Signup: Hero Image Variation
Hypothesis
If we display the real expert or founder behind a product, then conversion rate will improve because personal credibility reduces skepticism and builds trust.
Test Results
Key Learning
Problem: The first screen of the signup must immediately communicate value — if it doesn't, users bounce before scrolling.
What worked: Expert or authority figure credibility displayed in the context of their product improves conversion metrics by reducing skepticism. Real people with real credentials outperform generic stock imagery. Validated across 4 related tests. (+9.0% lift)
Takeaway: A meaningful improvement that compounds with other optimizations. Now test the placement of this social proof — positioning near CTAs, in pricing sections, and in checkout flows often amplifies the effect.
How to Apply This to Your Site
This experiment demonstrated that signup: hero image variation can produce a +9.0% improvement in conversions. The test was run on a signup page in the e-commerce industry. With 26,270 visitors in the sample, this is a robust result.
Before you test: Consider that social proof tests typically require large sample sizes to detect small effects. Run your test for at least 2 full business cycles to account for weekly traffic patterns.
This result reached 95% statistical confidence, meaning there is a very low probability the observed effect was due to chance. Results at this confidence level are generally considered reliable for making business decisions.
What Was Tested
This experiment was a retest of a previously tested test 491 . Simiarly, a photo of the real doctor behind a skin care product was shown throughout a signup / questionnaire flow in the variation.
Methodology
Build On These Learnings
Save your own experiments, spot winning patterns across your test history, and stop repeating what's already been tried.
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