How Guardian Recovery increased conversions, resulting in a stronger return on their advertising investment with Nelio A/B Testing.
The Company
Guardian Recovery is a US nationwide network of accredited behavioral health treatment centers dedicated to helping adults and adolescents achieve lasting recovery from substance use and mental health disorders.
They offer individualized, evidence-based treatment programs in a compassionate and supportive environment. Guardian Recovery has offered hope and healing with a simple motto: clients first. Every decision is guided by what best serves those in their care, a principle that has helped them transform over 20,000 lives.
The Challenge
Guardian Recovery‘s main goal before using Nelio A/B Testing was to to improve lead conversion rates on their website, particularly for users visiting from paid campaigns and organic search. They wanted to identify which messaging and layouts were most effective at getting visitors to inquire about treatment.
Before using Nelio, they relied heavily on assumptions and anecdotal feedback when updating landing pages. They didn’t have a reliable way to test changes or know whether new page elements actually improved performance. This led to slow, inefficient decision-making and missed optimization opportunities.
The Solution
Nelio A/B Testing was a natural choice for Guardian Recovery because it integrates seamlessly with WordPress, which powers their site. It offered all the functionality they needed at a much more affordable rate than competitors like VWO or Optimizely, and didn’t require developer resources.
A/B Testing Setup
They started with their hero section on key landing pages.
Test 1
In a first A/B test, the core message of the hero section of both variants remained centered on supporting adolescents struggling with substance use and behavioral health issues, but the two versions differed notably in tone, structure, and presentation.
Variant A used a traditional paragraph-style format to explain the program in depth, appealing emotionally to parents by describing the treatment as a “distraction-free safe haven” and emphasizing the transformation from “chaos into stability.” This version leaned heavily on empathetic storytelling and provided a comprehensive overview of the program’s goals and methods, aiming to build trust through narrative.
Variant B, on the other hand, opted for a more concise, benefits-driven layout using bullet points to highlight key program features. This approach enhances scannability and makes it easier for parents to quickly understand what the program offers—such as academic support, holistic care, and family involvement. The tone felt more structured and solution-oriented, positioning the program as organized and professional.
Version B likely appealed to users seeking clarity and quick answers, whereas Variant A caters more to emotional reassurance and context.
TEST 2
They continued testing key landing pages with the goal of understanding which visuals and copy elements drove the most inquiries.
They created a test comparing a traditional long-form home page with one featuring a modern, optimized design.
Variant A used a warm, emotional introduction (“Hope Starts Here”) with a photo of a family on a beach, evoking a sense of community and healing. The page was content-rich and included detailed information about recovery center locations, accreditation, insurance, staff bios, testimonials, and a comprehensive list of services.
In contrast, Variant B adopted a modern, streamlined design. The messaging shifted toward personalization, with the headline “Personalized Care for Every Recovery Journey” and more modular sections focused on clarity. The layout was cleaner and more scannable, with prominent visual cues, improved use of white space, and repeated call-to-action buttons. Instead of listing every location and service in one long flow, the information was broken down into clickable cards with accompanying visuals.
Variant A appeared designed to build trust through depth and transparency, making it ideal for visitors who are still in the research phase or who need reassurance before making contact. On the other hand, on Variant B staff bios were removed, and the testimonial section was simplified, making the overall experience faster and more action-oriented—appealing to users who are ready to make a decision quickly.
✨ Key Features Used
- Guardian Recovery heavily used the heatmaps and scroll maps to understand how far users were getting on the page, and the built-in WordPress integration to create and manage variants directly in their editor without code.
🔧 Implementation Process
- The implementation process was fast and frictionless.
- Since Nelio A/B Testing is a native WordPress plugin, they simply installed it, configured their first test within the WordPress dashboard, and were running experiments the same day.
- There was no need for developer involvement or custom coding, which saved them significant time and resources. It was incredibly easy.
- Their marketing team was able to start running tests within hours without involving IT.
- The plugin was intuitive and the learning curve was minimal.
Nelio A/B Testing has been a game changer for our web strategy.
It empowered us to make decisions based on data, not instinct.
The simplicity, affordability, and impact have been exceptional.
DJ Prince
Vice President of Marketing at Guardian Recovery
Results & Key Metrics
Thanks to Nelio A/B Testing, Guardian Recovery was able to generate tens of thousands of dollars in additional ROI, significantly improving the efficiency of their ad spend and maximizing the return on every marketing dollar.
In the first example test, prior to the test, their main landing page was converting at 3.09%. After implementing the winning variant, which featured reduced content and more direct language, the conversion rate rose to 4.15%. This 34,3% conversion rate increase is substantial in their industry and resulted in a much lower cost per lead and a stronger return on their advertising investment.
In the second example test, they achieved a considerable increase of 52.7% in the conversion rate: a significant figure from both a practical and statistical point of view, given the high volume of traffic and conversions observed in both variants.
Unexpected Insights
The tests performed by Guardian Recovery have fundamentally reshaped how they organize and present content, both on their website and even in their printed materials. They’ve learned that their audience responds best to clear, concise, and bulleted messaging—long paragraphs tend to lose their attention.
As a result of running tests with Nelio A/B Testing, at Guardian Recovery now we prioritize straightforward, easily digestible information to keep our visitors engaged and drive better results.
What Guardian Recovery
Has to Say
Impact on Business
Nelio A/B Testing has directly contributed to higher conversion rates, more leads, and ultimately more people getting the help they need.
We’ve also improved collaboration across our marketing and content teams because we now have clear insights to work from.
Overall Experience
Our experience with Nelio A/B Testing has been outstanding! On the rare occasions we needed help, the Nelio team responded quickly with actionable guidance. Their documentation is also excellent, which made onboarding even smoother.
Would You Recommend Nelio A/B Testing?
Absolutely! It’s an ideal solution for WordPress sites—powerful enough for serious testing but simple enough for marketing teams to manage on their own.
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