The significance of an optimized homepage can’t be overstated—this is the one page that will make or break whether customers engage with your site or leave it in search of something more exciting . . . like cat videos.
One of the first steps you should take to improve your homepage is to optimize the CTA.
But here’s where it gets tricky—do you use the CTA to slowly reel your customer into an elegant sales funnel? One complete with a sophisticated features page, adoring customer testimonials, and professional videos showcasing how much better your life will be if you just BUY NOW.
According to a recent A/B test we ran, the answer is a resounding no. You don’t have to overcomplicate things and push people through multiple pages in order to get them to buy.
You just have to sell the dang product to the dang customer.
Instead of trying too hard with your homepage, sometimes a simple “Add to cart” button is all you need.
In fact, our recent test found that having an “Add to cart” button right smack dab on the homepage boosted purchases by 36% in less than two weeks.
How we did it
Our hypothesis was simple: we wanted to see if we could boost conversion rates by taking customers to the product page before the cart. In theory, this would better familiarize them with the product and convince them why they should buy.
We tested two pages—the original included the order form right on the homepage with a bright red “Add to cart” button; the variant page included a “Limited-Time Offer” and brought people to the product page with an enticing “Get offer now” button.
Here’s the original version:
And the variant:
The results were clear: the “Add to cart” version saw more engagement and more purchases.
There are a few benefits to this tactic—for one, it makes it incredibly simple for people to buy your product because there’s zero thinking involved. In fact, online shoppers enjoy being bossed around—they should never have to guess where to go or what to do next, so don’t skirt around the sale—just ask for it.
Secondly, this is a particularly effective tactic for returning visitors—even if they don’t buy on their first visit, they know exactly how they can make a purchase when they return. Instead of going back through the menu bar or product list, the product they were interested in is right in front of them.
The fine print
Obviously, this company benefits from having an easy-to-understand product with a clear benefit.
If you’re trying to sell a $20,000 gadget for astrophysicists, you’re going to have to give your readers a little more context before sending them to the cart.
The moral of the story? Test, test, test! In this case, our original page proved more effective, but you’ll never know until you try.
Optimize your website today!
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