Create the Optimal Landing Page: 7 Tips for Landing Page Optimization

Since a good landing page not only lives from its well thought-out concept, but also from first impressions and a high degree of user-friendliness, the presentation is the be-all and end-all. The visitor’s path from clicking on a link to buying a particular product is therefore designed to be as simple and direct as possible in order to achieve a high conversion rate.

There is no unnecessary distraction with a clearly designed landing page, which makes it possible to directly implement the desired action. Instead of clicking through the entire home page and navigation, the visitor can, for example, add a product to the shopping cart or sign up for a newsletter with just one click.

There are a number of measures that convey the required information to the visitor and encourage him to act. With a landing page you control which information you present to the user. As soon as the goal is formulated, it has to be implemented accordingly in content and structure. So what elements should a landing page have?

1. Meaningful headline

In the case of a landing page, it should already be clear in the headline what advantage awaits the user when he continues reading. It is therefore important that the heading chosen matches the link name through which the user has reached the website. In this way, the user is in no doubt whether he is on the right page.

For instance — if a link name is “Here is all the information on new trend sneakers,” then the heading of the corresponding landing page should refer to it. This reference does not necessarily have to be literal, but a literal match is usually useful. In terms of content, the headline on the landing page should in any case match the link in the newsletter exactly.

2. To formulate briefly & concisely

One of the most important aspects that gives a landing page clarity is a well-structured text with clear and concise statements.

In order to make texts concise and short, for example, crisp formulations or the use of lists instead of continuous text have proven successful. These aspects should definitely be taken into account when optimizing landing pages in order to prepare texts in a simple and understandable way for the user.

3. Clear design

Short and concise formulations contribute to a clear design of the landing page. Generally, a clear design means to follow the flow of reading: i.e. to use the elements on the landing page in a logical order. It always makes sense to use a clearly formulated main heading that attracts attention. By the way: pictures increase the attention of the user. Therefore, supplement the target page with suitable images as part of the landing page optimization or creation.

The most important elements or information of the landing page should be placed in the directly visible area without scrolling (“above the fold”). This tip applies to the common desktop version of target pages as well as for the display on various mobile devices.

4. Use confidence-building elements

Confidence-building elements such as statements from satisfied users can boost confidence in the provider. The whole thing becomes even more credible if additional photos of these users are found. Further confidence-building measures are product evaluations, reviews and test results. Seals of approval and other quality labels also belong here. Another possibility are so-called “side-by-side product comparisons,” which help users compare products directly.

5. Clear call to action: Clear “Call to Action” (CTA)

To fulfil their purpose, landing pages need a clear call to action, i.e. an unambiguous CTA. What the visitor should do must be explicitly and clearly formulated. Striking buttons with labels such as “Buy now,” “Subscribe here” or “Make appointment now” are suitable for this purpose. Alternatively, one can work with several requests for action. However, the fewer calls for action there are, the more effective each of them is.

6. Insert as few links as possible

Since a landing page only follows one single target, links can be disturbing. Therefore it is recommended to avoid internal links if possible, and likely even hide the standard navigation of your website. In this way you help the user to focus on the essentials. In some cases it can still be useful to insert links. In this case, it should be the most necessary links: such as a link to the homepage or to the FAQs, so that the landing page does not become a “one-way street”.

7. Use pictures and well thought-out graphics

Images or graphics can support the marketing site’s message, but should be used in a meaningful and measured way. If a landing page appears in the search results with an image, the same image should appear on the landing page itself. This way the user can immediately see that he is on the right page.