Zillow.com:

Experiment & testing


THE GOAL

Grow qualified mortgage leads for Zillow Home Loans by continuously testing what actually moves rate shoppers and home buyers through the funnel, from first click to submitted application.

THE STRATEGY

Ran a structured hypothesis-driven testing program across the Zillow Home Loans and Mortgage Rates landing pages, covering:

  • Hero messaging, CTA copy, and value propositions

  • Trust signals: ratings, badges, social proof, and testimonials

  • Educational content and SEO-aligned page structure

  • Personalization, including geo-targeted creative and journey-based CTA routing

Each test shipped with a clear hypothesis, ran to statistical significance where possible, and directly informed the next round, including pausing ideas that didn't hold up, even when they were intuitive.

BY THE NUMBERS

+273%

hero CTA CTR vs control

167/wk

Submits

+54/wk

Leads

Mortgage Rates: Primary CTA Copy

Hypothesis:
Different linguistic framing of the primary CTA would surface which psychological driver most effectively moved users into the pre-qualification flow.

Result:
“Estimate my rate” beat control, driving +54 viable leads/week, +167 first-purchase submits/week (+0.51% globally), and a +273% lift in hero CTR.

Insight:
Framing the CTA as a quick, low-commitment estimate - rather than a formal application - reduced perceived effort and risk.

CONTROL
"Get your personalized rate"
Focuses on the individual and the nature of the data. It promises a results tailored specifically to the use, rather than a generic market average.

VERSION 2
"See my custom rate"
Prioritizes transparency and immediate gratification. The word "see" reduces the perceived effort of the task, making the process feel like a simple reveal, rather than a complete application.

VERSION 1
"Get my rate"
Shifts from the second person to the first person and emphasizes personal ownership. It suggests the rate exists and belong to the user, who simply needs to claim it.

VERSION 3
"Estimate my rate"
Reduces the perceived effort of the task by focusing on a quick, personal outcome rather than a formal process.

CONTROL
H1: "Find homes in your budget with BuyAbility"
Subcopy: More than a calculator, BuyAbility personalizes your search on Zillow. Start now to see what you can afford in real time - and get pre-qualified with Zillow Home Loans when you're ready.

VERSION 1
H1: "See what you can afford with BuyAbility"
Subcopy: Get an affordability estimate that accounts for your credit, down payment, taxes, and other esstentials. Save your details once and get a tailored estimate that updates daily, plus highlighted homest that match your budget on Zillow.

VERSION 3
H1: "Personalize your home search with BuyAbility"
Subcopy: Enter your down payment, credit score, and other details once - your BuyAbility will automatically update as interest rates change, keeping you and your home search up to speed with the market.

BuyAbility: Hero headline

Hypothesis:
A clearer hero headline and intro copy would set better expectations and improve BuyAbility saves by reducing user friction.

Result:
“Personalize your home search” was the directional winner: +7% BuyAbility saves vs. control and a +3.7% lift in hero CTR.

Insight:
Paired with the CTA test above, this confirmed users want BuyAbility for a personalized home search, while a personalized rate belongs in the pre-approval flow.