Exit Intent.
Exit intent describes a visitor's recognisable intention to leave a website, and the technique of showing an overlay or message at that moment. On desktop it is usually detected by the mouse moving towards the browser bar.
Exit Intent — Explained in Detail
An exit-intent overlay does not appear when the page loads but only when someone is about to leave. On desktop, a script recognises this when the cursor leaves the page at the top, towards the tabs, address bar or close button. On a smartphone there is no cursor; tools fall back on substitute signals such as fast upward scrolling, prolonged inactivity or the back button. These signals are considerably less precise and also catch visitors who had no intention of leaving.
Typical content is a lead magnet such as a checklist, a pointer to a calculator, a call-back offer or a discount in an online shop. At its best, the overlay offers a sensible next step for people who are not yet ready to enquire. It then creates a micro-conversion, such as a sign-up that may later turn into an enquiry.
The line to a dark pattern is easily crossed: overlays that are hard to close, a 'no' button that shames ('No thanks, I prefer to pay more') or a fake countdown. Such patterns can be considered misleading under the Swiss Federal Act against Unfair Competition (UCA, SR 241). Anyone collecting email addresses for a newsletter in the overlay needs consent (Art. 3 para. 1 let. o UCA), and the Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP, SR 235.1) requires purpose and processing to be transparent. This is an overview, not legal advice.
Google also pays attention to overlays. Google Search Central's documentation on page experience describes intrusive interstitials that obscure the main content on mobile devices as a poor user experience. An overlay on exit is less disruptive than one on entry, but on smartphones it should stay small or be dropped altogether. The script must also not slow down loading, see Core Web Vitals.
When an exit overlay makes sense
It makes sense when the offer fits the content and adds real value. On a guide to bathroom renovation, a planning checklist fits; on a pricing page, a pointer to a calculator. A generic 'Subscribe to our newsletter?' on every page does not. Ground rules: at most once per visit, never on form or thank-you pages, a clearly visible close button, closing also via the Escape key and a click outside, no pressure and no judgement when declining.
Measure not only how many people use the overlay but also whether the main goals suffer. If the overlay brings sign-ups but enquiries fall, it does more harm than good. How we test overlays, forms and buttons is described on conversion rate optimisation; what a page layout without intrusive elements looks like is shown on web design.
Example: a kitchen maker with a planning checklist
A constructed example, not a client case: a kitchen maker in Thun has many visitors on its guide pages but few enquiries; most people research months before a renovation. Instead of a discount, it offers a planning checklist as a PDF when visitors leave the guide pages, covering measurements, an appliance list and budget questions.
The overlay appears only on desktop, only once per visit and only on guide pages, not on the quote page. The email address is used solely to send the checklist; anyone who also wants tips ticks a separate box. The kitchen maker measures downloads and, separately, whether the number of quote requests stays the same or rises.
Related Page
Dark PatternsFrequently Asked Questions About Exit Intent
Only to a limited extent. Without a cursor, tools have to rely on substitute signals such as fast upward scrolling or the back button, which often also catch visitors who wanted to stay. Many websites therefore do not show exit overlays on mobile devices at all.
Google regards intrusive interstitials that obscure the main content on mobile devices as a poor user experience. A small, easily closed overlay on exit on desktop is less problematic. On mobile devices, restraint is the safe choice.
No hidden or tiny close buttons, no shaming decline texts, no fake countdowns or invented scarcity. Anyone collecting email addresses for advertising needs consent under Art. 3 para. 1 let. o of the Swiss Federal Act against Unfair Competition (SR 241) and clear information about the purpose.
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