Static hero image instead of video: +52.67% revenue per visitor
Test run byDave DiederenSyntra Labs
Commentary byLiftArchiveOur analysis, not theirsReplacing a homepage hero video with a static image and a benefit callout raised revenue per visitor by 52.67%. Dave Diederen tested three image versions against the video, and all three beat it. The test ran 8 days with about 38,000 visitors and over 750 orders.
- Revenue per visitor: +52.67% for the best image ($1.46 to $2.23), estimated at about +$215,740 a month. The range was -7% to +148%, which is very wide.
- Conversion rate: +24.81% (0.61% to 0.76%), with a range of -13% to +76%.
- Average order value: +22.32% ($239.62 to $293.11).
- The other two images also beat the video on revenue per visitor: $1.81 and $1.95, against $1.46 for the video.
- Profit per visitor was not available because cost data was not entered.
The change
The hero video is replaced by a static image with a benefit callout.
Simplified mockup drawn by LiftArchive from the shared screenshots.
Control
The homepage hero was an autoplaying video.
Variant
Three static image heroes were tested, each with a different angle: product focus, lifestyle callout, and a benefit-led shot. The top performer (New Group 3) is the result shown here.
Why it likely won
Our reading of the result, not the practitioner's claim.
- a still image loads faster than a video, so shoppers see the message before they scroll away.
- autoplay video runs muted, so the motion carries little meaning, while a written callout states the benefit at once.
- the three images scored differently, which suggests the copy on the image mattered as much as dropping the video.
Caveats: Eight days is short, and the confidence ranges for every metric include zero. The post does not say which of the three angles was New Group 3, so the 'benefit callout' label comes from the test title.
Who ran it
Dave Diederen (@DaveDiederen) shared this test on X. The numbers and screenshots are theirs.
View the original post on X
How to run this test on your store
- Hypothesis
- If we replace the homepage hero video with a static image and a clear benefit callout, then revenue per visitor will rise because the message loads instantly and is easy to read.
- Primary metric
- Revenue per visitor
- Guardrails
- Average order value
- Homepage bounce rate
- Page load time
- Who should test it
- Stores running a video hero on the homepage, especially fashion and lifestyle brands. It may not help if the video is the only way to show how the product works.
Questions
Is a video or image better for a homepage hero?
In this test, all three static images beat the video. The best one raised revenue per visitor by 52.67%.
Why might a hero video hurt conversions?
Dave Diederen points to slower loading, silent autoplay and visitors scrolling past before the loop ends. A still image with copy gets the point across right away.
What should a homepage hero image say?
Test the angle. Here, product, lifestyle and benefit versions all scored differently, so the callout copy changed the result.
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