UltraEdit
Improving conversion across website, email, and paid search
Trial conversion
Paid traffic
Context
UltraEdit is a text editor that has been on the market for more than 30 years, serving developers, IT professionals, data analysts, and other technical users.
As a PMM, a significant part of my role was conversion optimisation across the key acquisition and activation touchpoints: website messaging, free trial paths, email nurture sequences, and Google Search campaigns. The focus was on identifying friction, testing new messaging and offers, and improving the path from initial interest to trial download and qualified lead generation.
As a PMM, a significant part of my role was conversion optimisation across the key acquisition and activation touchpoints: website messaging, free trial paths, email nurture sequences, and Google Search campaigns. The focus was on identifying friction, testing new messaging and offers, and improving the path from initial interest to trial download and qualified lead generation.
Most noticeable issues and improvements
1. Positioning was too narrow for the broader market
UltraEdit had a strong differentiation in handling large files. It was a smart and credible angle, but after reviewing the data, it became clear that this message was too narrow to support broader conversion growth.
The ability to edit huge files was a valuable differentiator, but it wasn't a compelling reason for most users to choose the product. The deeper need was broader: users wanted an editor they could trust for serious, critical work, without slowdowns, crashes, or security concerns.
The ability to edit huge files was a valuable differentiator, but it wasn't a compelling reason for most users to choose the product. The deeper need was broader: users wanted an editor they could trust for serious, critical work, without slowdowns, crashes, or security concerns.
What I worked on:
I repositioned UltraEdit and developed a new messaging direction around UltraEdit as an editor built for critical work: reliable, secure, and capable enough for demanding technical tasks. This messaging was then applied to the website and A/B tested against the existing direction.
Result:
The new messaging angle led to a 180% increase in conversions to the free trial download page in the A/B test.
2. Email nurture sequence was underperforming
The email nurture sequence was another key conversion point between a free trial and purchasing the product. The email journey needed to do a better job of reinforcing value, addressing potential objections, and giving users clear reasons to move toward a purchase.
What I worked on:
I redesigned the nurture sequence, tested different messaging angles, and experimented with email frequency to understand what created stronger engagement.
Result:
The unique open rate on the first email improved slightly, from 29% to 31%.
The bigger improvement came from the click-to-open rate, which increased from 6.4% to 11.6%, almost doubling engagement from users who opened the email.
The bigger improvement came from the click-to-open rate, which increased from 6.4% to 11.6%, almost doubling engagement from users who opened the email.
3. Paid search ads were too generic
Majority of Google Search campaigns messaging was too broad and generic. Instead of addressing specific use cases and problems, the copy often relied on general claims like “powerful editor”, "best editor", or broad feature lists.
What I worked on:
I reviewed the keywords and ad messaging, then refined the copy around common use cases, specific user problems, and more concrete reasons to choose UltraEdit.
The focus shifted from describing the product in general terms to matching the user’s search intent more directly.
The focus shifted from describing the product in general terms to matching the user’s search intent more directly.
Result:
Across the refined campaigns, click rate improved by an average of 14%, while cost per SRL decreased by almost 16%.
The outcome
The work improved conversion across several parts of the user journey:
- Website visitors responded better to a broader and more relevant positioning angle.
- Trial users engaged better with the nurture sequence and were more likely to purchase.
- Paid search campaigns became more specific, improving click rate and lowering cost per sales-ready lead.
Instead of leading with generic product claims or a narrow feature-based differentiation, the work focused on what users cared about at each stage: why they should click, why they should download, why they should return, and why UltraEdit was relevant for most critical work.
More Cases
Every project starts with a story. I turn those stories into digital experiences that feel effortless and expressive.