Driving motivation: Opal's A/B test

The bottom line

Opal raised trial sign-ups from downloads from 7% to 17% by showing users how many years of their life they would spend on a phone, and how many they could save. That moment of high motivation made users commit to a free trial and brought in users ready to engage.

Key takeaways

• Projecting lifetime phone use lifted trial sign-ups sharply. It showed users a large personal cost at the moment they decide.
  • Conversion from download to trial sign-up rose from 7% to 17%.
  • The gain came through several iterations of the approach.
• Showing years that could be saved created a moment of high motivation. Users saw the product as a way to win back real time.
  • The savings were framed as several years over a lifetime.
• The approach worked like the commitment effect of gym memberships. Motivated people sign up to lock in their intent.
• The strategy also drew in users who wanted to engage with the product. Motivation at sign-up shaped who started the trial.

The test and its result

Opal tied its paywall and free trial to a projection of lifetime smartphone use, and trial sign-ups more than doubled.

• The new approach projected time spent on smartphones over a lifetime.
  • Users were shown the potential to save several years by using the product.
  • This created a moment of high motivation before the trial offer.
• The motivation pushed users toward a free trial.
  • The effect is similar to the commitment seen with gym memberships.
  • The test sits in the paywall and free trial category.
• The result was a higher trial sign-up rate from downloads.
  • The rate went from 7% to 17%.
  • The users gained were motivated to engage with the product.
  • The result came through various iterations, not a single change.