Live chat widget next to sign-up form: +31% sign-ups
Commentary byLiftArchiveOur analysis, not theirsAdding a live chat widget beside the sign-up form lifted sign-ups by 31%.
EZ Texting, an SMS marketing software company, ran this A/B test, and it was published as a VWO case study.
Visitors could ask a question before signing up instead of leaving.
- Sign-ups: +31%.
- Sample size, duration and confidence were not shared.
- There's no data on how many visitors actually used the chat.
The change
The variant adds a live chat widget next to the sign-up form.
Simplified mockup drawn by LiftArchive from the shared screenshots.
Control
The sign-up page showed the form with no live chat.
Variant
The same sign-up page with an Olark live chat widget placed beside the form.
Why it likely won
Our reading of the result, not the practitioner's claim.
- People often have one last question before they commit, such as about pricing or setup. Chat answers it on the spot.
- A visible chat box shows that real people are behind the product, which can make a sign-up feel lower risk.
- It was placed right next to the form, so help was on offer at the moment visitors were deciding.
Caveats: The case study does not share sample size, test length or confidence, and it was published by the testing vendor.
Who ran it
EZ Texting ran this test for SMS marketing software 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 EZ Texting →
How to run this test on your site
- Hypothesis
- If we add live chat beside the sign-up form, then more visitors will finish signing up, because they can get last-minute questions answered without leaving.
- Primary metric
- Completed sign-ups
- Guardrails
- Chat volume and support cost per sign-up
- Sign-up form start rate
- Page load time
- Who should test it
- SaaS companies whose buyers often have questions before signing up, and who can staff chat during busy hours. If chat goes unanswered, it may hurt trust instead.
Questions
Does live chat increase SaaS sign-ups?
It did here: EZ Texting saw 31% more sign-ups with chat beside the form.
The effect depends on whether visitors have questions and get fast answers.
Where should a chat widget go on a sign-up page?
EZ Texting placed it next to the form, where visitors decide whether to sign up.
That keeps help in view without covering the form.
What should I watch when adding chat?
Track support workload and response times as well as sign-ups.
Slow or missing replies can cancel out the benefit.