5 Landing Page Case Studies: The How and Why

landing page case studies

Landing page optimization is all about testing and tweaking – sometimes making huge changes and sometimes the smallest details.

But what happens when you run out of optimization hypotheses?

You go to the closest “landing page case studies” article and get inspired.

But do you know why those variables actually had an effect on the page’s conversions?

This article will not only give you five awesome case studies to inspire you, but give you the how and why as well – so you learn something from all this reading.

Sound good?

Let’s check out 5 landing page design case studies:

Case Study #1: BettingExpert Adds Value


Betting Expert is an online sports betting site, looking to increase sign-ups on their landing page.

Control :

landing page case study

Treatment:

case study landing pages

Result: A 31.54% increase in page conversions

Why?

One word: value.

Entry form optimization is a huge part of maximizing your landing page’s performance. Optimizing your form based on the right amount of info boxes, the color copy and the CTA design all make for a complicated process.

Entry forms are also one of the most important places for you to show value. There are a million examples of other brands finding conversion increases with simple CTA changes, and all of these are based around the simple landing page optimization rule of thumb: make engagement about your possible customer, and make it worth it.

Betting Expert changed their CTA to be lead-focused, telling them what they got, rather than what to do.

I actually included this best practice in my article “Landing Pages: How to Sell Without Selling”, so check it out for more subtle hints that can improve conversions.

Case Study #2: Vendio Slims down the Process


Ecommerce host Vendio was concerned that their entry form was decreasing landing page conversions. Let’s take a look at their test…

Control:

landing page case study

Treatment:

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Result: A 60% increase in visitor signups.

Why?

This is an interesting case, given that the “sign up now” CTA button simply opened a pop-up that held the entry form. However, it appears that (at least for Vendio) removing the, admittedly, not particularly visually appealing, entry form increased the amount of landing page visitors who were interested in signing up.

What removing the entry form also did is allowed for larger images, a larger USP and a more central CTA button – all small details that can make the conversion difference.

What I think:

I’d hazard that moving the entry form to the right side (instead of having it on the left) would also have increased conversions, maybe even by as much as having the popup did. Studies show that people view your landing page in an “F” shape (top left to right, then down and left). Seeing the entry form first would have increased bounce rates on this page, whereas having it on the right side, after communicating value, would have increased conversions.

Case Study #3: WikiJob Includes Customer Testimonials


Interview-prep website WikiJob was having great success with people using their free tools but was struggling for paid conversions. Let’s check out what they did to their landing page to encourage sales.

Control:

landing page case studies

Treatment:

landing page case study

Result: The variation page achieved a 34.0% improvement over the original

Why?

It’s all about the trust factor. Recent Edelman data shows that the most trusted source of information is fast becoming a “person like yourself”, over even a sector expert:

trust in marketing

Customer testimonials give evidence that the value you’re communicating on your landing page is legitimate value. They show that other people have engaged with your business and found success.

WikiJob, especially, will have found success with customer testimonials. Any business whose target market is predominantly millennials absolutely must have customer testimonials or reviews in some form. The internet generation is used to online reviews, rating systems and trusting reviews for every consumer decision they make. A page targeting that demographic without a customer testimonial will struggle to convert their landing page traffic.

Case Study #4: BagServant Includes a Trust Symbol


Ecommerce site BagServant, devoted to showcasing lesser-known designers as well as big name brands online, had recently won an impressive sector award. Let’s see how including that award symbol improved their landing page conversion rates.

Control:

landing page case study

Treatment:

landing page case study

Results: A 72.05% improvement

Why?

This is a great example of a small design change having a huge influence on a business’ success. Showing off a sector-based award is a great way (especially for lesser-known businesses) to improve conversions.

The name Jacqueline Gold (in Britain, primarily) has a large influence within the fashion industry. This kind of effect can be carried into other sectors with other large brand names.

This is the value of a trust or authority symbol. Like a customer testimonial, trust symbols show your landing page traffic that someone (ideally a recognizable brand name) champions your business with either their patronage, a quote, or an award.

Even if someone hasn’t heard of your business, knowing that a recognizable business trusts you (or, in this case, a recognizable celebrity businesswoman) will increase your landing page conversion rates.

Case Study #5: Underwater Audio Keeps Flow in Mind


Waterproof headphone developer “Underwater Audio” had recently updated their landing page and was confused by a lack of improvement in their conversion rate. They made a small formatting change and were surprised by the results. Let’s take a look at their test…

Control:

landing page case study

Treatment:

landing page case study

Result: 35.6% Online Conversion Increase

Why?

As I mentioned above, many sources, including Nielsen, have found that the human eye naturally follows an “F” shape when we view a page (either hardcopy or online). We shouldn’t be particularly surprised as this is also how we read: left to right, top to bottom.

The results found by Underwater Audio stem from two factors, that naturally followed “F” shape and also the error of covering their product with text – obscuring the look of something that people wear (never a good idea).

The original design had web traffic focusing on the CTA before they saw the customer testimonial, resulting in a low conversion rate. The boost in conversions comes from the page communicating enough value in a visitor-friendly way.

Remember, it’s not always about having value on the page, but having it in the right places.

Conclusion


These five case studies are representative of a thousand more – each indicating the importance of testing and tweaking your business’ pages for an effective landing page optimization that brings conversions to you.

Remember that even when you’re satisfied with your conversion rates, there’s always room for improvement, and the smallest changes on your landing page design can mean thousands of dollars in increased revenue for you and your business.

Further Reading:

By James Scherer

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