How to Create Landing Pages That Convert: Three A / B Testing Case Studies

When designing an opt-in form, DYIThemes decided to try two test variations

1). they changed the headline
2). for one variation they kept social proof, for another - removed it.

As a result, the most minimalistic form became an absolute winner, since it proved 102.0% improvement on email newsletter.

What can you get from it?

First, never interrupt your users when they are so close to hitting a sign-up button. Although it may quite an impressive number of almost 15,000 subscriptions, it makes you think about it instead of acting.

Also, do you remember the success of Apple products? Their main message has always been "Think different," which implies that you shouldn't blindly follow the majority, but rather stick to your own individual opinion. People on the Web are more likely to join something fresh, new, unique, and extraordinary, rather than follow the mainstream.

Second, I really like another version of the headline: Get Email Updates (it's Free). For some reason it looks more informal and friendly to me and it's like a one more push in the phrase.

Think careful when designing opt-in forms consider both the language and the design. Pay special attention to the message you convey.

What can you get out of it?

Think about your users, their needs, their behavior, and language. Maybe they don't use the phrase "overcome the writer's block," but prefer "get inspiration for writing." Try to think as if you were one of them. Conduct a survey, asking your users directly what they would like to get. After you get some results, incorporate them smartly in your landing page design.

Not surprisingly, the variation that combined all enhancements (SEO, buttons, images) brought most conversions!

What can you get out of this test?

1. If you want your users to perform some kind of action on your page, put a nice big button with call-to-action and you'll definitely see improvements.

2. Secondly, a structured copy is easier to understand. Instead of making your visitors read a looooooot of letters, highlight most important things for them!

3. And yes, visuals often make your page much more attractive, so make clever use of them.

Today you have learnt a couple of useful tips you can try to implement when optimizing your landing page:

- Be minimalistic with opt-in forms and don't interrupt users on the way to convert
- Discover what benefits are appreciated by your audience and present them clearly
- Structure your content (you may use some SEO tools for that purpose), use images and attractive buttons

Have you tried A/B testing for your website? Share your experience and thoughts in the comments!