Engagement5 min read

Use Exit-Intent Messages to Reduce Bounce Rate

Exit-intent messages appear when a visitor is about to leave your site — detected by their mouse moving toward the browser's close button or address bar. This is your last chance to capture their attention with a compelling offer or message. Here's how to set one up.

Create a new message

In your FloatMessage dashboard, click New Message. Choose a template — Modal or Banner work best for exit-intent messages since they demand attention.

FloatMessage dashboard showing template selection for a new message — Pick a high-visibility template for your exit-intent message

Craft a compelling exit message

In the Content & Usage tab, write copy that gives visitors a reason to stay. Effective exit-intent messages usually include:

Urgency — "Wait! Before you go..."
An incentive — discount code, free shipping, free trial
A clear CTA — "Claim My Discount", "Get the Guide", "Start Free Trial"

Message editor showing an exit-intent message with 'Wait! Before you go...' heading and a 30% discount offer — An exit-intent message with urgency and a discount offer

Tip: Keep it short. Visitors are already leaving — a wall of text won't bring them back. One strong headline, one sentence, one button.

Set the trigger to Exit Intent

Click the Display Settings tab and configure:

Position — Center for maximum visibility
Trigger — Exit intent so it only appears when the visitor is about to leave
Background Overlay — add a Dark overlay to focus attention on the message
After User Closes — Never show again so it's not annoying on repeat visits

Display Settings showing Position: Center, Trigger: Exit Intent, Background Overlay: Dark, After User Closes: Never show again — Configure exit intent trigger with a dark overlay for maximum impact

Note: Exit-intent detection works on desktop by tracking the mouse cursor. On mobile devices, exit intent isn't available since there's no mouse — consider using a Scroll or Delay trigger as a mobile fallback.

Optimize for conversions

A few tips to get the most out of your exit-intent message:

Target specific pages

Use the Targeting tab to show different exit-intent messages on different pages — a discount on product pages, a lead magnet on blog posts.

Use a background overlay

The Dark or Blur overlay dims the page behind the message, drawing all attention to your offer.

Test different offers

Create multiple exit-intent messages with different incentives and compare click rates in your dashboard analytics to find what converts best.

Save and activate

Click Update Message and make sure it's set to Active. To test it, open your site and move your mouse toward the top of the browser window.

Tip: To test again after dismissing, clear localStorage for your site or use an incognito window.