Simpler sub-headline and layout on homepage: +91% sign-ups
Commentary byLiftArchiveOur analysis, not theirsAwayFind replaced the second line of its homepage headline with a simpler sub-headline and adjusted the layout, and completed setups rose 91%.
Clicks through from the homepage rose 42%. AwayFind ran the test itself and it was published as a VWO case study; copy and layout changed together, so the lift can't be pinned on one of them.
- Completed setup (sign-ups): +91%.
- Homepage click-through: +42%.
- Sample size, duration and confidence level were not shared, so treat the size of the lift with care.
The change
The second headline line becomes a sub-headline, and the layout leads to the CTA.
Simplified mockup drawn by LiftArchive from the shared screenshots.
Control
The homepage led with 'Checking email every 5 minutes? Stop!' followed by 'Let us find your urgent messages' in the same size, font and colour.
Variant
The second headline line was replaced by a smaller sub-headline with simpler copy, and the layout was adjusted to lead the eye toward the call-to-action button.
Why it likely won
Our reading of the result, not the practitioner's claim.
- Two headlines of equal weight compete for attention. A clear hierarchy lets the hook land first and the explanation follow.
- Simpler copy makes the product easier to grasp in the few seconds a visitor gives a homepage.
- The layout change pointed the eye at the button, which likely helped the click-through number.
Caveats: Bundled change: copy and layout were changed together, and AwayFind said it planned a follow-up to separate them. No sample size or significance was shared.
Who ran it
AwayFind ran this test and published the results (VWO case study). The numbers are theirs; the summary and commentary on this page are ours.
Read the original case study on AwayFind →
How to run this test on your site
- Hypothesis
- If we turn a two-line headline into one headline and a short sub-headline that points to the sign-up button, then more visitors will start and finish sign-up because the page is easier to scan.
- Primary metric
- Completed sign-ups or setups
- Guardrails
- Homepage bounce rate
- Activation rate of new sign-ups
- Paid traffic conversion rate
- Who should test it
- SaaS products with a homepage that has to explain the product quickly to mixed traffic. It probably won't matter much if your headline already has a clear hierarchy and the CTA sits right below it.
Questions
Should my homepage have a sub-headline?
Usually, yes. A short headline to hook the visitor and a smaller line to explain the product is easier to scan than two lines of the same size.
Can small copy changes really lift sign-ups?
They can. AwayFind saw a 91% rise in completed setups, though the layout changed at the same time, so not all of it was the copy.
How do I test copy and layout separately?
Run the new copy on the old layout first, then test the layout. AwayFind planned exactly this kind of follow-up.