Does a simpler hero image lift homepage conversion?
We tested a simpler homepage hero, with the image framed to the right, updated fonts and restyled buttons. Conversion rate moved 1.6% over 19 days, which was not a measurable change.
Not significant Responsive 19 days Not called
The hypothesis
By simplifying the homepage hero image and updating its copy and buttons, we will make the value proposition clearer, resulting in more shoppers buying.
The hero is the first thing every homepage visitor sees. When the image and copy compete for attention, the main message and the next step are harder to pick out.
Framing the image to the right gives the copy a clean space of its own, and updated fonts and buttons make the next step easier to spot.
What we changed
We framed the hero image to the right and updated fonts and buttons.
In the variation, the homepage hero image was framed to the right side of the hero, leaving the left side for the headline. We also updated the hero fonts and restyled the buttons. The rest of the homepage stayed the same, and the test ran on mobile and desktop.
- Hero image framed to the right
- Headline given its own space on the left
- Hero fonts updated
- Buttons restyled
The result
Conversion rate moved 1.6% with the simpler hero image.
Over 19 days, conversion rate moved 1.6% and revenue per visitor moved 4.6%. Neither reached our 90% confidence bar. Midway through, average order value showed an early lift, but order value swings a lot, and it did not hold up as a clear effect.
The test started on part of the traffic and moved to all visitors after the first few days.
What we would do next
The new hero did no harm, but it did not move sales either.
The simpler hero did not change how many visitors bought. Since it did no harm, implementing it is low risk if it fits the site's visual direction better. A follow-up test could change the hero's message itself, not just its layout, to see if that moves conversion.