Overview
Proj Name: Microsoft M365 Try Page Experimentation
Date: 05/06/22 - 05/10/22
Platform: Web Browser
Key Performance Metric: Conversion for trial sign up and subscription purchases
Metholodology: Prototype testing
Role: UX Designer
Microsoft M365 Experiment
The Problem
Microsoft needed to increase the number of users subscribing to M365 Office Suites. This could be accomplished through adding an additional component to the page.
Overview
Microsoft has been pioneering new technologies since the 20th century. During my time with the Microsoft e-commerce team, I handled several projects, including the improvement of the “M365 Try page”. Our intention was to add a component that increased the rate of users who would sign up for the trial version of M365 and ultimately, register for one of three subscription accounts (Personal, Family, and Enterprise).
After consulting with stakeholders, we decided to conduct an experiment with a sticky bar that allows the user to have the option to sign up for a free trial throughout their journey on the page. At the time of this experiment, there were only 2 CTA’s allowing users to do this located at the top and bottom of the page. The hypothesis was if users can access the CTAs throughout the scrolling journey it would increase the conversion rate of signups for the trial and subscriptions.
The Users
Three distinct user personas were considered during the design of the Microsoft M365 Try page experiment. Alex, a creative graphic designer, seeks to explore new ways to boost creativity and workflow. Sarah, a busy marketing manager, requires a time-efficient and hassle-free trial sign-up to assess M365's potential for team collaboration. John, the security-conscious IT director, prioritizes data protection and seeks trustworthy options. Taking these user personas into account, the experiment's design aimed to create a sticky bar with clear CTAs, transparent trial information, and consistent color choices. With the users needs in mind, the design team moved forward with generating designs that would address the user needs.
Design
Using the established style system, I created a sticky bar that would be added to the bottom of the browser window. In doing so, the bar would be more noticeable instead of only being attached to the navigation of the page. This allows the user to have their cursor closer to the component as they move through the page. Through collaboration with the copy writer and lead designer, we developed a sticky bar that highlights the benefit of trying M365’s latest applications and the option to complete a subscription purchase.
The copy for sticky bar was discussed in detail during the review sessions with design leads and stakeholders, ultimately landing on “Try Microsoft M365 for free and get the latest apps” while standardizing the CTA’s language with what is currently on the live site. By emphasizing the duration of the trial, the CTA exercised transparency to the user, clearly indicating where it would lead them and the value of the 1-month trial. We also standardized the CTA’s in the sticky bar by using the same primary blue color attributed to the CTA’s placed throughout the main page.
Results
This addition to the page significantly impacted the conversion rates. The page experienced an increase in trial subscriptions in both personal (6.2%) and monthly (4.4%) subscriptions. Based on the results of this experiment it was recommended that the variation of the page is published and further iterated on.
Were I to continue working on this page, I would like to further test CTA placement, copywriting, and color. By exploring these factors, we would achieve a deeper understanding of how this component could be utilized on other pages for similar goals.
