Optimized landing pages are one of the highest-leverage tools for cost-efficient customer acquisition available today. By focusing visitor attention on a single conversion goal, businesses can achieve conversion rate improvements of 91% on average, research by MECLABS shows.
For context, if a SaaS company optimizes their pricing page to increase conversion rates from 30% to 50%, and they drive 10,000 visits/month, that‘s an extra 2,000 customers per month from the same traffic. At $100/customer, that compounds to $200,000 in additional annual revenue.
This comprehensive guide provides expert-level coverage of what landing page optimization entails, rules of thumb all webmasters should follow, an in-depth look at conversion rate optimization tools, and a technical grounding in statistical methods for continual A/B testing.
What Makes an Effective Landing Page?
Before optimizing landing pages, it‘s important to understand their core attributes and conversion mechanics.
Landing pages are standalone web pages that target visitors from specific traffic sources. The singular focus is to convert those visitors into leads and customers.
Common Types of Landing Pages
| Type | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Lead Capture | Gather visitor info to become sales leads |
| Squeeze | Offer content in exchange for emails |
| Service Promotion | Encourage free trials or demos |
| Product | Drive purchases and add to carts |
| Registration | Get visitors to create accounts |
Unlike normal website pages with global navigation menus and links, quality landing pages guide visitors through a linear conversion funnel towards one goal. They build interest, drive desire, and reduce anxiety to encourage that next click.
Anatomy of a High-Converting Landing Page
Effective landing pages only contain elements that progress visitors closer towards the conversion goal. Any unnecessary links, buttons, or distractions should be eliminated.
While this singular focus goes against traditional perspectives on web engagement and stickiness, it works. MECLABS research affirms that targeted landing pages consistently outperform general website homepages at converting visitors across industries – by as much as 34%.
Now that we‘ve covered the traits that characterize high-performing landing pages, let‘s look at the technical and strategic ways to achieve those results.
Why Optimize Landing Pages?
Optimizing landing pages lifts critical conversion and financial metrics:
Lower Customer Acquisition Costs
Because a greater share of visitors convert, businesses pay less to acquire each customer. Continual optimization compounds this effect.
Landingi case studies show eCommerce stores reduced cost-per-acquisition by 26% following landing page optimization.
Improved Conversion Rates
Typical conversion rate improvements from landing page optimization average between 25-40%, based on research from Unbounce and Convince&Convert:
- 25-50% higher opt-in rates
- 35% more lead generation
- 40% increase in sales conversions
Higher Revenue Per Visitor
With higher conversions leading to more customers, each visitor becomes more monetizable.
For SaaS and freemium companies, this greater lifetime value justifies higher spending on advertising channels.
Landing Page Optimization Process & Methodology
Optimizing landing pages for better conversions involves an iterative methodology of testing and refinement. It requires both creativity and process thinking.
Here are the optimization steps every webmaster should follow:
1. Define Goals and Ideal Response
Start by identifying conversion goals and metrics for each landing page – email signups, demo requests, purchases etc. This focuses design efforts.
Determine what an ideal visitor response looks like. Find success benchmarks from industry research.
2. Understand the Audience
Conduct user research to deeply understand visitor demographics, behavior patterns, motivations and objections.
Create detailed buyer persona profiles you can design experience around.
3. Map the Existing Visitor Journey
Use analytics tools to see exactly how visitors currently move through pages.
Identify points of failure and drop-off where they abandon.
4. Prioritize Optimization Hypotheses
Brainstorm page changes that might lift conversions based on the aggregated data.
Prioritize test ideas that can make the biggest potential impact.
5. A/B Test Changes
Launch iterative tests for each hypothesis, measuring to determine statistical significance.
6. Roll Out Winners
Implement winning variants permanently. Rinse and repeat the process.
Now that we‘ve covered methodology, let‘s look at proven landing page optimization best practices.
Landing Page Optimization: 33 Expert Design & Copy Tactics
While every scenario is different, these tactics are proven across industry research to lift conversion rates:
Messaging & Value Communication
1. Lead With the Most Valuable Offer
Highlight your most attractive offer or incentive prominently above the fold. This builds initial excitement to learn more.
2. Communicate Benefits Clearly
Explain how you solve problems and deliver value in the headline and supporting copy. Focus on user needs.
