Homepage: Visible Search Bar + Personalized Signup Funnel
Hypothesis
Exposing a search bar to anonymous users and using their search query to personalize the subsequent signup funnel will increase conversion.
Test Results
Key Learning
Problem: Coupon and promo code fields on homepages can distract users — they leave to hunt for codes, reducing completion rates.
What worked: Let users demonstrate their intent first (via search), then leverage that intent to personalize the conversion path. Users who've already taken an action (searching) are warmer leads than those who haven't engaged yet. (+12.5% lift)
Takeaway: A meaningful improvement that compounds with other optimizations. Navigation improvements affect every page — measure downstream engagement and conversion to understand the full impact.
How to Apply This to Your Site
This experiment demonstrated that homepage: visible search bar + personalized signup funnel can produce a +12.5% improvement in conversions. The test was run on a homepage page in the cross-industry industry.
Before you test: Consider that navigation tests typically require adequate traffic to reach statistical significance. Run your test for at least 2 full business cycles to account for weekly traffic patterns.
What Was Tested
Test #218 : a global search bar shown to anonymous/logged-out users on the home promo page, with Variant B showing a personalized reason to continue after searching. Result: +12.5% signups.
Methodology
Build On These Learnings
Save your own experiments, spot winning patterns across your test history, and stop repeating what's already been tried.
Related Experiments
Listing: Instant Filter Results
Context: Users can't quickly find relevant products or content on the listing, leading to frustration and early exits.
Product: Exposed Menu Options
Problem: How prices are displayed on the product directly influences perceived value and willingness to buy.
Listing: Multiple Steps
Problem: Multi-step processes on the listing can overwhelm users if they can't see how far along they are or how much is left.
Product: Open In A New Tab
Context: Users arriving at the product can't efficiently find what they're looking for, increasing bounce rates.