The goal of a landing page is to drive conversions. Whether that conversion is participation in a survey, registration for a mailing list, download of a whitepaper, or purchase of a product or service, every element on the page should push your visitor towards that goal. Follow these nine tips to craft successful landing pages and increase your conversion rate.

1. Keep it simple. 

   Your landing page has a specific purpose. Don’t prevent your visitor from fulfilling that purpose by distracting them with clutter.

   • Simplify your page layout and reduce the amount of text so they can easily find the information they came for.
   • Only include one call to action on a page and keep links, images, navigation, and other elements to a minimum. Otherwise you risk fracturing your traffic and losing people from your funnel.
   • Keep forms short so that customers don't lose interest or get uncomfortable about the amount of information you’re asking for.

2. Write an effective headline.

   The headline is the first thing your visitor will read on your landing page. It should compel them to continue.

   • Use a large, clear font that is easy to read.
   • Make it specific, concise, and directly related to the rest of the copy and page content.
   • If you are running ads to drive traffic to this page, the headline should closely match your ad copy. This creates continuity for people who’ve clicked on the ads.

3. Buttons, forms, and calls to action must stand out.

   These elements are the reason your visitor is on your landing page. Make sure they are easy to find. (Learn about our webs services: Website Development, Website Roadmap Planning, or Web Design, to see how they can improve your website performance.)

   • Use bright, contrasting colours that differentiate these items from the rest of the page, and make sure buttons are big and easy to read.
   • Be direct – use action words like “click here”, “call now”, “read more”, or “subscribe” to compel your visitor to take the next step.
   • Make it easy – make it as simple as possible for your visitor to carry out the action. Minimize the number of steps involved and prompt them to carry out each step.
   • Keep all of these elements above the fold. Your visitor shouldn’t have to scroll down to find them.

4. Use images and video that relate to your copy.

   The purpose of images and video are to enhance and reinforce your message. Keep them simple and relevant so you don’t distract your visitor.

   • Images or video should communicate the benefits of your product or service instantly. If your customer has to wait too long or think about it too hard, you’ll lose their interest.
   • Keep the number of images and videos to a minimum. You want to push your customer through the conversion funnel, not distract them from it.

5. Keep it above the fold.

   The most important parts of your website should be visible without your visitor having to scroll to find them.

   • Include key information in the first 200 words, both so that it catches you visitor’s attention and because the content in the top part of the copy receives higher SEO value than the copy further down the page.
   • Never put calls to action or other important elements where visitors have to search for them.

6. Give your visitor incentive to convert.

   Your visitor has already demonstrated interest in your products, services, or content by clicking on your ad or link to arrive on your landing page. However, they may need more enticement to purchase, download, or give you their information.

   • If you are selling or giving away content, provide a sample. Let readers view the first page or listeners hear the first section or song.
   • If you want your visitor to fill in a survey or a form, tell them why and what they’ll get in return for their info.

7. Provide validation.

   Make your visitor feel safe on your site and reinforce their desire to act by providing validation of your content, products, and site security.

   • Provide testimonials and display logos of well-recognized clients to assure customers of the quality of your offerings.
   • Display badges of media sources that have covered your products or services.
   • Post emblems of industry associations you are a part of or accreditations you have earned.
   • Include safe shopping seals and secure payment icons for your methods of payment.

8. Test, test, and test some more.

   Experiment with website design and content variations to determine which layouts, copy, offers and images give you the best conversion rate.

   • Set up different variations of your landing page and run the same ad to each variation, then see which version performs best.
   • Only change one element of the page in each variation, otherwise you won’t really be able to tell what impacted the page performance.
   • Continue testing over time to refine your landing page strategy and determine what combination of elements works best for your customers.

Have questions or want to improve your landing page's conversion rate? Perform a Website Audit today and identify areas for improvement!