How to Show a Message to Returning Visitors in Webflow

Learn how to show a custom message to returning visitors in Webflow with localStorage.

In this tutorial, Sandro, cofounder of Gemeos Webflow agency, shows you how to display a personalized welcome message for returning visitors on your Webflow site with localStorage.

Example

localStorage variable	Value	Use
visit-count	Number of visits	Differentiate first visit / returning visitor
last-visit	ISO date	Calculate time since last visit
Banner	ID returning-banner	Returning welcome notification

1. Create the elements in Webflow

Create a Div with the ID returning-banner in Fixed position, at the bottom or top of the page, with display: none by default. Add first-visit-msg and returning-msg Divs for the conditional messages. Add a Text Block visit-count-display to show the number of visits.

2. Add the script in Footer code

(function() {
  var visits = parseInt(localStorage.getItem('visit-count') || '0') + 1;
  localStorage.setItem('visit-count', visits);
  localStorage.setItem('last-visit', new Date().toISOString());

  var banner = document.getElementById('returning-banner');
  var firstMsg = document.getElementById('first-visit-msg');
  var returningMsg = document.getElementById('returning-msg');
  var visitCountEl = document.getElementById('visit-count-display');

  if (visitCountEl) visitCountEl.textContent = visits;

  if (visits === 1) {
    // First visit
    if (firstMsg) firstMsg.style.display = 'block';
    if (returningMsg) returningMsg.style.display = 'none';
  } else {
    // Returning visitor
    if (returningMsg) returningMsg.style.display = 'block';
    if (firstMsg) firstMsg.style.display = 'none';
    if (banner) {
      banner.style.display = 'flex';
      // Hide after 5 seconds
      setTimeout(function() {
        banner.style.opacity = '0';
        banner.style.transition = 'opacity 0.5s';
        setTimeout(function() { banner.style.display = 'none'; }, 500);
      }, 5000);
    }
  }
})();

3. Advanced customization based on the number of visits

var visits = parseInt(localStorage.getItem('visit-count') || '0');
if (visits >= 3) {
  // Very engaged visitor: show an offer
  document.getElementById('engaged-offer')?.style.display = 'block';
} else if (visits === 2) {
  // Second visit: show a testimonial
  document.getElementById('social-proof')?.style.display = 'block';
}

good to know

localStorage is persistent across sessions, but it's tied to the browser and device. A visitor who comes back on mobile after visiting on desktop will count as a first visit. For reliable cross-device tracking, you need an authentication system or a server-side cookie. For most UX use cases, localStorage is enough.

Conclusion

Recognizing returning visitors creates a sense of connection and improves conversion. Use cases:

Personalized welcome-back message
Special offer unlocked on the 3rd visit
Different CTA for hot leads (2+ visits)

👋 You're back! Visit #?×

First visit 👋

Welcome! See how Gemeos can help you.

You're back! 🎉

This is your visit #?. Ready for the next step?

Good to know

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