Does a percentage progress bar lift lead form completions?

Our 8-step lead form showed progress as a count of steps. We tested a progress bar based on percent complete, and no progress bar at all. Over 33 days, the percentage bar lifted conversion 6.0%, short of our confidence bar.

Not significant Responsive 33 days Not called

SURFACE

Lead form

DEVICE

Responsive

VERTICAL

Lead Gen (CPL)

PRIMARY METRIC

Conversion rate

VARIATIONS

2

The hypothesis

By showing progress as a percentage instead of 8 steps, we will make the form feel less daunting, resulting in more visitors completing it.

New questions, including one about employment, had made the form longer. With 8 steps shown, the progress bar told visitors up front how much work was left.

A percentage, or no bar at all, might make the same form feel shorter.

What we changed

Progress shown as a percentage, or the progress bar removed

Var A replaced the 8-step progress bar with one based on percent complete. Var B removed the progress bar and added space between the top of the form and the heading. We paused Var B partway through to send more traffic to Var A.

VAR A: UPDATED PROGRESS BAR

Progress bar shows percent complete
Replaces the 8-step count

VAR B: NO PROGRESS BAR

Progress bar removed
Space added above the heading

The result

A percentage progress bar lifted conversion 6.0%, short of our bar

CONVERSION RATE

+6.0%

LEAD VALUE PER VISITOR

+6.1%

VAR B CONVERSION

-8.6%

Over 33 days, the percentage bar (Var A) converted 6.0% better than the original and lifted lead value per visitor 6.1%. The lift trended up week over week but never reached our confidence bar. Removing the bar (Var B) cut conversion 8.6%, so we paused it to give Var A more traffic.

What we would do next

Carry the percentage bar into the next round with a new change

The percentage bar did no harm and trended up, so we paused this test and carried the percentage bar into the next round, paired with social proof below the button. Visitors did better with some sense of progress than with none.