New Feature Launch for HireRoad: Testing to Optimize
The Opportunity
In the fast-paced landscape of HR technology, maintaining market momentum hinges on acquiring interest from new logos. As HireRoad prepared to unveil its innovative end-to-end platform, we recognized the significance of leveraging feature releases to learn what new prospects would find compelling enough to explore.
With the release of a new video interviewing feature, we launched a test campaign to learn what would compel people to engage.
The Test
Targeting talent acquisition directors and VPs in high-velocity recruiting environments, we crafted an A/B test plan aimed at maximizing impact across Google and LinkedIn platforms.
With a clear objective of increasing clicks, we focused on companies with 100 to 500 employees in sectors like retail, hospitality, and front-line food service. Understanding their need to recruit people comfortable in public-facing settings, we spotlighted the unique video functionality of our software, with which candidates could record interview answers seamlessly as part of their application process.
Messaging variations were each designed to resonate with audience pain points and aspirations. And two distinct creatives per message option were tested to captivate attention and drive engagement. With a small budget earmarked for each channel, we ran a two-week test and closely monitored performance for early indicators of success.
Click-through and then conversion rates were our guiding beacon with engagement metrics on the landing pages offering invaluable insights into user behavior.
The Results
Early results helped us understand several things, including:
1. Channel performance. Surprisingly, the channel that excelled in acquiring brand awareness clicks from new talent acquisition professionals wasn't the one initially anticipated. This discovery enabled us to refine our spend allocation across channels, optimizing for effectiveness at various stages of the funnel.
2. Creative impact. We found that creative elements had a greater impact than messaging hooks in driving top-of-funnel engagement. This insight informed our approach to crafting website content.
3. Conversion rate alignment. The correlation between conversion rate and click rate performance indicated the importance of refining ad content over landing page optimization. This focused our efforts on enhancing ad messaging to more effectively capture audience attention.
4. Optimal timing. A longer testing period would have provided deeper insights; however, our condensed timeline yielded meaningful learnings that allowed us to trade speed for the pursuit of perfection.
5. Structured analysis. Establishing a structured post-test analysis framework enabled swift dissemination and application of insights. This streamlined approach facilitated the replication of successful strategies across different geographical regions and programs. Some tweaks were needed, but we had a solid place from which to start.
These findings, coupled with our continuous learning efforts, significantly contributed to the successful launch of the new platform and subsequent achievements in qualified pipeline development.