How A/B Testing Can Improve the Performance of Your Website Landing Page

Landing pages play a critical role in a senior care community’s marketing strategy. They’re often the first place prospective residents and families land after clicking an ad, making them critical for generating inquiries, phone calls, and tour requests. The performance of these web pages directly affects conversion rates, the quality of leads, and ultimately the return on investment (ROI) from marketing campaigns.

Because landing pages carry so much weight in the marketing funnel, testing different versions can significantly improve results. Here, we explore how senior care communities can effectively use A/B testing to refine their website landing pages, strengthen messaging, and increase conversions.

How A/B Testing Works

Ryan Bailes, co-founder of Bailes Zindler

A/B testing allows marketing teams to compare two versions of a landing page to determine which one performs better. Traffic is split between the two pages so marketers can track which version produces more of a desired action, such as newsletter signups, contact form submissions, or phone calls.

Ryan Bailes, a Texas-based digital marketer, website designer, and co-founder of Bailes Zindler, describes A/B testing as a direct comparison between two pages designed to achieve the same goal. By analyzing performance data, marketers can identify which page produces stronger results. “The value comes from finding which page actually converts,” he says.

Many marketers rely on intuition when designing landing pages, but that instinct can be misleading. Small changes can sometimes produce surprisingly large improvements in performance. Ivan Vislavskiy, CEO at Comrade Digital Marketing Agency, has seen this firsthand. “I’ve seen clients double conversions just by changing a headline or a button,” he says.

Testing and optimizing landing pages can make a significant difference in marketing ROI. Without a strong landing page, advertising dollars may not translate into meaningful leads. “You can throw cash at Google Ads, Facebook, even direct mail all day long, but if your landing page isn’t strong, you’re basically burning that money,” Vislavskiy explains.

The impact of optimization can be substantial. One senior care client working with Vislavskiy increased its monthly leads dramatically after improving and testing its landing pages. The community had been generating about 40 leads per month. After refining the page and running tests, it began bringing in more than 70 leads each month—without increasing its marketing budget.

Key Landing Page Elements Worth Testing

Ivan Vislavskiy, CEO at Comrade Digital Marketing Agency

When testing a landing page, Vislavskiy recommends focusing on major page components first. Headlines, subheadlines, and images are among the elements most likely to influence conversions.

Authenticity also matters when it comes to imagery. Photos of actual residents and community life tend to resonate more strongly with families than generic stock photography.

Calls to action are another important testing opportunity. For example, communities might compare phrases such as “Schedule a Tour” and “Get Info Now” to determine which motivates more visitors to take the next step. Even small adjustments can have a measurable effect. “Even tiny things like button color or where you place testimonials can actually shift results,” says Vislavskiy.

Message alignment is equally important. The landing page headline should reinforce the promise made in the advertisement that directed visitors to the page. Clear messaging that explains what the visitor should do next can help prevent confusion and encourage action.

Trust-building elements can also influence performance. Features such as testimonials, reviews, accreditations, and awards can reassure prospective residents and families that the community is reputable.

Other factors to test include accessibility and usability. Landing pages should be easy to navigate and designed to guide visitors toward a specific action. Features such as tour scheduling tools or a frequently asked questions section can address common concerns and simplify the decision-making process. Since most browsing now happens on mobile devices, it’s also essential to test responsive layouts and ensure pages work smoothly on phones.

Structuring an Effective A/B Testing Process

Several tools make A/B testing easier for marketing teams. Platforms such as Unbounce and Instapage allow marketers to build and test different landing page versions quickly. AI tools like ChatGPT can help generate alternative headlines or messaging, while testing platforms such as VWO and Optimizely can automate the experimentation process.

Testing should be continuous, but structured. Vislavskiy recommends running tests in cycles so that teams can review the results and refine their pages over time. “Run a test, analyze, implement, and then start the next,” he says. “We usually run a new test every 30 to 60 days depending on how fast the traffic comes in.”

Maintaining simplicity during testing is also critical. Experiments should focus on one variable at a time, with clearly defined goals and enough traffic to produce meaningful results. Audience preferences can evolve over time, which means strategies that once worked well may eventually lose effectiveness. “Don’t assume that what worked last year still works today,” Vislavskiy advises. “Audience behavior changes. Keep iterating.”

Testing too many variations at once can also create confusion in the data. Bailes recommends sticking to straightforward comparisons between two options rather than expanding experiments too quickly. “You should really stick to the A/B testing before it becomes A/B/C/D testing,” he says.

Running too many simultaneous changes can make it difficult to identify which adjustments are actually driving results. “It’s better to do less and see what actually works before doing too much and not being able to track what is working and what is not,” says Bailes.

It’s also important to focus on the quality of leads rather than the quantity of clicks. Conversion metrics tied to qualified prospects are more valuable than surface-level engagement. “It’s more about qualified customers over form submissions,” Bailes explains.

Extending A/B Testing Beyond Landing Pages

Although landing pages are a natural starting point for A/B testing, the same principles can improve other parts of a marketing campaign. Email subject lines, digital ads, and even follow-up messaging can all benefit from systematic testing. “The mindset is: Don’t guess. Test,” says Bailes. “Let the data make the decisions.”

Paige Cerulli

Paige Cerulli is a contributing writer to i Advance Senior Care.