Landing pages are like fine works of art. Every detail must have a purpose. In other words, landing pages can’t just look good—they have to be thoughtful and strategic.
This is why testing is crucial, as it provides insight into what’s working and what’s not.
Fortunately, improving conversion rates is within reach. Once the foundation of your landing page is secure, test every detail. When you discover areas that require attention, make the proper adjustments and retest for performance.
Anatomy of a great landing page
Before we discuss creative ways to increase conversions, let’s cover the fundamental elements that every great landing page should possess. As we focus on creating new and deeper experiences for users, we sometimes forget the principles of good design. Convention is just as important as cleverness.
Assess your landing pages to ensure they contain the following elements. If any of these details are missing, make the proper adjustments. A new CTA or optimized image can have a significant impact on how long visitors stay on a page.
- Clear call to action
- Compelling copy
- Eye-catching headlines
- Trust signals
- Relevant images
- Clickable share buttons
- Mobile friendliness
- Limited exit pages
- Sense of urgency
“With landing pages, convention is just as important as cleverness.”
From good to effective: How to increase conversions
In the next section, we’ll explore some of the ways to increase landing page conversions. At SEMGeeks, we feel that these practices can make all the difference in creating meaningful experiences for users. The key is to adjust these ideas to appeal to your unique audience.
Include a video to increase engagement
Including video on your landing page can increase conversions by 80% (opens PDF). Use video whenever possible. It serves as an engagement medium that doesn’t demand much work on the user’s part. Video also gives your brand the opportunity to share your story and build relationships through trust signals.
Video’s ability to improve conversions is understandable. People stay around to watch videos, lowering bounce rates and giving them more time for the brand to sink in. Including key people from your company in the video facilitates trust. Let’s also not forget that people prefer video because it’s faster, simpler, and more gratifying than reading.
“Including video on your landing page can increase conversions by 80%.”
As you fight to grab a visitor’s attention, take things a step further with an interactive video. Choose-your-adventure scenarios are wildly popular and allow people to change the outcome based on the choices they make. This level of interactivity increases engagement, reduces bounce rates, and forms positive associations between brands and customers.
Capture attention above the fold
Web users’ attention spans are shrinking. You only have a moment to draw in a visitor. Capture important information above the fold so visitors don’t have to scroll through the page. Try including the form field above the fold as well. This way, users can convert immediately.
Remember, web visitors scan. They skim. Keep your content simple and to the point. Avoid long paragraphs and even complete sentences that aren’t necessary. Format key information in bullet point or short lists. Spend time crafting a headline, since it’ll be the first thing the visitor reads—and it’ll help them decide if they want to stay on the page.
Follow the pyramid structure when creating copy for your landing page. Key points and conclusions come first, with supporting information included further down.
The best landing pages create deep experiences for users. Interactivity makes this possible.
People make split-second decisions based on the information they’re provided. Interactive content is an effective way to influence the buyer’s journey. Examples of interactive content include quizzes, games, contests, and interactive ebooks and infographics.
With the distinct benefits of interactive content, brands from all industries are experimenting with it. For example, a company that sells cars has an interactive page that allows shoppers to change the color and interior of the vehicles. A small boutique store selling clothes and accessories has a landing page with a model whose clothes, shoes, and accessories can be changed.
“The best landing pages create deep experiences for users.”
In the end, interactive content demands attention. It forces the user to do something and be alert. This is what drives an emotional connection between the user and the content.
Offer multiple ways to convert
Each landing page should have one clear goal. But there can be multiple ways to achieve this goal. In fact, by giving visitors a range of conversion methods, you increase the chance that they will follow through with the desired action. After all, a person may be interested in what you have to offer but not ready to download a free trial or receive emails from you every week.
Give prospects choices if you feel that it will personalize their experience. If your company works with individuals and businesses, offer two CTA buttons—one for the individual and one for the businesses. If your offer is a free trial, present the user with 2 or 3 different trial packages. People are more likely to convert when they feel an offer closely matches their needs.
Design with mobile in mind
With the rise in mobile, more people are completing lead forms on their devices. Yet many companies continue to build landing pages for desktops and assume that users will be completing the form here. Give attention to your mobile audience and how the lead form will look to them.
Start with your analytics program to discover the types of devices your audience is using. If you use Google Analytics, find this information under the Audience tab. Keep in mind that even if most users are coming from mobile, they are still viewing your page in different ways. Turning their phones to the horizontal position cuts out half the information, for example. Plus different devices have different screen resolutions.
“High-converting landing pages are an extension of your business.”
Though there’s no way to determine how people are actually viewing your landing pages, you can find out the most popular resolutions. After that, test your pages with the various resolutions to see what information is showing up above the fold.
Start with one landing page
Don’t overwhelm yourself by creating multiple landing pages at once. Start with one and work your way forward. Once you get a solid foundation in place, you may build new pages.
It’s not advisable to constantly change things on your landing pages, but you should keep up with the latest trends. New ideas and ways of doing things are always being developed, and you don’t want your landing pages to grow old. For now, focus your efforts and resources on the creation of one data-driven landing page that works.
High-converting landing pages are an extension of your business. They keep things running when you’re not there to do it. If your landing pages aren’t bringing in the conversions you expected, try the suggestions mentioned above.
When you find a foundation that drives results, you can create additional landing pages that convert.
Read more about increasing conversions
by Pete Schauer
Born and raised at the Jersey Shore, Pete Schauer is the Digital Strategy Manager at SEMGeeks. He holds a M.A. in Digital Communications from William Paterson University and has 8+ years in the digital space with companies such as Bleacher Report and Social Media Today in addition to SEMGeeks. His background includes creative and professional writing as well as strategic digital marketing communications and management.
