Fixing the Funnel: One Step, Big Impact

Project Date

June 2020

My Role

Product Designer

Team

Marketing, Data Product, Engineering

What We Set Out to Solve

“We were losing users at the exact moment they showed interest and at a point where they shouldn't be dropping off.”

FreshBooks' primary marketing goal is to convert website visitors into product users—and the “Try It Free” call to action (CTA) on the homepage hero is a key driver of that funnel. However, we discovered that a significant number of users dropped off immediately after clicking the CTA and landing on the sign-up page. This case study explores how we reduced friction in the account creation process by redesigning the sign-up flow—resulting in a more intuitive experience and a measurable improvement in conversion.

The Challenge

The original flow followed a common pattern:

User lands on the marketing homepage
Clicks the “Try It Free” CTA in the hero
Gets redirected to a separate sign-up page
Fills out email and password
Is directed into the app to complete onboarding

Despite being a standard flow, the transition between the homepage and the sign-up page was a major pain point. Analytics and heatmaps showed a steep drop in engagement as soon as users were redirected—many simply abandoned the process without starting the form.

Through user testing and behavioral data, we identified the core problem:

The extra page added unnecessary friction. It created a moment of hesitation and felt like a disruptive step rather than a seamless continuation of intent.

Our Goal

Our primary goal was to reduce user drop-off at the sign-up stage and increase the number of visitors who successfully entered the product via the free trial flow. We aimed to identify and remove unnecessary friction that interrupted user intent, streamline the path from interest to action, and create a smoother, more intuitive experience. By simplifying this critical conversion point, we sought to not only boost sign-up rates but also improve the quality of user engagement by maintaining momentum from the homepage into the product onboarding process.

Approach

To tackle the drop-off issue, we took a user-centered, data-informed approach that combined qualitative and quantitative insights:

Analyze the Funnel
We began by reviewing analytics, heatmaps, and drop-off data to pinpoint exactly where users were abandoning the sign-up flow. The data revealed a sharp decline in engagement after users were redirected from the homepage CTA to the standalone sign-up page.
Identify Friction Points
Next, we ran usability tests and reviewed session recordings to understand the why behind the drop-off. We discovered that the additional page introduced friction—it disrupted momentum, created hesitation, and made the process feel more burdensome than it needed to be.
Simplify the Experience
With those insights in hand, we ideated a leaner solution: moving the sign-up form directly into the homepage hero using progressive disclosure. Instead of redirecting to another page, users could start the sign-up process inline by entering their email. Only after engaging would the password field appear—minimizing perceived effort and keeping the flow intuitive.
Prototype, Test, Iterate
We built an interactive prototype of the inline form and tested it with real users to validate ease of use and clarity. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, confirming that users preferred the lighter, more immediate approach.
Collaborate Cross-Functionally
Throughout the process, we worked closely with marketing, engineering, and growth stakeholders to ensure the solution aligned with business goals, brand tone, and technical feasibility.

By focusing on removing unnecessary steps and preserving user momentum, our approach prioritized simplicity, speed, and clarity—key ingredients in improving conversion and user experience.

Solution

My proposed solution was to eliminate the standalone sign-up page altogether and streamline the process directly within the homepage hero.

We replaced the single “Try It Free” button with an embedded email field, turning the hero into an inline sign-up component. Here’s how it worked:

Step 1: Users see a simplified CTA: “Try it free – enter your email.”
Step 2: Once a user interacts with the email field, the password field dynamically appears beneath it.
Step 3: The user submits the form and is taken directly into the product onboarding flow.

This change maintained clarity while significantly reducing cognitive load and unnecessary redirection. By keeping users anchored on the page, we created a sense of continuity that better supported their momentum and intent.

Why It Worked

Reduced friction by keeping the form inline and removing a page or "step" in the process.
Progressive disclosure lowered the perceived effort—users weren’t overwhelmed by seeing multiple fields all at once
Faster path to value—users could start their trial in fewer steps, which aligned better with expectations from a modern SaaS product

Below is a demo of the final inline sign-up component embedded directly into the homepage hero. To enhance focus and reduce distractions, I added a subtle box around the form once the user engages with it, while softly fading out the surrounding content—drawing attention to the action without disrupting the overall page experience.