Does simplifying the first 2 lead form steps lift conversion?
Our tax relief lead form opened with 2 busy steps of answer buttons. We simplified them, with a dropdown on step 1 and just 2 debt options on step 2. Conversion rose 34.0% over 16 days, and we implemented it.
Won Responsive 16 days Called at 90%
The hypothesis
By simplifying the first 2 steps of the lead form, we will cut the effort and distraction of getting started, resulting in more visitors finishing the funnel.
The first 2 steps asked for the most effort, with rows of buttons inside rounded boxes. A redesign that focused on the form had already won on a sister funnel, so we applied the same ideas here.
We watched lead quality closely, since step 2 now grouped debts into only 2 bands.
What we changed
We simplified the first 2 steps and swapped buttons for a dropdown.
We removed the rounded borders and added space around the form. Step 1 swapped its buttons for a dropdown above the fold. Step 2 cut the debt options to above $10,000 and below $10,000. We also added a you may qualify line and a security note at the foot of each step.
- Step 1 buttons replaced by a dropdown
- Step 2 cut to 2 debt options
- Rounded borders removed, more space
- Added a you may qualify line
- Security note added to each step
The result
Conversion rose 34.0% over 16 days with the simpler first steps.
More visitors moved through the form, and the share of leads with more than $10,000 in tax debt held steady. That mattered, because fewer debt options could have let lower-value leads slip in. We let the test run a full 2 weeks before calling it, then rolled the variation out to all traffic and implemented it.
What we took from it
Fewer clicks lifted leads without hurting lead quality here.
The first steps of this form set the pace for the rest. Making them quicker to answer got more visitors started, and grouping debts into 2 bands did not lower the share of high-value leads on this funnel.