11 THINGS THAT WORK MORE OFTEN THAN NOT IN A/B TESTS

 

Summarised and condensed from conversionxl.com – see more detail and examples there. CRO is a process. There are no universal rules, however outlined below are 11 tactics which are recommended for you to test for yourself, and for us are ‘rule of thumb’ tests:
 

1. A static hero image with a single value proposition beats a rotating slider

Ultimately users crave control and auto-rotating carousels offer the opposite of that. The solution? Implement simple, static hero images.

2. Hamburger icon + ‘Menu’ text beats just Hamburger for mobile menus

In most cases, using hamburger + a “menu” label usually performs best. It removes the ambiguity and makes the icon noticeable and intuitive.

 

3. A strong and visible value proposition beats having no value proposition

A value proposition is the primary reason a prospect should buy from you, simply put, it’s the #1 reason someone will continue to read or hit the back button. A value proposition should convey relevancy, quantifiable value and unique differentiation.

 

4. Sticky content beats having call to actions that disappear when you scroll

On small-screen mobile websites, having a sticky header or footer containing a call to action has consistently increased conversion rates.

 

5. Including product videos beats no videos

Having video usually converts users better than having no video. This is not just for branding and awareness, but video can actually help move customers down the funnel and convert them.

 

6. Removing form Fields beats having multiple unnecessary fields

One sure conversion killer is asking for unnecessary information on forms. Ask the question “Is this information absolutely necessary to complete the current transaction?” If you can’t answer “yes” to that question, the form field should be removed.

 

7. Prominent contact information beats not having contact information visible

Even though it seems like a small thing, putting your phone number and email address on the top of your site usually boosts conversions.

 

8. Having live chat beats not having live chat

Live Chat has almost become ubiquitous with good service, and with good reason: live chat usually helps convert.

 

9. Trustworthy testimonials beat no testimonials

Word of mouth is a huge factor in purchase behaviour, displaying testimonials can help drive trust in your site.

 

10. Having a guest checkout option beats only having ‘login’ or ‘signup’

When e-commerce sites force registration, they put up one extra barrier for the customer. 1 in 4 customers leave because of forced registration.

 

11. Free shipping usually beats having delivery costs

Charging for shipping is a conversion killer. Find strategies to make free shipping profitable for your business.

 

Read the full article and visual examples at www.conversionxl.com.