The Magical Change That Boosted Our Paid Ad Performance by 11%

Our CRO team recently made a change that resulted in an almost 11% increase in the performance of our paid ads, and here’s the best part – no deals with supernatural beings were necessary!

While I may miss using my Ouija board, the great news is that you can implement this strategy yourself with what you already have. This tactic is all about what you don’t include on the landing page, and below, we’ll uncover the secrets behind this cryptic advice.

But before we dive into the mystical details, here’s a word of caution…

Measure Twice, Cut Once

Before making any changes to your website, it’s crucial to heed a word of caution from Rebecca Hinton, our CRO strategist and principal marketing manager at HubSpot. “Yes, this works for us,” she emphasizes, “but it may or may not work for you, so always test it.”

Rebecca’s expertise in running tests has led to triple-digit growth in our program, underscoring the importance of thorough testing before implementing any changes. At HubSpot, we believe in backing up all changes with concrete evidence, and we encourage you to do the same to ensure success with your audience.

The tactic we’re about to unveil stems from a rigorous experiment, and we’ll walk you through how to conduct a similar test on your own.

What She Cut

The first transformative change made by Rebecca’s team was redirecting paid ad traffic away from product pages. Why? Because product pages often cater to multiple customer personas, resulting in information overload for visitors arriving from paid ads.

Creating dedicated landing pages for each ad being tested was the key strategy. But the real magic lay in what was omitted from these pages – around 90% of the website’s navigational links.

By simplifying the landing pages and focusing on a single call-to-action, our team witnessed remarkable results, including an astounding 83% increase in CVR in one regional market.

Rebecca discusses the significance of using dedicated landing pages and the freedom they offer for conducting CRO testing without constraints.

How to Make Landing Pages that Land

1. DON’T test one element at a time. Start with big swings and radical changes.

Rebecca challenges the traditional A/B testing approach by advocating for bold, distinct variations to quickly discern user preferences.

2. Consider the journey, and not just the destination.

Emphasize the user journey from ad to action on your landing page, incorporating content that guides visitors toward the desired conversion.

3. Don’t assume you’re going to get a winner.

Test multiple landing pages to explore different perspectives and iterate on the most effective strategies.

4. Pay attention to statistical significance.

Ensure your test results are statistically significant to draw accurate conclusions and avoid misleading outcomes.

5. Don’t assume that regional successes equal global successes.

Test strategies across various audiences to understand how different markets respond and tailor your approach accordingly.

How to A/B Test Your Landing Pages

Embark on the journey of testing different landing pages through A/B testing or lookback analysis. A/B testing ensures unbiased results by evenly splitting traffic between variant pages, while lookback analysis allows for comparison pre and post change.

Rebecca’s insights highlight the importance of thorough testing and experimentation to unlock the full potential of your landing pages – ensuring that each visitor’s experience is optimized for conversion.