Earlier sticky CTA on a listicle: +3.10% conversion rate
Test run byDave DiederenSyntra Labs
Commentary byLiftArchiveOur analysis, not theirsShowing a listicle's sticky CTA bar once readers reached the first in-page CTA, about 30% down the page, lifted conversion rate by 3.10%. Dave Diederen ran the test, which also raised revenue per visitor by 2.88% with no change in order value.
- Conversion rate: 4.71% to 4.85% (+3.10%), with a confidence range of +1% to +11%.
- Revenue per visitor: $2.43 to $2.50 (+2.88%), range +2% to +15%. The tool estimated about $18,705 extra per month.
- Average order value: no change ($51.59 vs $51.48).
The change
Sticky bar triggered at the first CTA instead of on scroll-up
Simplified mockup drawn by LiftArchive from the shared screenshots.
Control
The sticky add to cart bar only appeared when a reader scrolled back up the page.
Variant
The sticky bar appeared as soon as the reader reached the first in-page call to action, roughly 30% down, and stayed in view while they kept reading.
Why it likely won
Our reading of the result, not the practitioner's claim.
- readers who get convinced while scrolling down no longer have to reverse direction to find a button.
- tying the bar to the first CTA keeps the intro clean while the page builds interest.
- the gain came from more orders, not bigger ones, which fits a change in access to the button.
Caveats: Sample size and duration were not shared. Dave notes that 30% is not a magic depth; the trigger was tied to where this page first asks for action.
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 show the sticky CTA bar once readers pass the first in-page CTA instead of only on scroll-up, then conversion will rise because the next step is in reach whenever they are ready.
- Primary metric
- Conversion rate
- Guardrails
- Revenue per visitor
- Average order value
- Bounce rate
- Who should test it
- Brands running long listicles or advertorials from paid traffic with a sticky bar tied to scroll direction. Short pages with a CTA always in view will see little change.
Questions
When should a sticky CTA bar appear?
In this test, showing it from the first in-page CTA beat showing it only on scroll-up, with +3.10% conversion. Tie the trigger to the page's structure rather than a fixed scroll depth.
Should a sticky CTA show right away on a listicle?
Dave's reasoning was that a listicle needs room to build interest first. They chose the first in-page CTA as the starting point.
Does a sticky CTA change order value?
Not here. Average order value stayed flat; the lift came from more people ordering.
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