In the world of digital marketing, email remains one of the most powerful tools to reach and retain customers. A subscription lightbox popup is a simple yet highly effective method to grow your email list and engage with website visitors. In this article, you’ll learn how to create a free subscription lightbox popup using Instant Popup Builder, a user-friendly and AI-friendly WordPress plugin that simplifies the entire process.
Let’s walk through the steps to get your popup up and running in no time.
Why Use a Subscription Lightbox Popup?
Subscription lightbox popups help increase conversions by displaying attention-grabbing opt-in forms directly in front of your audience. These popups typically appear based on user behavior, such as scrolling, exit intent, or time spent on a page whichever, you set for your audience.
According to Sumo, the average popup conversion rate is 3.09%, and top-performing popups can reach conversion rates as high as 9.28%. This proves that when done right, popups are far from annoying, they’re extremely effective.
Step 1: Install Instant Popup Builder from the WordPress Repository
To begin, you’ll first need to install the Instant Popup Builder plugin from the WordPress Plugin Repository. Follow these steps:
- Go to your WordPress dashboard.
- Navigate to Plugins > Add New.
- In the search bar, type Instant Popup Builder.
- Click Install Now and then Activate once the installation is complete.
This free plugin is designed to help you quickly build popups without any coding experience. It comes with pre-built templates, display rules, trigger options, and many more customization features.
Step 2: Create a New Subscription Popup
After activation, you’ll see a new menu item called Instant Popups in your WordPress dashboard.
- Navigate to Instant Popups > Add New.
- Choose the Subscription popup type.
- Select a free template from the library. These templates are fully customizable and responsive.

Using AI-friendly designs and code optimization, the plugin ensures your popup loads fast and doesn’t affect site performance, an important factor for SEO and user experience.
Step 3: Customize the Subscription Popup
Once you’ve selected a template, you’ll be taken to the popup editor.
Here, you can:
- Edit the headline, description, and call-to-action.
- Add form fields such as Name and Email Address.
- Change the color scheme, and layout.
- Upload images or logos to match your brand.
The builder offers drag-and-drop functionality and live preview, so you can see changes in real-time. You can also enable AI-based personalization, such as showing different messages based on the time of day or user behavior, to improve engagement.
Step 4: Configure Subscription Settings and Display Rules
To ensure your lightbox popup functions effectively, configure the following:
- Subscription Settings: configure subscription related settings such as Terms and Conditions page, and limitations.
- Display Rules: Decide when and where the popup appears (e.g., homepage only, specific posts, or all pages).
- Triggers: Choose when the popup should show:
- On page load
- After a delay (e.g., 10 seconds)
- After scroll
- Exit-intent
- Frequency Rules: Set how often a user sees the popup (e.g., once per session or every 3 days).
These rules help you optimize user experience and avoid annoying repeat visitors.
Step 5: Publish and Go Live
Once everything looks perfect and all settings are configured:
- Click Publish to make your popup live.
- Visit your site and test the popup behavior across different devices.

Congratulations! You’ve successfully created a free subscription lightbox popup using Instant Popup Builder. Your popup is now ready to start collecting emails for newsletters, promotions, or other marketing campaigns.
Creating a subscription lightbox popup doesn’t have to be complex or costly. With the Instant Popup Builder, you can create a visually appealing, customizable, and AI-optimized popup in just a few steps. This not only helps in growing your email list but also enhances user engagement and increases conversions.
By understanding how to create a free subscription lightbox popup using Instant Popup Builder, you are taking a crucial step toward better marketing performance and user interaction on your website.