3. Use Specific ROI Data
Back claims about product/service benefits with concrete data on satisfaction, savings, productivity etc.
4. Focus on Outcomes Over Features
Communicate what visitors can achieve rather than just highlighting product capabilities and specs.
5. Ensure Mobile Responsiveness
With 60% of search traffic now mobile, landing pages must work on cross-device screen sizes.
Credibility
6. Display Trust Seals
Raise credibility by showing Norton Secured, McAfee SECURE, BBB and Trustwave certifications.
7. Curate Verified Reviews
Positive reviews lift conversions by 34%, finds Brightlocal. Gather authentic feedback over time.
8. Show Case Studies
94% of B2B buyers validate vendor claims through client stories. Choose relatable examples.
9. Highlight Media & Analyst Coverage
Build authority using logos of major publications and research firms who have validated your work.
Conversion Focus
10. Emphasize Single CTA
Using one Primary CTA lifts conversions by 124%. Support it visually through color/size contrast.
11. Set Sibling to Low Contrast
If multiple CTAs, make secondary actions subtly visible rather than overtly competing.
12. Use Directional Cues
Strategically place elements to visually guide visitors towards conversion goals.
13. Limit Distractions
Remove excessive navigation links/tabs beyond critical pages to isolate options.
14. Use Pop-ups Sparingly
Exit-intent pop-ups convert best when related to page goal and only shown once.
15. Show Limited Products
For eCommerce, show one hero offer or curated selection that converts best. Too many choices overwhelm.
Anxiety Reduction
16. State Shipping & Returns Policy
Detailed shipping and refund policy info alleviates purchase fears around unwanted items.
17. Share Payment Security
Describe SSL encryption, verified PCI compliance, data protection measures in place.
18. Risk-Free Guarantee
Offer trial periods, free demos or money-back guarantees to reduce friction.
19. Present Pricing Transparently
Clearly display all costs/fees upfront instead of surprising later. Communicate value aligned to price.
20. Feature Only Essential Form Fields
Reduce sign-up friction and abandonment by only requesting essential visitor details upfront. Follow up for additional info.
21. Outline Next Steps
Show what happens after visitors convert to reduce uncertainty. Set proper expectations.
Page Design & Layout
22. Lead with Hero Shot
Show aspirational imagery customers identify with to build self-relation and desire. Align to benefits.
23. Draw Attention to CTA
Use high contrast colors, dimensional effects and empty space around CTAs to draw attention.
24. Guide Flow Clearly
Use layout, spacing, and arrows judiciously to direct attention down conversion path.
25. Pair Images With Stats
Lift credibility by augmenting promises and statements with visualized data proof points.
26. Maintain Consistent Branding
Use colors, logo placement and messaging aligned to overall brand identity to instill familiarity.
27. Use Video to Engage
Include videos conveying user stories ideal customers relate to. Position above the fold with clear CTA below.
28. Limit Page Length
Keep page length short, focused only on moving visitors to convert. Scroll depth impacts engagement.
29. Increase Proximity
Place sign-up form or critical info near relevant page imagery/messaging to connect the dots.
30. Use Contrasting Colors
Significantly variance CTA button colors relative to background for maximum visibility.
31. Remove Unnecessary Elements
Eliminate excessive navigation links, details, options and anything that distracts from conversion flow.
32. Show Limited Text
Craft succinct, scannable copy/bullets instead of dense paragraphs. Every added word raises abandonment probability.
33. Prioritize Above The Fold
Place value prop, hero shot, credentials, and CTA above the fold visible without scrolling.
Now let‘s cover the technical toolkit required for continual optimization through agile testing.
Conversion Optimization Tools & Software
To enable data-backed landing page optimization, webmasters need the right toolkit:
Here are the capabilities conversion rate specialists depend on:
Design & Build Landing Pages
- Templates for every scenario
- Drag and drop editors
- Mobile responsiveness
- Dynamic personalization
- Built-in analytics
Examples: Unbounce, Instapage, Leadpages
Understand Visitor Behavior
- Session recordings
- Click tracking
- Scroll maps
- Form analytics
- Visitor recordings
Examples: Hotjar, Mouseflow, Lucky Orange
A/B Test Landing Page Changes
- Visual editor to build variants
- Traffic segmentation
- Statistical analysis
- Idea testing workflow
Examples: Optimizely, VWO, Google Optimize
Copywriting Assistance
- AI-written copy alternatives
- Tone checking
- Content analytics
Examples: Copy.ai, INK, Jasper.ai
Further Down the Funnel
- Email marketing & automation
- CRM and sales acceleration
Examples: Customer.io, Salesflare
Now that we‘ve covered the tools, let‘s dig deeper into the technical process for continuous optimization using agile landing page testing.
