Vue School
Increasing Conversion Rates by 12% and Adding $100K+ ARR Through Analytics-Driven CRO
Results
+12%
Conversion Rate Increase
$100K+
ARR Impact
1 Month
Project Duration
4 Tools
Analytics Platforms
Overview
I was brought in as a contract Growth Marketing Manager to improve user retention and growth at Vue School, a leading online learning platform for Vue.js developers. Through deep analytics analysis using Hotjar, PostHog, Google Analytics, and Mixpanel, I identified critical UX issues causing significant conversion leakage—users were consuming free content without ever registering or converting to paid subscribers.
The changes I recommended and helped implement resulted in a 12% increase in conversion rates and $100K+ in directly attributable annual recurring revenue.
About Vue School
Vue School is a subscription-based online education platform offering courses on Vue.js, Nuxt, and modern JavaScript development. Their business model relies on converting free users (who can access select content) into registered users and ultimately paid subscribers.
The Challenge
Initial brief: Increase user retention and growth.
The real problem: Through analytics investigation, I discovered a fundamental conversion gap—many users were watching free video content but never registering accounts, meaning: No way to nurture them via email, No path to convert them to paid subscribers, Significant traffic with low capture rate.
Approach: Multi-Tool Analytics Deep Dive
I conducted a comprehensive analysis using four complementary analytics tools:
Hotjar
Heatmaps and session recordings to observe actual user behavior
PostHog
Product analytics and user journey tracking
Google Analytics
Traffic analysis, acquisition channels, drop-off points
Mixpanel
Funnel analysis and conversion event tracking
Key Findings
UX Issues
Friction points in the user journey preventing smooth progression from free content to registration. Confusing navigation patterns observed in session recordings.
CTA Problems
Calls-to-action were poorly placed or insufficiently prominent. Users completing free videos had no clear next step.
Paywall/Subscriber Wall Placement
The timing and positioning of registration prompts and paywalls were not optimized. Users could consume significant value without any prompt to register.
Implementation
Based on my findings, I delivered a two-track solution:
Direct Implementation (WordPress Frontend)
I personally made improvements to the WordPress-based frontend, including CTA adjustments and UX refinements that didn't require application-level changes.
Recommendations for Development Team
For deeper application-level changes (subscriber wall logic, registration flow optimization), I provided detailed specifications and handed off to the in-house development team for implementation.
Key Takeaways
1. Free content without capture is wasted traffic
If users can consume your best content anonymously, you have no path to convert them. Strategic registration prompts are essential.
2. Multiple analytics tools reveal the full picture
Quantitative data (GA, Mixpanel) shows what is happening; qualitative tools (Hotjar recordings) show why. Both are necessary for accurate diagnosis.
3. Quick wins exist in most conversion funnels
A one-month engagement delivered six-figure ARR impact—the opportunities were already there, just unidentified.
4. Not all fixes require engineering resources
Some high-impact changes can be implemented directly on the frontend, accelerating time to results.