So let’s say that you absolutely hate asking for email opt-in using popups. That’s too bad (conversion rates can be high) but if it’s the case, there’s another option- the sidebar form. The sidebar form is a form which appears on the side of some or all pages on your website and contains a basic email subscribe form or other call to action of your choice.
In this post, we’ll review some considerations when choosing a 3rd party sidebar opt-in provider and will review some of the common features.
Sidebar Forms for Email Opt-In or CTAs
| Provider | Starter Pricing | Learn More | Free Trial | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 OptInMonster | $19/Month | Learn More | Free Trial | @optinmonster | Drag and drop builder, yesno, Mobile friendly popups, Custom success message, Canvas, Animations and effects, Lightbox Popup, Fullscreen welcome mat, Slide-in Scroll Box, Floating Bar, Countdown Timer, Sidebar Forms, Inline Forms, Content Locker, Coupon Wheel Optins, Tiggers - Exit, Scroll, Inactive, Time Display, Scheduling, Targeted, Integrations, Analytics, |
 Poptin | $19/Month | Learn More | Free Trial | @poptin | Mobile friendly popups, Lightbox Popup, Fullscreen welcome mat, Slide-in Scroll Box, Floating Bar, Countdown Timer, Sidebar Forms, Inline Forms, Content Locker, Tiggers - Exit, Scroll, Inactive, Time Display, Scheduling, Targeted, Integrations, Analytics, Drag and drop builder, |
 Listagram | $29/Month | Learn More | Free Trial | @listagram | Mobile friendly popups, Animations and effects, Coupon Wheel Optins, Drag and drop builder, |
 GetSiteControl | $9/Month | Learn More | Free Trial | @getsitecontrol | Mobile friendly popups, Animations and effects, Forms, Surveys, Drag and drop builder, |
Choosing the Highest-Converting Sidebar Email Forms
The sidebar form is a common
- Design: The design of the sidebar call to action, email opt-in, etc. is really the main reason to use a 3rd party as opposed to just building the sidebar widget using your CMS. In many cases, opt-in 3rd parties offer great designs to choose from.
- Logic: As with popups, many of the sidebar forms can be driven by logic as to when to show them (campaigns, referral source, time on site, etc.).
- The Float: One of our favorite sidebar opt-in features is the ability to let the bar “float” with the user as she/he scrolls. This way, your CTA stays prominent.
Final Thoughts
We wouldn’t typically enlist any third party software just for the sidebar form but it’s a nice add-on if we’re using other features such as lightbox pops, floating bars, etc.