Brochure form with social proof and 'optional' labels: +5.21%
Commentary byLiftArchiveOur analysis, not theirsSpringest's redesigned brochure request form, with social proof in the sidebar and 'optional' labels in place of asterisks, lifted form completions by 5.21%.
Springest, a Dutch course comparison site, ran the test itself, published as a VWO case study.
Several changes shipped together, so the result can't be credited to any one of them.
- +5.21% brochure form completions.
- 97% statistical significance, based on over 2,500 conversions.
- Springest estimated the change was worth about €50,000 extra that year.
The change
Intro and logo removed; quotes, brand logos and 'optional' labels added
Simplified mockup drawn by LiftArchive from the shared screenshots.
Control
The brochure request form for a training course had intro text, a logo, and asterisks marking required fields.
Variant
The intro text and logo were removed. A sidebar added user quotes and logos of well-known Dutch brands, and optional fields were labelled 'optional' instead of marking required fields with asterisks.
Why it likely won
Our reading of the result, not the practitioner's claim.
- Quotes and familiar brand logos may have eased doubts about handing over details for a brochure.
- Labelling only the optional fields makes the form feel shorter and less demanding.
- Removing the intro text and logo put the form and the reassurance closer to the top.
Caveats: Bundled test: social proof, layout and field labels changed at once, so no single change can take credit. The €50,000 figure is the company's own estimate.
Who ran it
Springest 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 Springest →
How to run this test on your site
- Hypothesis
- If we add user quotes and known brand logos beside our lead form and mark optional fields instead of required ones, then more visitors will complete it because they feel less doubt and less effort.
- Primary metric
- Form completions per visitor
- Guardrails
- Lead quality or downstream enrolments
- Share of optional fields left blank
- Form start rate
- Who should test it
- Lead-gen and marketplace sites with long request forms. Test the changes one at a time if you want to learn which matters. Expect less effect if your form already has strong social proof.
Questions
Should I mark required fields or optional fields?
Springest switched to labelling optional fields and saw more completions, but this was bundled with other changes.
Marking the fewer of the two is a common approach.
Does social proof next to a form increase conversions?
It can reduce doubt at the moment someone hands over details.
In this bundled test it was one of several changes that lifted completions 5.21%.
Is a 5% lift worth it?
On a high-volume form it can be. Springest estimated this one at about €50,000 in a year.