Questions in the right-hand rail: +53% entry into the funnel
Commentary byLiftArchiveOur analysis, not theirsAsking knowledge-based questions in a right-hand rail lifted entry into the top of Hivelocity's conversion funnel by 53%.
Cro Metrics ran this A/B test for Hivelocity, a dedicated server and cloud hosting provider.
It was published as a Convert case study.
- Entry into the top of the conversion funnel: +53% against the control.
- This is an early-funnel metric. Effects on orders or revenue were not shared.
- The exact pages, questions, sample size and confidence were not specified.
The change
The variant adds knowledge-based questions in the right-hand rail.
Simplified mockup drawn by LiftArchive from the shared screenshots.
Control
Pages had no questions in the right-hand rail.
Variant
A set of knowledge-based questions appeared in the right-hand rail to engage visitors and guide them toward the funnel.
Why it likely won
Our reading of the result, not the practitioner's claim.
- Questions invite a small first action, which can make the next, bigger step feel easier.
- Hosting buyers have different needs. Questions may help them find the right path for their setup.
- A sidebar adds a prompt without pushing the main content down.
Caveats: The source does not say which pages carried the questions or what they asked, and gives no sample size or significance. The metric is funnel entry, not purchases.
Who ran it
Cro Metrics ran this test for dedicated server and cloud hosting provider and published the results (Convert case study). The numbers are theirs; the summary and commentary on this page are ours.
Read the original case study on Cro Metrics →
How to run this test on your site
- Hypothesis
- If we ask visitors a few questions about their needs in a sidebar, then more will enter our sign-up or checkout funnel because answering helps them find the right option.
- Primary metric
- Visitors entering the first funnel step
- Guardrails
- Completed sign-ups or orders
- Funnel drop-off after entry
- Engagement with main page content
- Who should test it
- SaaS and hosting companies with complex products where buyers need help choosing. It fits less on simple, single-plan products or mobile-heavy traffic where a side rail may not show.
Questions
Do on-page questions help SaaS conversions?
They can draw visitors into the funnel. Here, right-rail questions lifted funnel entry by 53%, though later steps were not reported.
Where should guiding questions go on a page?
This test placed them in a right-hand rail, beside the main content.
That keeps the core page intact while offering a guided route.