Social Proof Element’s redesign and new behavior

What we tested

Social Proof is a real-time notification Element that shows visitors’ recent donation activity to encourage giving. We tested an updated version that included a refreshed design, improved animations, and a revised display algorithm — with separate logic for desktop and mobile.

Two test variants were evaluated: one featuring a donor avatar icon, and one featuring a donation location map. Both variants also included design updates such as increased button height, adjusted border radius, accent color fill, and an enhanced bounce animation on appearance. Display duration for each notification was updated to 7 seconds across both desktop and mobile.

The test ran across all visitors who were exposed to the Social Proof Element.

Hypothesis

If we update the design of the Social Proof Element, improve its animation, and optimize its display algorithm — with separate logic for desktop and mobile — then donation conversion will increase by more than 1.75%, driven by improved visual appeal and a better user experience.

Test Setup

Key results

Neither test group showed a statistically significant improvement in the primary metric.

• No statistically significant change in the overall donation conversion rate
• No statistically significant change in ARPU across any segment
• -1.65% in ARPPU for test 2

The hypothesis was not confirmed. No test group exceeded the 1.75% improvement threshold required for this test.

Segment insights

Recurring donations

• +3.13% lift in recurring donation conversion overall for test 2
• +3.71% lift in recurring conversion on mobile
• +8.3% lift in recurring conversion in the UK
• +7.77% lift in recurring conversion in other countries

However, this was accompanied by the statistically significant drop in average donation amount noted above. ARPU showed no statistically significant difference, meaning the recurring conversion lift did not translate into meaningful revenue improvement.

Donation location map

• Visitors who did not see the donation location map converted better, suggesting the map may not add value to the donation experience.

Conclusion

Neither test variant will be rolled out. While test 2 showed a modest lift in recurring conversion among mobile users, this was offset by a statistically significant decline in ARPPU, with no meaningful change in ARPU overall.

The map icon variant also produced an unexpected finding: donors who did not see a location map converted better than those who did, which warrants further investigation.

What this means for you

Not every change improves performance, and that's exactly why we test before shipping anything. This test shows that even well-reasoned design improvements don't always move the needle in the expected direction. Visual updates and behavioral optimizations interact with donor psychology in complex ways that only real-world testing can reveal.

With Fundraise Up, your Checkout and Elements are continuously evaluated so that only proven improvements reach your donors. Every test, including those that don't produce a lift, brings us closer to what actually works.

→ Explore how Fundraise Up optimizes your fundraising experience with Elements