Despite the increase in understanding of optimization, email capture forms across the Web continue to underperform. Simply put, we are losing revenue in our sign-up forms. The ratio of undeliverable emails to new subscribers continues to grow, making each new capture increasingly important to maintaining a healthy list size. Because our email capture form provides us with the opportunity for specificity and segmentation, it is also the best way to ensure the right names are getting on our lists. Though it is easy as marketers to overlook the importance of optimizing our email capture, now is the time to refocus our efforts on this vital campaign element in order to increase both the size and quality of our lists. In this 35-minute Web clinic, we shared tests that have revealed actionable tactics to improve email capture, including one test that resulted in a 364% increase in leads. We also provided viewers with transferable takeaways that they can leverage for their own email capture.

1. Optimizing Email Capture:
How a simple form change led to a 364% increase in leads without
sacrificing quality

2. We’re sharing on Twitter!
#WebClinic

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Today’s speakers
Ken Bowen
Managing Editor,
MarketingExperiments.com
Jon Powell
Senior Manager of
Executive Research and
Development,
MECLABS Institute

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Background: A company offering professional financial advice to investors and
consumers
Goal: To increase marketable email captures in the subscription process
Research Question: Which page will have the highest email capture rate?
Test Design: A/B multi-factorial split test
Company: (Protected)
Record Location: MECLABS Research Library
Experiment ID: TP2011
Experiment: Background

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Experiment: Version A

6. #WebClinic6
Experiment: Version B

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Experiment: Side-by-side
A B

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Page Capture Rate % Rel. Change
Version A 6.56% --
Version B 8.94% 36.25%
Relative Increase in Opt-in Emails Captures
The treatment increased opt-in emails by 36.25%
36%
Experiment: Results

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Experiment: What was it about Version B?
A B

10. In today’s clinic, we will talk about three strategies
you can immediately leverage to make your
capture forms significantly more effective.
Today’s focus

11. Email capture optimized
FKey principles
1. Any action we want our visitor to take, even a non-monetary ask like giving an
email address, comes with a perceived cost. To increase email capture, we must
reduce the implicit cost associated with completing the form.
– In terms of email capture, perceived cost takes two primary forms:
• Amount of information required
• Type of information required

12. Remember: Any action that we want our visitor to
take is a balance between two competing forces in
their minds — cost and value.
!

13. As marketers, every piece of information we ask for increases the
perceived cost of completing the form. If the total cost becomes too
high, visitors will abandon.
!

14. The original form asks for a name,
email address and phone number.
The new form eliminates the phone
number field, reducing anxiety and
decreasing perceived cost of the ask.
From this
To this
28%
Capture
Reducing perceived cost

15. Reducing perceived cost
The original form asks for a name,
email address and phone number.
The new form makes the phone
number field optional, reducing
anxiety and decreasing perceived
cost of the ask.
From This
To This
275%Capture

16. The original form overwhelms
visitors with a barrage of email
types and disclaimers before
asking them to opt-in to the email
list.
The new form reduces perceived
cost by simply asking visitors if they
would like to receive occasional
email communication.
To This
609%Capture
From ThisReducing perceived cost

17. Experiment: Background
Experiment ID: (Protected)
Location: MECLABS Research Library
Test Protocol Number: TP1148

Background: This partner has an email capture process that offers downloadable reports in
exchange for information. They were not only trying to capture emails, but also qualify them.
Goal: The company sought to increase its number of form submissions.
Primary Research Question: Which process will obtain the most form submissions?
Approach: Adapt the registration process to reduce friction
Research Notes:

18. The Experiment: The Control
The control is a process that sends visitors through a sequence of four steps in
order to exchange the free downloads for visitor information.
Control

19. The Experiment: The Treatment
The Treatment reduces the process down to two steps, instead of four.
Treatment

20. 364% capture
The Experiment: Side-by-side
Control
Treatment

21. Email capture optimized
FKey principles
1. Any action we want our visitor to take, even a non-monetary ask like giving an
email address, comes with a perceived cost. To increase email capture, we must
reduce the implicit cost associated with the ask.
2. Email capture can also be maximized by increasing the implicit value of the ask by
effectively communicating a strong process-level value proposition. This value
proposition answers the question, “If I am your ideal customer, why should I give
you my email address?”

