Doubling Landing Page Signup Conversions by Removing First-Screen Form Fields
Discover how fundraising platform Better World doubled its signup conversion rate from 5.1% to 10.2% by replacing first-screen email inputs with a single action
When visitors arrive at your landing page, how much can conversion rates improve if you eliminate upfront friction and ask for nothing more than a single decision? According to an A/B test by fundraising platform Better World, published in February 2025 by Norwegian optimization firm ConversionLab, replacing an initial email input field with a single button doubled signups from 5.1% to 10.2%. This shows how minimizing cognitive load on the very first screen directly enhances funnel throughput.
Simplifying Initial Commitments in Better World's Test
Better World's original landing page asked visitors to type their email on the initial screen, then complete remaining registration steps on the next screen. Users essentially entered information twice across separate steps. This unnecessary friction created hesitation, driving visitors away before they reached the core onboarding flow.
The revised version removed the email field entirely, replacing it with a prominent 'Get started' button. Because emails could easily be collected on the next screen, the first screen required only a single decision to proceed. This adjustment doubled the signup conversion rate from 5.1% to 10.2%.
Analytical Caveats and Form Length Limits
These results require careful qualification. ConversionLab shared only the conversion rates and statistical confidence; test duration and visitor counts remain unknown. Moreover, the original source explicitly notes that if a page already has fewer than five input fields, further reductions yield only modest effects. While cutting clutter from crowded forms produces dramatic gains, minimalist forms may not see comparable results.
Three Steps to Audit Your Application Flow
Original author Seoul Startup Diary suggested three practical steps to test this approach:
- Count the number of input fields demanded on your first screen.
- Postpone fields not strictly needed before payment or consultation to the next step.
- Compare the number of applications over a one-week period with the prior week.