Intuit Mailchimp has introduced an upgraded version of its popup forms, aiming to provide marketers with a more effective way to collect customer data and drive engagement. The updated tool, currently in beta, offers greater customization, mobile-first designs, and enhanced audience targeting capabilities. The rollout marks the latest step in Mailchimp’s broader effort to integrate artificial intelligence and data-driven marketing solutions into its platform.
The enhancements stem from technology acquired in 2024 when Intuit purchased Amped, a company specializing in interactive lead-capture tools. The refreshed popup forms allow marketers to create branded, responsive forms that capture zero-party data—information provided directly by consumers—helping businesses build more detailed customer profiles for email and SMS campaigns. Mailchimp says the update is designed to address a key challenge for marketers: converting website visitors into engaged subscribers.
“Marketers are increasingly prioritizing ownership of their customer relationships and data,” said Fay Kallel, VP of Product and Design at Intuit Mailchimp. “Popup forms solve a top pain point for marketers and SMBs, allowing them to collect data directly from customers, creating a frictionless way to capture leads, grow their customers, and build deeper, more meaningful relationships.”
Addressing Lead Generation Challenges
Capturing first-party data has become a priority for businesses as privacy regulations and changes in digital advertising—such as the decline of third-party cookies—make it more difficult to rely on traditional targeting methods. The enhanced popup forms feature eight different offer types, including discounts, free shipping, event signups, and newsletter subscriptions, allowing businesses to tailor their approach based on their audience.
For marketers, the ability to collect opt-in data directly from consumers can reduce acquisition costs while improving engagement rates. Joe Gray, Senior Manager of Digital Marketing at Avenova, reported a 27% increase in SMS opt-ins within a month of implementing the updated popup forms. “We were thrilled to gain deeper insights into our customers’ behavior and journey—understanding how they discovered our brand and what drives their purchasing decisions,” he said.
The update also reflects the growing importance of mobile-friendly marketing tools. According to Mailchimp, approximately 75% of website visitors browse on mobile devices, yet many lead-generation forms remain optimized for desktop experiences. The new popup forms are designed with mobile responsiveness in mind, aiming to remove friction from the signup process.
Expanding Mailchimp’s Marketing Ecosystem
Beyond the popup forms, Mailchimp is making additional updates to its marketing platform. The company is enhancing its integration with Meta’s lead ads portfolio, allowing new leads from Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram to sync directly into Mailchimp’s system. Other upcoming improvements include a streamlined Customer Journey Builder, simplified audience management through Microsoft Excel imports, and promo codes in the SMS editor for users with SMS marketing plans.
Mailchimp is supporting the launch with a marketing campaign, “Popup Like It’s Hot,” featuring a reimagined hip-hop track that promotes the ease and effectiveness of the new forms. The campaign, created by Mailchimp’s in-house agency Wink Creative, is designed to generate excitement among marketers through a mix of social media and digital advertising.
For marketing professionals, these updates reinforce an ongoing shift toward first-party data strategies. As platforms like Mailchimp enhance their AI capabilities, businesses have more tools to build direct relationships with customers—an increasingly important advantage in a digital landscape shaped by privacy concerns and changing consumer behaviors.
What it Means for Marketers
As third-party cookies phase out and privacy regulations tighten, zero-party data has become critical for personalization. Mailchimp’s popup forms allow businesses to gather insights directly from customers, potentially reducing acquisition costs and improving campaign targeting. Joe Gray, a digital marketing manager at Avenova, reported a 27% increase in SMS opt-ins within a month of testing the tool, though broader efficacy remains untested.
Fay Kallel, Mailchimp’s VP of Product, noted the tool aims to simplify lead capture, calling it a “foundation” for AI-driven marketing. However, the success of such tools often hinges on user experience—overly intrusive popups risk higher bounce rates, a challenge Mailchimp seeks to mitigate with dynamic targeting and design flexibility.
The update aligns with industry efforts to streamline first-party data collection. Later this year, Mailchimp plans deeper integration with Meta’s lead ads, syncing Facebook and Instagram leads directly into its platform for automated email campaigns. Additional updates include Excel file imports for audience management and SMS promo code features.
Mailchimp’s in-house agency, Wink Creative, launched a playful ad campaign, “Popup Like It’s Hot,” remixing a 2000s hip-hop track to promote the forms. The campaign, leveraging AI-generated visuals, will run on podcasts and social media.
The popup forms are initially available to users in Australia, Canada, the U.K., and the U.S., with global expansion planned.
As brands prioritize owned audience relationships, tools like Mailchimp’s popup forms offer a dual promise: compliance with data privacy norms and enhanced personalization capabilities. Yet, their long-term impact will depend on balancing user experience with data capture—a tension familiar to marketers navigating today’s evolving digital landscape.