Removing homepage nav and search: +105% visits to sign-up page
Commentary byLiftArchiveOur analysis, not theirsStripping the top navigation, search box and footer links from JellyTelly's homepage sent 105% more new visitors to the sign-up page, while actual sign-ups rose 5%.
The agency Never Settle ran the test for JellyTelly, a subscription streaming service for Christian families, and it was published as a VWO case study.
Several elements were removed together, so the lift belongs to the cleaner page as a whole.
- Visits to the sign-up page: +105% among new visitors.
- Total sign-ups: +5%, a much smaller lift than the click-through gain.
- The test ran only for new visitors, since most returning visitors were already members.
- Sample size, duration and confidence level were not shared.
The change
Nav, search and footer links removed so the sign-up path stands alone.
Simplified mockup drawn by LiftArchive from the shared screenshots.
Control
A homepage with top navigation and character images, a search box in the top right, and footer links alongside the sign-up content.
Variant
The same homepage with the top navigation, character images, search box and footer links removed, leaving only content that pushes visitors toward sign-up.
Why it likely won
Our reading of the result, not the practitioner's claim.
- With fewer links to explore, new visitors had one obvious next step, so more of them clicked through to sign up.
- Navigation and search mostly serve people who already know the product, and new visitors were the only ones tested.
- Many of the extra clicks did not turn into sign-ups, which hints that some visitors went to the sign-up page because there was little else to do, not because they were ready to buy.
Caveats: Several elements were removed at once, so no single change can be credited. The headline metric is a click-through to the sign-up page, and real sign-ups rose only 5%; sample size and duration were not shared.
Who ran it
Never Settle ran this test for subscription streaming service for Christian families 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 Never Settle →
How to run this test on your site
- Hypothesis
- If we remove navigation, search and footer links from the homepage for new visitors, then more of them will reach the sign-up page because there are fewer competing paths.
- Primary metric
- Completed sign-ups from new visitors (not just sign-up page visits)
- Guardrails
- Bounce rate on the homepage
- Sign-up page completion rate
- Support or contact requests from visitors who could not find information
- Who should test it
- Subscription and SaaS businesses with a single main conversion goal and many first-time visitors. It probably won't help if visitors need to research pricing, features or content before they commit, or if returning users rely on the nav.
Questions
Should a SaaS homepage remove its navigation?
For new visitors with one clear goal, it can raise clicks to sign-up.
Test it with a segment first, because people who need to research may leave instead.
Why did clicks double but sign-ups barely move?
Removing options can push curious visitors to the sign-up page before they are ready.
Always measure completed sign-ups, not just the click to the form.
Can I run a homepage test only for new visitors?
Yes. Most testing tools let you target new visitors, which keeps existing members from seeing a page built for prospects.