What did AllTrails learn from testing a boring sign-up screen?
Author: Ali Abouelatta
Tags: signup, onboarding, conversion, video
Short answer: AllTrails' simpler signup screen beat a version with a scenic hiking-trail background video. The winning screen kept the brand mark, direct signup/login language, social login buttons, and email continuation without letting the outdoor imagery compete with the auth choices.
Evidence
The AllTrails comparison shows a video-backed control next to a plain, darker experiment with the same core signup/login job made more legible.
What changed
- Control: a scenic hiking background under multiple auth choices.
- Experiment: a dark, static screen with the logo, clear auth methods, and email continuation.
- The experiment moved the screen from scenic brand expression to direct account access.
Why it matters
- Category-relevant imagery can still reduce signup focus.
- Auth screens need legibility and choice clarity more than atmosphere.
Sources
- [1] Lazyweb Research: AllTrails signup-screen experiment. The AllTrails example shows a simple signup screen winning against a background video showcasing hiking trails. Source