Running Continuous A/B Tests to Identify Improvements
The most reliable way to determine landing page effectiveness is controlled experimentation using A/B testing tools. By creating page variations and routing segmented traffic, businesses can identify the best high-converting version.
Overview Of A/B Test Process
Let‘s explore how to methodically move through the landing page optimization process using A/B testing software:
Develop Test Hypotheses
Start by identifying potential page changes that might lift conversions through user research and analytics:
- What friction points cause abandonment?
- Where do visitors look first?
- What attracts visitor attention?
- What turns visitors away?
Turn these insights into testable hypotheses:
Hypothesis Example: Showing ROI proof stats above hero image will lift conversion rate 15%
Create Variant Landing Pages
Use page editor tools to create a version A (original) and version B landing page (proposed changes).
Make sure variants reflect one isolated change instead of multiple variables. This isolates the true impact of each modification accurately when comparing performance.
Set Up A/B Test
Most landing page software platforms include built-in A/B testing capabilities using an intuitive visual interface. Otherwise, integrate 3rd party tools like Google Optimize or Optimizely.
Essential Settings Checklist:
- Primary conversion goal
- Statistical confidence level
- Test duration
- Traffic distribution percentage to variants
- Target sample sizes
Configure based on metrics like historic site traffic, conversion data, industry benchmarks and more.
Analyze Winning Variant
At test completion, the tool‘s reporting reveals which variation met the primary conversion goal most effectively to a statistically significant degree.
If no variant shows a clear improvement, you may need to iterate new designs before determining a winner.
Close Loop & Expand Testing
Make changes from the winning version permanent. Then use expanded analytics insights to initiate further optimization hypotheses, repeating the agile testing process.
Over time, continual conversion lift compounds revenues substantially.
Landing page testing takes some technical specialization and diligent analysis. For more detail, see our Complete Guide to A/B Testing for 2021.
Now let‘s discuss tactics for optimizing beyond isolated landing pages towards full funnel experience.
Expanding Optimization Beyond Landing Pages
While landing pages offer the most direct path to convert anonymous visitors, holistic cross-channel experiences optimize engagement further.
Here is how to scale optimization beyond landing pages with personalized lifecycle marketing:
Optimize Account Signup Flow
Reduce form field requirements to the essentials. Offer engaging welcome content post sign-up leading to product education.
Model Negative Experiences
Deliberately trigger failures to reveal pain points. What messaging addresses visitor frustration most helpfully?
Tailor Lifecycle Emails
Send behavioral-triggered emails when users show specific interests. Remind them of unique value over time.
Prioritize Mobile Experience
Location and contextual inputs allow for superior personalization to user needs on mobile. Meet visitors in the moment.
Predict Next Best Actions
Use machine learning to determine optimal cross-sell offers per user based on signals. Serve that content dynamically.
Recover Abandoned Visitors
Remarket those who left via tailored ads and emails. Be helpful, not salesy.
Reward Loyalty
Identify committed users and delight them with exclusives protecting their investment.
The same optimization mindset applied to landing pages should expand across the entire customer journey over time. Testing never stops.
Conclusion & Next Steps
Optimizing landing pages lifts conversion rates by 25-400%, reducing customer acquisition costs and increasing lifetime value. It compresses and focuses the buyer‘s journey for mutually beneficial outcomes.
But realizing results requires diligent adherence to proven best practices combined with the technical capabilities to experiment systematically.
For next steps, audit your current landing pages against the advice provided here. Identify the higher-potential areas to address first. Compile a prioritized list of test hypotheses. And incrementally work through experiments using A/B testing tools.
With a comprehensive optimization plan built on the right methodology, webmasters can transform inbound interest into revenue efficiently. Conversions connect content and commerce.
