# White paper offer vs '5-minute conversation' CTA: white paper lost

- Outcome: Lost
- Page type: Landing page (SaaS)
- Elements: Cta copy, Offer
- Test run by: [Method Savvy](https://liftarchive.com/practitioners/method-savvy/)
- Commentary by: LiftArchive (our analysis, not theirs)
- Original source: https://marketingsherpa.com/article/case-study/ppc-led-campaign-reduces-cost-per-lead
- Page: https://liftarchive.com/test/avidxchange-landing-page-5-minute-call-vs-whitepaper/

Swapping a five-minute intro call offer for a white paper download lowered conversions on AvidXchange's PPC landing page; the call offer won, though no figure was shared. Method Savvy, AvidXchange's search and optimization vendor, ran the test, and it was published as a MarketingSherpa case study. The team had expected the white paper to win.

## Result

**white paper lost**

- The white paper variant lost: the five-minute conversation offer had the higher landing page conversion rate.
- No conversion rates or lift figure were shared.
- The team's program ran tests to 98-99% significance, but the source does not give the confidence for this specific test.

## Control

A paid search landing page whose call to action invited visitors to a five-minute introductory conversation about AvidXchange, a time-limited intro rather than a sales pitch.

## Variant

The same landing page, but the call to action offered a white paper download in exchange for registering.

## Why it likely lost (our reading)

- A clear time limit makes a sales call feel low-risk. Visitors know they won't be stuck in a long demo.
- Mid-market finance buyers searching accounts payable terms may want direct answers more than more reading.
- A white paper is a common offer, so it may not stand out against competing ads.

## Caveats

No conversion figures were shared, so the size of the gap is unknown. The team later found these landing pages worked best for early-stage registrations, not quick sales.

## How to run this test

- Hypothesis: If we offer a short, time-boxed intro call instead of a gated content download, then more paid visitors will convert because the ask feels quick and directly useful.
- Primary metric: Landing page conversion rate
- Guardrail: Cost per lead
- Guardrail: Show-up rate for booked calls
- Guardrail: Sales-qualified lead rate
- Who should test it: B2B SaaS companies buying paid search traffic for a considered purchase. It may not suit very early-stage keywords where visitors are still learning about the problem and won't talk to anyone yet.

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Credit: Method Savvy ran this test and owns the result. Summary and commentary by LiftArchive (https://liftarchive.com/test/avidxchange-landing-page-5-minute-call-vs-whitepaper/).
Usage: Free to use, quote and build on, with credit and a link: name the practitioner or organization that ran the test and link to its LiftArchive page. The results belong to the practitioners who ran and shared them; the summaries and commentary are LiftArchive's.