Landing page optimisation is the process of enhancing your landing page with the aim of increasing conversions. This would mean improving individual elements based on data and insights.
This is a crucial part of conversion rate optimisation. Think of it this way – if your site visitors are not drawn in by your landing page, then they will probably head back to search rather than convert.
You might want to start with your research before a page goes live, things like audience surveys and competitor analysis can help. However, the perfect landing page will be achieved once a page goes live and you have performed the right tests. We’re going to highlight the best practices to improve your landing page and your CRO performance.
Landing Page Best Practices
Simplify your page and CTA
A simple landing page is often better in terms of being more user-friendly. A clear layout with everything you need in one place is recommended to avoid any confusion or visual clutter. You don’t always need too much content – we recommend using navigation boxes to keep things neat. Your call to action should always be highly noticeable and eye-catching – after all, that is what will encourage conversions.
Have a clear offer
Having an offer on your landing page is a common way of encouraging more conversions – because it does tend to work. The best way to encourage more customers to convert is by making their customer experience involve positive emotions. You want them to feel as if they are getting something from your offer. We would suggest putting yourself in your ideal customers shoes – and thinking about their goal. Then, turn that goal into an offer.
Keep the important information above the fold
Above the fold refers to any content that can be seen before having to scroll down a web page. As a digital marketing rule of thumb – it is best to keep the most important part of your web page above the fold.
This could be slightly more difficult when it comes to mobile and tablet devices because of the smaller amount of space. However, the good news is, you can use things like a scroll map to identify where the average fold would be on any device. We recommend making sure you keep your headline, your most copy and a call to action all above this point.
Try an exit popup
An exit popup appears on your landing page if a visitor attempts to click off and exit the page. It’s essentially another opportunity to create a conversion before a potential customer changes their mind.
From a digital marketing point of view – they are much less intrusive than popups that appear instantly when a page loads. You could try to offer some sort of discount or promotion in the exit popup.
Have clear CTA buttons
A call-to-action button should make it a conversion more straightforward for site visitors. It shouldn’t confuse the reader. Have a clear, noticeable and concise CTA button that will grab potential customers’ attention. A top tip would be to stay away from complex language and just keep it simple. Also, an offer within a CTA is likely to drive more clicks. Here are a few examples:
- Subscribe now
- Join now
- Buy today for free delivery
- Request a call-back
- Download free trial
Optimise your landing page for SEO
Not all of your landing page clicks will be from an ad. You might find that many of your visitors are finding you through organic search. Make sure your landing page is optimised for SEO so that your site can be found by more potential customers.
We recommend using tools like Ubersuggest or Google Keyword Planner to identify the most effective keywords for your landing page. You can use those keywords in your headlines, text, image alt text, and more. If users are searching for something specific and finding your landing page – then you could be providing a solution to their query.
Be consistent on and off-site
On-site consistency will make you appear more professional as a business. However, when it comes to digital marketing ads – we also suggest making these consistent with your landing page.
Let’s say for example, you have a Twitter Ad with a specific colour scheme, text and offer – this should be reflected in your landing page. They should always look visually similar and of course, present the exact same offer (avoid clickbait headlines!).
Make use of testimonials
As a customer – are you more likely to use a service or buy a product if you know it’s worked for other people? It’s always a good idea to tell your potential customers that you have helped people before. You could use a quote or even a video.
Keep A/B testing everything
The more A/B tests you run, the more accurate your data will be. Each A/B test should include a change to one variant. If you change multiple elements at once and get results – you won’t know which change caused a difference in conversions.
Testing is an essential part of most digital marketing channels – which is certainly the case for CRO. Make sure your landing page text is going to resonate with your target audience. For example, think about things like their age, interests, and online search behaviour.
A headline is going to determine whether a visitor reads on or not – so it’s important to perform A/B tests on different headlines. Your body copy is another chance to win a customer over – so run A/B tests to check how it performs throughout a campaign.
What next?
If you have any questions about how to optimise your landing page for conversions – don’t hesitate to get in touch with our London based digital marketing team here.