Most popup plugins require 20 minutes of configuration before you see anything on your site. Murls Smart Popups was built to get you from zero to a live popup in under a minute. This guide walks through every step.
What You Need Before Starting
The requirements are minimal.
- WordPress 5.8 or higher. Any recent WordPress installation will work.
- Any theme. Murls Smart Popups is theme-independent. It works with Starter Templates, Astra, Flavor starter theme, GeneratePress, OceanWP, Flavstarter Theme, Flavor starter theme, and everything else.
- WooCommerce is optional. If you run a WooCommerce store, the plugin gives you extra targeting options (Shop, Cart, Checkout, My Account pages). But WooCommerce is not required. The plugin works on any WordPress site.
Tip: You do not need to deactivate caching plugins, edit theme files, or touch any code. Murls Smart Popups loads independently of your theme and works alongside all major caching solutions.
Step 1: Install the Plugin
- Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
- Go to Plugins > Add New.
- In the search bar, type "Murls Smart Popups".
- Click Install Now on the Murls Smart Popups card.
- Click Activate.
You can also download Murls Smart Popups from WordPress.org and upload the ZIP file manually through Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin.
Once activated, you will see a new Murls Popups menu item in your WordPress sidebar.
Step 2: Run the Setup Wizard
After activation, Murls Smart Popups presents a setup wizard. It asks one question: what is your goal?
- Flash sale. Time-limited promotion with urgency messaging.
- Product launch. Announce a new product to visitors.
- General announcement. Store notice, shipping update, policy change, or anything else.
Pick the option closest to your use case. The wizard pre-fills sensible defaults for your popup text, button label, and timing based on your selection. You can change everything in the next step.
Tip: If you skip the wizard, no problem. You can always create a popup manually from the Murls Popups screen. The wizard just saves you a few clicks.
Step 3: Customize Your Popup
The popup editor gives you full control over what your visitors see. Every field is plainly labeled.
- Badge text. A short label at the top of the popup (e.g., "Limited Time," "New Arrival," "Free Shipping").
- Heading. The main headline your visitors read first.
- Message. A supporting line below the heading. Keep it to one or two sentences.
- CTA button text and URL. The button label (e.g., "Shop Now") and where it links to. Point it at your sale page, product page, or any URL.
- Image. Upload an image from your WordPress Media Library, or skip it for a text-only popup.
There is no drag-and-drop builder to figure out. Fill in the fields, see the preview, and move on.
Step 4: Set Targeting Rules
Targeting determines which pages show your popup. Murls Smart Popups gives you precise control without complexity.
- All pages. Show the popup on every page of your site.
- Specific pages. Select individual pages or posts by name.
- WooCommerce pages. Target the Shop page, Cart, Checkout, or My Account pages specifically. This is useful for cart abandonment messages or checkout-only promotions.
- Exclude pages. Show the popup everywhere except certain pages. For example, show it sitewide but hide it on the checkout page so you do not interrupt the payment flow.
If you sell on WooCommerce, page-level targeting is where Murls Smart Popups stands out. You can run a different popup on the Shop page than on the Cart page, with completely different messaging for each.
Step 5: Position and Timing
Position
Murls Smart Popups supports 9 desktop positions and 3 mobile positions.
On desktop, you can place the popup in any corner, along any edge center, or in the center of the screen. On mobile, the popup snaps to the top, center, or bottom of the viewport for a clean experience on smaller screens.
Pick the position that makes sense for your message. A flash sale banner works well at the bottom. A product launch announcement works better in the center.
Cookie Timing
Cookie timing controls how often a visitor sees the popup after they close it.
- Every visit. The popup appears on every page load. Best for urgent, short-lived announcements.
- Once per session. The popup shows once per browser session. If the visitor closes it, it stays hidden until they close and reopen their browser.
- Once per day / week. The popup reappears after the selected interval.
- One time only. Once a visitor closes the popup, they never see it again (until they clear their cookies). Best for non-urgent announcements where you do not want to annoy repeat visitors.
Tip: Start with "once per session" for most use cases. It balances visibility with a non-intrusive experience. You can always switch to a more or less aggressive setting later.
Step 6: Go Live
Toggle the popup status to Active and click Save.
Your popup is now live. There is no cache to clear, no theme file to edit, and no shortcode to paste. Murls Smart Popups injects the popup into your pages automatically. Open your site in a new tab and you will see it immediately.
If you want to take it offline later, toggle the status back to Inactive. The popup disappears from your site instantly.
What to Do Next
You have one popup running. Here is how to get more out of the plugin.
- Create more popups. There is no limit on the number of popups you can create. Run separate ones for different campaigns.
- Try different positions. Move a popup from the bottom-right corner to center-screen and see which gets more clicks.
- Use page targeting for different messages. Show a "Free Shipping on Orders Over $50" popup on the Shop page and a "Complete Your Order" popup on the Cart page. Different messages for different stages of the buying journey.
- Adjust cookie timing. If engagement drops, try a shorter interval. If visitors complain, extend it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Murls Smart Popups work without WooCommerce?
Yes. The plugin works on any WordPress site. WooCommerce is not a requirement. If WooCommerce is installed, the plugin adds extra targeting options for Shop, Cart, Checkout, and My Account pages. Without WooCommerce, you still get full popup functionality with page-level targeting.
How many popups can I create?
There is no limit. You can create as many popups as you need. Each popup has its own targeting rules, position, timing, and content. Run them simultaneously on different pages or rotate them for different campaigns.
Does it slow down my site?
No. Murls Smart Popups loads a single lightweight script and renders the popup using clean HTML and CSS. There are no external dependencies, no jQuery requirement, and no third-party tracking scripts. Page load impact is negligible.
How do I stop showing the popup to returning visitors?
Set the cookie timing to "One time only" in the popup settings. Once a visitor closes the popup, a cookie is stored in their browser and the popup will not appear again for that visitor. This prevents repeat visitors from seeing the same announcement multiple times.
Ready to launch your first popup?
Murls Smart Popups is free, lightweight, and built for store owners who want results without complexity.