What should my popup button say?
Last updated
Pick one and the labels appear.
Optional. Used in the longer labels.
Pick what the popup offers and the button labels appear here.
- What the popup offersNeeded
- Tone and nounOptional
What shapes each label
CTA button text is the short label on the button a shopper taps to accept a popup offer, and the best labels say what happens on the tap in words the shopper would use, so a warm-toned 15 percent popup gets Yes, send my 15% off, which fits one line of a phone button at 20 characters, under the rough limit of 24.
Labels are written from fixed phrases for each offer and tone, with a character-count check for phone buttons. Nothing on this page measures how any label performs.
Three choices decide the labels: what the popup offers, the voice of the store, and, optionally, the thing being bought. Each set comes with a decline link and a short link for an announcement bar.
- Offer
- Percent off, money off, free shipping, a free gift, early access, plain updates, a quiz or a game. The offer decides the core words, because the label should say what the shopper gets.
- Tone
- Direct is plain and fast, warm is friendly, playful is light, premium is quiet and formal, urgent adds now or today. Pick the one that sounds like the rest of your store.
- Noun
- Optional, up to 24 characters, used in the longer labels in place of first order: a sofa, a box, a first bag. Short nouns keep labels on one line.
- Fits on a phone
- Labels of 24 characters or fewer usually sit on one line of a popup button on a phone. Longer ones are marked, because a wrapped label looks unfinished.
- Decline link
- The small link a shopper uses to say no. Every one here is neutral in every tone, because a decline that mocks the shopper tends to annoy more people than it persuades.
- Bar link
- Two or three words for the link inside a thin bar across the top of the store, where there is even less room than on a popup button.
Nudgesmart is available on the Shopify App Store. Browse the template library or see what it costs.
Seven stores and the labels written for them
Invented stores. Each row is one offer and tone run through the same generator as the tool above, showing its first button label, its first decline link and its first bar link.
| Store and offer | Tone | Button | Decline link | Bar link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beauty store, 15 percent off | Warm | Yes, send my 15% off | Maybe later | Claim 15% off |
| Outdoor gear, 20 off the first order | Direct | Get $20 off | No thanks | Claim $20 off |
| Furniture, free delivery | Premium | Unlock complimentary delivery | Perhaps another time | Shop now |
| Sneaker drop, early access | Urgent | Get in before launch | Not today | Join the list |
| Skincare finder | Playful | Quiz me | Just looking for now | Take the quiz |
| Snack brand, spin to win | Warm | Give it a spin | Maybe later | Play now |
| Tea shop, newsletter only | Premium | Join the list | Perhaps another time | Join the list |
Before a new label goes live
Only say now if there is a deadline
The urgent tone adds words like now and today. Use it when the offer really ends or stock really is limited. Invented urgency is easy to spot and can break advertising rules in some places.
The button has to match the offer
If the label says 15% off, the code the shopper receives must be worth 15% off, on the products they expect. A mismatch between the button and the checkout is how trust is lost.
Length depends on your font
The fit check counts characters. A wide font or a large button text size fits fewer, a narrow one more. Check the final popup on a real phone.
The label is one part of the popup
A good label cannot rescue a weak offer or a popup shown at the wrong moment. Treat it as the finishing touch, after the offer and the timing are right.
Questions about popup button text
What makes good CTA button text?
It says what the shopper gets or what happens next, in a few words, often from their point of view: Get my code, Send my discount, Find my match. Generic words like Submit say nothing about the reward.
Should the button say my or your?
Both are common. First person, such as Send my discount, reads as the shopper speaking and suits signup popups. Second person, such as Get your code, reads as the store speaking. Pick one and use it consistently.
How long should a popup button label be?
Short enough to sit on one line on a phone, which for most popup buttons means about two dozen characters or fewer. Two to five words is typical.
What should the no thanks link say?
Something neutral, such as No thanks, Maybe later or Keep browsing. Lines that make the shopper feel foolish for declining are widely disliked and can reflect badly on the brand.
Is anything I type stored?
No. The labels are written in your browser from fixed phrases, and nothing you enter is sent anywhere.
Three words on a button, and a moment to show them.
Nudgesmart puts your label on a ready-made template, grouped by industry and campaign type, and shows the popup to the shoppers you target.