22. Increasing perceived value
The original form asks prospects to
opt-in to email communication
without clearly explaining the
value of doing so.
From this

23. Increasing perceived value
The Treatment clearly explains the
type of communication that users
are opting into, and the value of
subscribing to the email list.
To this
40%
Opt-in

24. Increasing perceived value
• The original form offers no
clear process-level value
proposition telling visitors why
they should submit their
information.
• The CTA (“Submit”) is cold and
does little to convince prospects
to click.
From this
Source: MarketingSherpa.com

25. Increasing perceived value
• The value of the ask is
clearly communicated.
• Creative samples are
provided to reinforce the
value.
• The CTA in the Treatment
implies a stronger “get”
(“Subscribe”) than the
CTA used in the Control
(“Submit”).
To this
33%
Capture
Source: MarketingSherpa.com

26. Increasing perceived value
The original form is full of asks:
“Fill out,” “submit,” “be phoned”
and “click here.”
The optimized form features a
bulleted list outlining the value that
customers receive by completing the
form.
201%
Capture
From this
To this

27. Email capture optimized
FKey principles
1. Any action we want our visitor to take, even a non-monetary ask like giving an
email address, comes with a perceived cost. To increase email capture, we must
reduce the implicit cost associated with the ask.
2. Email capture can also be maximized by effectively communicating a strong
process-level value proposition. This value proposition answers the question, “If I
am your ideal customer, why should I give you my email address?”
3. Cost (both amount- and nature-based) can be leveraged by marketers in order to
control the size and quality of their email lists.

28. Capture Step 1 Capture Step 2
Field A
Field B
Field C
Field D
Field E
Field F
Field G
Field H
Quantity
of leads obtained
Quality
of leads obtained
Leveraging cost to control quantity and quality

29. Capture Step 1 Capture Step 2
Field A
Field B
Field C
Field D
Field E
Field F
Field G
Field H
Increase
Quantity
by
Reducing
Required Fields
on Step 1
Quantity
of leads obtained
Quality
of leads obtained
Leveraging cost to control quantity and quality

30. Required Fields Optional Fields
From This To This
21%IN TOTAL LEADS
27%IN QUALITY LEADS
Protocol IDs: TP1427, TP1514
Leveraging cost to control quantity and quality

31. Capture Step 1 Capture Step 2
Field A
Field B
Field C
Field D
Field E
Field F
Field G
Field H
Increase
Quality
by
Increasing
Required Fields
on Step 1
Quantity
ofleadsobtained
Quality
ofleadsobtained
Leveraging cost to control quantity and quality

32. Protocol ID: TP1238
Required Fields
27%IN TOTAL LEADS
136%IN SALES READY LEADS
Leveraging cost to control quantity and quality

33. Experiment: Background
Experiment ID: (Protected)
Location: MECLABS Research Library
Test Protocol Number: TP1148

Background: This partner has an email capture process that offers downloadable reports in
exchange for information. They were not only trying to capture emails, but also qualify them.
Goal: The company sought to increase its number of form submissions.
Primary Research Question: Which process will obtain the most form submissions?
Approach: Adapt the registration process to reduce friction
Research Notes:

34. The Experiment: The Control
The control is a process that sends visitors through a sequence of four steps in
order to exchange the free downloads for visitor information.
Control

35. The Experiment: The Treatment
The Treatment reduces the process down to two steps, instead of four.
Treatment

36. 364% capture
The Experiment: Side-by-side
Control
Treatment

37. Experiment: Results
Increase in Submissions364%The two-step Treatment recorded a 364% increase in submissions over the
four-step Control.
Stage 1
Relative
Difference
Control 2.13% --
Treatment 9.89% 364%

38. Summary of key principles
Key discoveries
1. Principle #1: Any action we want our visitor to take, even a non-monetary ask
like giving an email address, comes with a perceived cost. To increase email
capture, we must reduce the implicit cost associated with the ask.
2. Principle #2: Email capture can also be maximized by effectively
communicating a strong process-level value proposition. This value
proposition answers the question, “If I am your ideal customer, why should I
give you my email address?”
3. Principle #3: Cost (both amount- and nature-based) can be leveraged by
marketers in order to control the size and quality of their email lists.

40. Live Optimization

41. #WebClinic
MECLABS Live Optimization Webinar
Register and submit your page at www.meclabs.com/live-opt
Tune in on October 29 at 4 p.m. EDT
In this interactive webinar, you will:
• See how principles and takeaways from MECLABS behavioral
research (with over 20,000 path experiments) can be applied to real
websites and emails
• Offer interactive feedback on material submitted by fellow attendees
• Gain valuable advice for your own campaigns (if selected)

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Live Optimization: NINTEX
Primary Audience: B2B
Page Purpose: Sell software-as-a-service,
encourage demo downloads

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from MECLABS Institute.

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