They will be intimated and invariably bounce. If you don’t want that to happen, limit the usage of modals to one (ideal) or two (maximum).
For mobile devices, feature a modal only if it is essential. A window-within-a-window looks jarring on small screen size.
Let Users Escape
Make sure that the users can escape from the modal if they don’t want to interact with it. You may feature a close or cancel button on the modal. You may also enable them to escape from the window by clicking outside of it.
The modal window should also have a keyword accessible control. It will let the users escape from the modal by pressing the Esc key.
Pay Attention to the Appeal
If you want the users to interact with the modal window, it’s important to grab their attention. Here are a few things you can do:
- Use a vibrant colour that stands out from the rest of the page.
- Use an attractive title.
- Give a brief description and make sure to limit it to one or two lines. No one likes to read lengthy text on a modal.
- If you are using modal for a form, limit the number of fields. Too lengthy a form will discourage people to interact with it.
- If you use a modal window for multi-step processes, limit the steps to 3-4. Also, use it only if essential. The multi-step modal window is not the best one for business websites.
Lightbox Effect
This is in continuation of the previous pointer. You can use a lightbox effect for the modal that darkens the background. It will drive people’s attention to the modal and inform them that they cannot interact with the main page.
Functionally no page element except for the modal window should be selectable or clickable. Disable scrolling as well. Therefore, make sure that all the relevant information is present on the modal and the users need not close it just to check information from the parent content.
Make Use of Buttons
Use large buttons to enhance accessibility. Also, sum up the purpose in the button. Many often, people don’t read the entire text of the modal window and seek to grab an idea from the buttons. For instance, if you want the users to subscribe to your newsletter, the button of your modal should read “Subscribe” and not simply “Yes”.
Here’s a quick tip: if you have two buttons on the modal window, highlight the one that is beneficial for you. For instance, if you have the “subscribe” and “close” buttons, highlight the subscribe button. It will grab more attention.
Appropriate Size
If a modal is too large, users may think it to be a different page. If it is too small, users may mistake it for an ad and not an integral part of your web design. Ideally, a modal should occupy 50% of the page and roughly have the same height and width.
However, these days, many websites experiment with different types of modal windows. You can opt for A/B testing to find out what type of modal is driving the most interaction from your audience.
How to Create a Modal Box
Creating a modal box demands adequate expertise in CSS and JavaScript. If you are not a tech-savvy person, consider engaging professional website design services.
Closing Thoughts
Whether people will interact with a modal or not, depends on the design and purpose of the modal. A study by Sumo.com found that the top 10% of about 2 billion pop-ups have a brilliant conversion rate of 9.2%. We hope that the above-mentioned best practices have helped you to get an idea about leveraging the power of a modal in website design. Try these and share your thoughts with us.
Also Read: Want Great Ideas About Website Creation? Look Here!
