In 2013, thetimes.co.uk conducted a site optimization to boost subscription package sales, starting at £2 per day. However, the results of the testing revealed something intriguing.

Before continuing, it’s best to look at the two design variations below:

If you had to choose one of the two designs, which one would you choose: Variation A or Variation B?

If you choose Variation B, then you’re like most people (I also chose B). Visually, Variation B offers more space between text, making the site overall more readable. The banner selection is also visually better and neater compared to Variation A. A poll conducted on the internet showed that Variation B received 52% of the votes compared to Variation A’s 22%.

However, here’s the surprising fact from the test: Although Variation B had a better and more comfortable visual design, can you believe that the original version (Variation A) won in terms of sales? Statistically, Variation A had 115% more clicks than Variation B and also achieved a 99.9% visitor confidence ratio!

In fact, there were 5 other variations tested by a London agency, but Variation B and the other 5 variants had one key difference from Variation A. And that difference was only in 8 words, which were:

“Want the Full Article and Instant Website Access?”

Take another look at Variation A. The conclusion from this test was so striking that it won the silver ribbon at the WhichTestWon 2014 Online Testing Awards.

Read Also: Here you go! A collection of reasons why your business needs graphic design

What Can We Learn from This?

Powerful Headlines! Did you know that a powerful headline can outperform a good visual design? The logic is simple: on your website, people are searching for the information they need. A well-crafted headline can psychologically make words “jump” out of your page. I’m a big fan of a book by Steve Krug called “Don’t Make Me Think,” a must-read, especially if you’re serious about using the internet for business. In his book, Steve Krug states:

“Designers love meaningful hints and cues, as they are a mark of sophisticated and elegant design. But web users, in general, are in a rush and often miss those hints and cues.”

Another lesson is Test, Test, and Test! If thetimes.co.uk had immediately applied the new design just because it looked better, how much profit would have been lost? Yes, using SEO services and AdWords is good, but their task is just one: to bring targeted visitors to your market. Your job is to ensure that your site is user-friendly and has the engagement and conversions you expect.

Do you agree?

Want to consult about marketing your site? Contact us at 021-5324093 or email info@doxadigital.com.